As part of LØS’s work to develop and support the launch of sustainable communities, adult education, and citizen-led initiatives, LØS is participating in the European project FinEthiCom Europe, an Erasmus+ project focused on ethical and solidarity-based financing to support local transition processes.
The FinEthiCom Europe project (Financial Ethical Capacity for Community Initiatives) is an Erasmus+ project aimed at strengthening the capacity of local citizen-led initiatives (Community-Led Initiatives-CLI) to work with ethical and solidarity-based financing.
Across Europe, many collective projects are working toward an ecological and social transition: housing cooperatives, eco-communities, rural development projects, local solidarity initiatives, and other community-based activities. These initiatives contribute to local development, foster social connections, strengthen civic engagement, and help combat climate change. At the same time, many of them face a major challenge: access to funding. Traditional funding models are often ill-suited to this type of project, especially when they are run by communities, young people, or individuals with limited financial resources.
FinEthiCom Europe is therefore working to make financing more accessible, democratic, and in line with the social and environmental values of local communities. The project explores and highlights existing alternatives: models for solidarity-based and ethical financing that make it possible to support meaningful projects while promoting a more just and sustainable economy.
The project’s main objectives are to:
• develop educational resources on solidarity-based financing and opportunities for funding citizen-led initiatives;
• strengthen the capacities of communities so they can understand, develop, and apply new financing models;
• highlight European organizations already working with ethical financing;
• create networks and foster collaboration among local initiatives, solidarity-based financing actors, educators, and engaged citizens.
Among other things, the project will develop tools that are accessible to everyone: a massive open online course (MOOC), webinars, a shared resource platform, a mapping of actors in the field of alternative financing, and a European network for exchange and collaboration on these practices.
Particular emphasis is placed on inclusion: at least 30% of participants will come from groups that are underrepresented or have limited access to traditional financing options. The goal is to ensure that people and communities who are often excluded from traditional financial systems also have the opportunity to develop their projects and actively contribute to the social and ecological transition.
In addition to practical tools, FinEthiCom Europe is built on a vision of an ecological transition in which local communities become active participants in economic, social, and environmental change. By strengthening connections between European countries, the project contributes to the development of more solidarity-based, participatory, and sustainable models for the future.
If you’d like to learn more about the project, please contact Project Manager Camilla Nielsen-Englyst at camilla@okosamfund.dk
