Study Overview

Reweaving Finance for the Social and Solidarity Economy:
A Global Casebook of Financing Approaches Aligned with Social and Solidarity Principles 

This study is the result of a joint effort carried out by FAIR and the GSEF. It aims to contribute to international debates on financing the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) by highlighting models of financial and non-financial intermediation capable of sustainably supporting SSE organizations, particularly in emerging and developing economies.

A study embedded in a structuring international sequence

The study is part of a recent and structuring international momentum around development finance and the growing recognition of the role of the SSE in economic, social, and environmental transition pathways.

It directly echoes the policy brief published by the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy (UNTFSSE) on financing for development. This publication highlights the central role of the SSE both as a beneficiary and as a provider of financial resources, and explicitly calls for strengthened cooperation with financing mechanisms aligned with SSE values and principles, notably through dedicated and adapted financial intermediaries.

This first milestone informed the discussions that led to the Seville Compromise, within the framework of the preparation of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), followed by the multilateral exchanges held in Doha. Together, these processes have reaffirmed the need to rethink financial architectures in order to better support inclusive, territorially rooted, and public-interest-oriented economic models. Within this sequence, the SSE emerges as a key lever for reconciling sustainable development, social justice, and economic resilience.

A practice and ecosystem oriented approach

The study adopts a deliberately qualitative and systemic approach. Rather than focusing solely on the analysis of a “financing gap,” it examines the structural conditions that enable the SSE to access appropriate financial resources without undermining its democratic governance, autonomy, or territorial anchoring.
The methodology is based on:

• an analysis of existing conceptual and institutional frameworks at the international level;
• the identification and in-depth examination of concrete case studies of financial intermediation and market facilitation mechanisms aligned with SSE principles;
• particular attention to contexts where legal and financial frameworks for the SSE remain emerging or fragmented.

The case studies were selected according to rigorous criteria: alignment with SSE values, geographic diversity (Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America), operational maturity, learning and transferability potential, as well as existing or potential links with international donors and development finance institutions.

Actors engaged at the intersection of SSE and finance

The study is led by FAIR and the GSEF, whose engagement on SSE financing issues is part of a long-standing commitment. It builds in particular on the work carried out within the GSEF Working Group dedicated to SSE financing, which has, in recent years, undertaken activities focused on monitoring, analysis, and collective reflection on financing mechanisms adapted to SSE models.

Through the organization of international roundtables, the production of thematic contributions, the capitalization of practices from different territories, and dialogue with public authorities and financial institutions, this working group has helped identify key structural challenges and operational pathways. These efforts directly informed the reflection that led to this study, in close connection with the dynamics driven by the United Nations and development finance institutions.

A contribution to policy debates and public action

The findings of the study were presented and discussed during a dedicated roundtable held at the Global Forum Bordeaux GSEF 2025, fostering direct dialogue between practitioners, international networks, public decision-makers, and financial institutions.

By shedding light on financial intermediation models aligned with SSE principles, this study is addressed to public authorities, development finance institutions, international donors, and SSE networks. It offers operational insights and strategic directions to strengthen solidarity finance ecosystems, support their scaling-up, and encourage stronger articulation between public, financial, and SSE actors, in the perspective of the FfD4 process and beyond.