Supporting social innovations for ensuring cohesion– experiences of selected countries

Abstract

Ensuring social cohesion is becoming an important direction for actions carried out within economic policy. By promoting innovative projects which solve social problems, this policy contributes towards the goal of achieving cohesion. The purpose of this article is to present the role of institutional support for social innovations and discuss experiences of Poland and the USA related to supporting such innovations. However, the potential of each country with respect to creation of social innovations is different and determined by multiple factors. The USA has considerable potential in the scope of supporting social innovations, which stems, among others, from adopted institutional solutions and substantial financial support with active participation of multiple entities, including privately held entities. In Poland, attention should be drawn towards creation of favourable framework conditions for innovative projects and actions oriented towards social problems; additionally, spending towards financing of social innovation projects should be increased, and the projects should be actively promoted.