SozialMarie

We a re looking for tried and tested, implemented, effective social innovations in all sectors in Central and Eastern Europe.

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News

11/25/2025

In times of crisis, relationships and trust make all the difference. That’s why we need social innovation.

At the Czech–Slovak SozialMarie conference in Brno, sociologist Michal Vašečka posed a key question: how can Central Europe face polycrises that reinforce one another? His message was simple: relationships and trust are our strongest foundation — and social innovation helps to build them.

11/24/2025

Questions about applying? Online Q&A on December 3

If you’re planning to submit your project for a SozialMarie Prize, you’re warmly invited to join our online Q&A session.

11/23/2025

New OECD REPORT: Important guidance for everyone driving social innovation.

How can social innovations be successfully launched, scaled, and sustained? The new OECD report “Start, Scale, Sustain” offers compelling answers — drawing on an analysis of 96 projects funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) across Europe.

11/14/2025

Annual Meeting of the Slovenian SozialMarie Community

On 14 November, a special event took place in Ljubljana for our Slovenian community: the annual meeting of nominated and awarded SozialMarie projects.

Price

SozialMarie is a prize for social innovation that is awarded every year to outstanding projects. It honours initiatives that offer novel, sustainable and exemplary solutions to current social challenges. You can find out more about what we mean by social innovation and how the prize is awarded here.

Projects

Every year since 2005, socially innovative projects from various sectors have been honoured with the SozialMarie. Would you like to find out more about the projects, see who has been nominated and who is one of the lucky winners? Click here for the projects.

Insights

Did you know that we have a podcast? Would you like to click through pictures from past events or find out what else we do apart from the SozialMarie application and award ceremony? Take a look at our Insights.

Patrons

What do a workshop, a social media post, bread dough and a charity event have in common? The patron of honour for a nominated project. You can find more information about our inspiring patrons here.