THE PROJECT

Main pillars

Invest for Change – I4C is a four-year project (2025–2029) implemented across all Western Balkan countries. The project aims to foster the development of impact enterprises through: 1) financial support instruments; 2) non-financial support instruments; 3) the creation of a community of impact investors to support them 4) the development of partnerships and facilitation of regional exchanges; and 5) the establishment of a policy dialogue with policymakers and investors to build a sustainable ecosystem for the social economy.

The main pillars of the initiative are:

• Research and needs assessment of social enterprises in order to design needs-based interventions and measure the impact of these interventions in support of social economy development.
• Capacity building through the Social Entrepreneurship Academy, a structured development programme for social enterprises in Albania, aimed at strengthening their managerial, financial, and strategic capacities, contributing to increased sustainability and measurable social impact.
• Financial support and facilitation of access to finance, and mentoring for social enterprises, contributing to their development and sustainability in generating large-scale impact within the social economy.
• Thematic discussion sessions with key social economy support actors, with the aim of building a community of investors with interest and commitment to supporting impact enterprises.
• Networking, partnership building, and regional and European exchanges as opportunities to connect ecosystems, ideas, and actors and to share good practices.
• Strengthening policy dialogue and public awareness on the social economy and impact investing.

Project partners

Partners Albania is the implementing partner in Albania of the “Invest for Change – I4C” project in partnership with Impact Europe (Belgium) as the lead partner, and Foundation 787 (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Innovation Centre Kosovo (Kosovo), ADP ZID (Montenegro), ARNO (North Macedonia), and Smart Kolektiv (Serbia).

The Invest for Change project is implemented with the financial support of the European Union.

ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS SO FAR

Kick-Off Event: Mobilising Capital to Accelerate the Social Economy in Albania

Partners Albania organised the first national kick-off event of the project, titled “Mobilising Capital to Accelerate the Social Economy in Albania”. It brought together more than 60 participants from public institutions, the investor community, private sector actors, and social economy stakeholders, creating a platform for dialogue on the role of impact-driven enterprises in the country’s development.

The event was welcomed by Ms. Juliana Hoxha, Director of Partners Albania; Mr. Miha Pezelj, Head of the Socio-Economic Development Team at the Delegation of the European Union to Albania; and Ms. Andreja Rosandić, Project Manager, at Impact Europe.

During the discussions, impact investment models were presented at a global level and key topics were addressed, such as the promotion and encouragement of domestic and foreign investments for sustainable development, the role of investors and practitioners in advancing the social economy, private sector financial support for social enterprises, as well as the importance of innovation and sustainable technological initiatives within this ecosystem.

Strengthening Capacity and Impact Competences of Social Enterprises

The first “Social Entrepreneurship Academy in Albania”, was launched in April 2026, a program designed to strengthen the capacities of 17 social enterprises and impact-driven businesses, and focused on building knowledge and practical skills in areas such as business development, access to finance, impact measurement, and sustainable growth strategies.

Aiming to contribute to a stronger and more resilient social enterprise ecosystem in Albania, from April to October 2026, the Academy delivered seven lectures by ecosystem experts, covering: Introduction to Social Economy and Social Entrepreneurship; Business Models for Social Enterprises and Principles; Establishing Social Enterprises in Albania; Innovation in Social Enterprises; Access to Finance and Mobilising Capital; Measuring Social and Environmental Impact; and Investor-Investee relationship.

As we reached the end of this learning journey in October, we also celebrated the participants’ achievements in a graduation ceremony, to celebrate their commitment, active participation, and enthusiasm throughout the SE Academy.

Improving access to finance for impact-driven Social Enterprises

Under the financial support component, the project aims at identifying and supporting ambitious Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with strong potential for growth, scalability, and sustainability, committed to co-investing in the expansion of their business, while generating measurable social and/or environmental impact.

This component is designed through subsequent stages of a competitive selection process, to ensure the identification of applicants with the highest potential for both business growth and impact generation: The Expression of Interest stage, the Full Proposal stage, the Pitching stage, the Pre-award Verification stage, and the Contract Signing stage. The application process was facilitated through the Dua Partner Invest (DPI) platform.

Held on September 24^th, 2026, the Pitching event brought together inspiring ideas, innovative solutions, and visions for positive change, while participants presented their projects to the jury, highlighting diverse approaches to addressing social and environmental challenges. The next chapter of this journey is already underway.

Impact for Breakfast and B2B Match-making event

On June 11^th, 2026, PA organised the first Impact for Breakfast event, launching Tirana Chapter, bringing together investors, financial institutions, social enterprises, startups, policymakers, and ecosystem actors in a morning of bold ideas, inspirational thoughts, meaningful connections and a growing impact community.

Under the theme “Connecting Capital with Impact-Driven Businesses” we explored Albania’s readiness for impact investing at scale; financing gaps and investment opportunities; collaboration between ecosystem builders; and incentives and risk-sharing mechanisms in building a thriving impact ecosystem.

The event was followed by a B2B match-making event among financial institutions and impact-driven enterprises, serving to identify areas of mutual interest and outline potential next steps for future cooperation while participating in structured one-on-one meetings that enabled them to discuss their financing needs and investment opportunities.

Advocacy actions: Draft-Law “On Donations and Sponsorships”

For Albania, a particularly important advocacy priority concerns the Draft-Law “On Donations and Sponsorships” which seeks to regulate donations and sponsorships and has been made available for public consultation. In the context of Partners Albania’s ongoing efforts, the draft law has been analysed with regard to its potential effects on sponsorship practices. In response, Partners Albania organised consultations with stakeholders, presenting key findings and recommendations. Going forward, advocacy will continue to combine legal analysis, dialogue, and multi-stakeholder engagement to support evidence-based policymaking and strengthen a regulatory framework that enables responsible philanthropy, social investment, and sustainable growth of impact-driven initiatives in Albania.

RESEARCH ON SOCIAL ECONOMY AND IMPACT INVESTING

Mapping the Impact Ecosystem: Insights from the Western Balkans

A publication by Impact Europe, providing a comprehensive look at Social Entrepreneurship and Impact Investment across Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia. The report demonstrates that the potential for impact investment in the region is significant. By creating better examples, fostering transparency, and nurturing a community of both institutional and individual investors, we can help these enterprises move from nascent initiatives to powerful drivers of regional change. We are proud to have contributed to the study, mapping the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Albania.

European Social Enterprise Monitor (ESEM)

For the first time, Albania has joined the European Social Enterprise Monitor (ESEM), becoming part of a leading European research initiative that tracks the development, challenges, and impact of social enterprises across Europe. This marks an important step in strengthening evidence-based policymaking and increasing the visibility of Albania’s social enterprise ecosystem at the European level.

The report will be published soon.