Social innovation, social enterprises, and social finance: Contamination areas

Abstract - The concept of Social Finance diverges from the traditional finance concept being based on the blended value proposition, which posits that value is non-divisible, consisting of a blend of economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Social Finance attracted the attention of governments, organizations, researchers, and entrepreneurs as a way to mobilize resources and promote social innovation and as a viable way to solve the funding gap of social enterprises. In the last few years, also the European Commission (EC) has encouraged the development of the relationships between Social Finance and Social Enterprises considered as the main strategy for the development of local economies. European countries are adopting programmes and Social Finance schemes to support social enterprise development, in many cases through the financial support of the European Social Funds (ESF). SF channels private capital toward Social Innovation and includes a broader spectrum of approaches. By analyzing the core dimensions of social finance, this work provides a deeper understanding of the interconnections that currently exist within the broader sphere of social innovation and social enterprises