The SfidEuropee experience: tools, knowledge and support for Third Sector organizations.
An initiative to turn European challenges into opportunities
SfidEuropee is an initiative promoted by. Caritro Foundation, Bolzano Savings Bank Foundation, Cariverona Foundation, in collaboration with the Volunteer Service Centers (CSV) of the provinces of Trento, Bolzano, Verona, Vicenza and Belluno Treviso, aimed at accompanying the cultural and social realities of their respective local organisations on a path of growth and openness towards European calls.
The initiative stems from the awareness that the social and cultural challenges of our time require responses capable of transcending national borders. In a context in which local resources are increasingly limited compared to evolving needs, it becomes essential to broaden our gaze and open up to the opportunities offered by Europe, which thus becomes a space for encounter, development and growth.
European funds represent a concrete resource for the Third Sector, but they require specific expertise, networking skills and a more structured and strategic project approach. SfidEuropee therefore intends to offer tools, knowledge and support to Third Sector organizations interested in strengthening their planning capacity and addressing European funding opportunities with greater awareness.
The latest edition saw the expansion of the partnership with the involvement of additional entities such as Euregio+, PensPlanProfi and Banca Etica, testifying to the initiative’s ability to generate value and aggregate different actors, united by the goal of strengthening the skills of the Third Sector.
A capacity building model for the Third Sector.
The course is aimed at nonprofit organizations active in the areas of culture and social welfare that wish to consolidate their project skills and receive targeted coaching in the complex area of EU projects and funding.
The initiative is divided into several phases. The first involves a series of informational meetings that alternate between online webinars and in-person networking sessions. Through expert talks, round tables and hands-on workshops, the fundamental tools for understanding the logic and opportunities of European calls for proposals are provided. Territorial events, organized in the provinces involved, play a central role in the course, as they foster the creation of communities of learning and dialogue between different realities, but united by shared objectives.
At the end of the information phase, participating organizations gain access to a dedicated advisory desk phase, where they can explore specific strategies and begin to give concrete shape to their project ideas, including checking their compatibility and consistency with active European programs.
Entities can then submit their project ideas through a dedicated Call. The best proposals receive a grant to cover consulting fees from experienced European designers and participation in international networking events, which are crucial for building and consolidating partnerships at the European level.
SfidEuropee is thus configured as an experimental model of capacity building, integrating training, personalized advice, economic support and accompaniment to design, representing a concrete and replicable experience in other territorial contexts.
The initiative not only strengthens the skills of individual organizations but also helps to spread a shared culture of European planning. Each participant becomes part of a larger network, a potential partner for future collaborations and a knowledge multiplier within his or her local organisations.
In the last edition, the track involved 65 organizations in the information phase and 30 realities in the personalized consulting desk. The Project Call resulted in the presentation and selection of 16 projects.
Three local organisations, one common vision
One of the most innovative and significant elements of SfidEuropee lies in its architecture, which unites three Foundations of banking origin with a shared vision: to build an ecosystem of expertise, relationships and opportunities that can effectively dialogue with Europe.
The collaboration between Fondazione Caritro, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Bolzano and Fondazione Cariverona represents a virtuous model of institutional co-design, based on the sharing of resources, experiences and networks of relationships.
This approach demonstrates how cooperation among philanthropic institutions can expand the scope and quality of interventions, generating a more widespread and coordinated impact on local organisations.
The presence of the three Foundations and the choice of a shared method also reinforce the message addressed to Third Sector organizations: that European planning is not an individual path, but a process that requires the ability to systemize, cooperate, share goals and strategies, and aim for collective results.
Skills that generate value
Investing in design culture means investing in the quality of the entire Third Sector system. Although its main objective is to bring organizations closer to European calls for proposals, SfidEuropee aims to produce a broader impact: the skills acquired during the course are transferable and applicable to local and regional planning as well, becoming a lasting legacy for organizations and local organisations.
Learning to structure a project according to European standards means adopting a rigorous method based on setting measurable objectives, identifying outcome indicators, building strategic partnerships, and planning activities that can be monitored and evaluated. These are skills that raise project quality in every area, improving the effectiveness and credibility of submitted proposals.
Supporting the entire course is the Guide (EUknow.it), a shared information and training tool that is a constant reference point for participants and a concrete support to continue learning and planning beyond the duration of the initiative.
