European funding plays an important role in supporting social services to develop innovative approaches, strengthen communities and improve people’s lives. Through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), public social services authorities and social services organisations can access resources to develop and deliver services that respond to changing social needs.
However, for many organisations, navigating EU funding opportunities remains challenging. Complex procedures, administrative requirements and limited capacity can make it difficult for social services to access and effectively use available funding.
To better understand these challenges and identify ways to improve support, the European Social Network (ESN) launched the ESF+ Social Services Hub in 2026. Building on ESN’s long-standing work to strengthen the role of social services in accessing and using European funding opportunities, including the EU Structural and Investment Funds: An ESN Guideline for public social services, the Hub aims to create new opportunities for knowledge exchange, support and dialogue around ESF+ funding.
By bringing together the experiences of social services organisations and those responsible for managing funding programmes, the Hub seeks to ensure that EU funding instruments become more accessible, relevant and responsive to the realities of social services.
Listening to social services across Europe
As one of the first activities of the ESF+ Social Services Hub, ESN invited its members, public social services authorities, including social services providers and social services networks, to share their experiences with ESF+ funding through a dedicated questionnaire.
The responses provide valuable insights into how social services organisations engage with ESF+, the challenges they encounter, and the type of support needed to make funding opportunities more accessible. They also give ESN important evidence to represent the experiences and priorities of social services in discussions on the future of EU funding.
Understanding the opportunities and challenges
The questionnaire results show that social services organisations are already actively engaging with ESF+. Overall, 70% of respondents applied for ESF+ funding between 2023 and 2025, and almost 90% of those applicants were successful. This demonstrates the important role ESF+ plays in supporting social services across Europe.
At the same time, organisations highlighted that accessing and managing funding remains challenging. Reporting and financial management emerged as the most common difficulty, followed by identifying relevant funding calls, designing projects and understanding eligibility requirements.
Respondents also identified wider barriers that can limit participation, including complex administrative procedures, limited staff capacity and difficulties securing co-financing. These findings show that improving access to ESF+ requires not only accessible funding opportunities, but also practical support throughout the funding process.
These findings underline the importance of ensuring that EU funding mechanisms better reflect the realities of social services and provide organisations with the tools they need to participate effectively.
Providing the support organisations need
The questionnaire also explored what would help social services engage more successfully with ESF+ funding. Across responses, organisations highlighted the importance of practical and accessible support.
The most requested measures included guidance on finding relevant funding opportunities, training on ESF+, practical templates for applications and reporting, examples of successful projects and dedicated support through a helpdesk.
These needs also build on lessons from ESN’s previous work, including the Social Services Helpdesk on EU Funds project, which developed practical tools, training resources and guidance to support social services in accessing and using EU funding
Shaping the future of ESF+ together
The findings will guide the future activities of the ESF+ Social Services Hub, ensuring that its resources and activities respond to the needs identified by social services organisations across Europe.
From supporting social services in navigating European funding opportunities to creating new spaces for dialogue and cooperation, ESN continues to advocate for funding mechanisms that better support the organisations working in communities every day.
How can you get involved?
The future of ESF+ should be shaped together with the organisations delivering services on the ground, whose experience is essential for designing funding that works in practice.
The next step in this dialogue will be the ESF+ Social Services Hub Meeting, taking place on 5–6 November 2026 in Athens, Greece. The meeting will bring together public social services authorities, social services organisations, Managing Authorities and European institutions to exchange experiences, discuss challenges and explore solutions for improving access to ESF+ funding.
By connecting those who manage EU funds with those who plan, coordinate and deliver social services, ESN aims to strengthen cooperation and ensure that the voices and experiences of the sector contribute to shaping a more accessible and effective ESF+.
