The context
In Italy, the third sector is a fundamental pillar of the social economy, always at the forefront in seeking responses and solutions to community needs. However, organisations within the third sector are also among those most frequently facing financial difficulties, as they are often undercapitalised, struggle to access traditional funding sources, and have limited capacity for strategic repositioning. Thanks to the Restart Italia initiative, Fondazione Opes-Lcef Onlus promotes the use of the “recoverable grant” — a hybrid form of donation and investment that enables sustainable support for productive third sector organisations.
How the project works
The Restart Italia initiative selects social cooperatives that have a significant social impact on their communities but are also able to operate in the market. These organisations often face difficulties in securing funds through traditional banking channels, which is where the “recoverable grant” comes in: a zero-interest loan with great flexibility in repayment terms and methods for the beneficiary. The repayment of the loan depends on the organisation’s income performance and will be agreed upon in a way that suits the specific reality. When the capital is recovered, either fully or partially, it enters a “revolving” mechanism, benefiting new cooperatives or social enterprises. If repayment conditions cannot be met, the loan may be converted into a non-repayable grant. Fondazione Opes-Lcef not only provides patient capital but also managerial support to young social enterprises, helping them to strengthen and enhance their impact on people’s lives while combating poverty.
Fondazione Marcegaglia’s involvment
Fondazione Marcegaglia participates in Restart Italia alongside Fondazione Opes-Lcef, supporting social cooperatives that pursue objectives aligned with the Foundation’s mission. The contribution is aimed both at strengthening existing activities and developing new projects. The goal is to provide not only financial support but also a range of knowledge and incentives designed to foster improved organisational and managerial capabilities.
Furthermore, thanks to the scholarships provided by Fondazione Marcegaglia, the cooperatives selected for the project have the opportunity to take part in the annual training event SOCIAL ENTERPRISE OPEN CAMP, which brings together leading figures from around the world in the field of social entrepreneurship.
The cooperatives supported by the Foundation
Alborea – Brescia Contribution: €50.000 Capital availability: 4 years
Thanks to the capital received, the cooperative will be able to open the bistro “I Giardini di Dafne” within the Parco delle Tre Ville, in the heart of Palazzolo sull’Oglio (BS). This space will not only be a high-quality bistro but also an innovative centre dedicated to employment and female empowerment, primarily designed to offer new opportunities to women who are victims of violence, thereby addressing an increasingly urgent need in the Brescia area.
Roots – Modena
Contribution: €40,000
Capital availability: 5 years
The support from Restart will enable Roots to expand and diversify its services beyond the current offering of multicultural dinners and coworking spaces. This expansion is expected to have a positive impact on revenue, thereby increasing the cooperative’s capacity to involve a growing number of migrant women in culinary training programmes.
Orsa Maggiore – Naples
Contribution: €30,000
Capital availability: 4 years
The support from Restart Italia is aimed at fostering the development of L’Orsa Maggiore Bar Bistrot & Factory, a work integration hub for people facing vulnerabilities, with a particular focus on women. Specifically, the Restart contribution seeks to strengthen three productive sectors: hospitality and catering at the Bar Bistrot, garment production at the tailoring workshop, and graphic production at the graphics and printing lab. The funding will cover the costs of purchasing machinery and equipment necessary to develop these areas.
La Venenta – Bologna
Contribution: €40,000
Capital availability: 4 years
The support from Restart Italia aims to assist the cooperative in the development and refurbishment of the “Colombara” mother-and-child community. Located in a building owned by the cooperative and already authorised to operate as a mother-and-child facility, the community will be expanded to increase the total number of beds from 7 to 20.
Quid – Verona
Contribution: €50,000
Capital availability: 5 years
The Restart Italia support enables the cooperative to develop several business assets, including: Worldplaces Lab (on-the-job training in the Avesa workshop and provision of social assistance to employees through a welfare helpdesk), Worldplaces Without Borders (on-the-job training within the production workshops in prison), Quid Oltre Quid Academy (launch of the “Spring & Swap” initiative, through which people facing vulnerabilities start an internship in back-office roles at Quid and continue their journey in profit-making companies).
Lazzarelle – Naples
Contribution: €50,000
Capital availability: 4 years
The support from Restart Italia is aimed at promoting the development of a new production line for the cooperative: the chocolatery. The new products will be made possible by setting up a chocolate production workshop within Pozzuoli prison, providing employment opportunities for female inmates.
Hortus – Mantua
Contribution: €50,000
Capital availability: 4 years
The contribution enables the cooperative to launch two new initiatives aimed at promoting a healthy food culture at affordable prices. These include the opening of a retail outlet for Hortus products within Carlo Poma Hospital in Mantua and the sale of products and ready meals to students at the three campuses of the ISBOMA-IPSIA Secondary Education Institute in Mantua.
Equa – Milan
Contribution: €50,000
Capital availability: 3 years
The Restart Italia contribution enables the implementation of the project ‘La Rondine,’ aimed at expanding the cooperative’s shelter services for women victims of domestic violence. ‘La Rondine’ involves increasing the number of available places in the refuge house, thereby offering an initial level of specialist support with the possibility of emergency intervention.
Cavarei – Forlì
Contribution: €50,000
Capital availability: 3 years
The Restart Italia contribution aims to support the cooperative in developing the project “Stitching Together the Future,” which focuses on strengthening the three sectors of branch B (tailoring, printing, and shop). The project’s objectives are to generate female employment, increase the number of disadvantaged people trained for work, as well as to generate revenue and improve and grow the cooperative’s business model.
Oikos – Bergamo
Contribution: €40,000
Capital availability: 3 years
The support from Restart Italia is aimed at promoting the development of the project “Welfare Verde” — an initiative designed to develop specific skills in the green sector to create natural environments that offer visitors a holistic sensory experience that fosters wellbeing.
