The Orlen Foundation is launching a new grant programme ‘Orlen Social Lab. Laboratory of Social Change’, under which it will support the most interesting social innovation proposals both in terms of content and financially.

The grant programme ‘Orlen Social Lab. Laboratory of Social Change’ by the Orlen Foundation was created for all those who want to improve the quality of life of local communities. Authors of the best projects can count on financial support and 60 hours of training and consultations with experts. The programme is being carried out in cooperation with PKN Orlen.

“In the programme ‘Orlen Social Lab. Laboratory of Social Change’ we want to support creative, out-of-the-box, unique proposals that will enable positive change in a specific area of social life. We are keen to support first and foremost those initiatives that make use of modern technologies and innovative solutions and produce lasting effects that will continue even after the project is completed”, said Agata Górnicka, director of the PKN Orlen community relations office.

The grants are intended for associations and foundations, and projects can be in such areas as culture and education, health and sport, sustainable development, or security.

This year, the foundation will conduct two parts of the programme. The creators of the most interesting proposals will be able to benefit from 60 hours of training and consultations concerning, among other things, the operational running of community projects, development of cost estimates or communication and promotion of activities. 

After the training and consultancy series, experts will evaluate the projects and recommend for a grant those ideas that have the greatest chance of being implemented. Projects supported by a grant in the first round must be implemented between 1 July and 30 September this year.  Implementation of projects from the second round will start in mid-October 2023. The pool of grants in the programme is PLN 500,000.

Adrian Andrzejewski