Multi-level contribution and significant scope for growth.
This is the shortest possible description of the findings of the study on the contribution of Civil Society to the Greek economy, carried out by the Foundation for Economic & Industrial Research (IOBE) for Bodossaki Foundation, in the framework of the Active citizens fund programme. This is the first scientific research conducted in Greece to measure and highlight the economic dimension of the contribution of Civil Society organisations at national and local level. It was conducted through large-scale primary research and the application of appropriate economic models and sheds light on the multifaceted contribution of Civil Society in the country, as well as the significant potential for progress in the field.
According to the findings of the study, available here, the activities of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) support, directly or indirectly, the production of 1.6% of the country’s GDP and the employment of 1.9% of workers in Greece. In absolute terms, the contribution to the GDP of CSOs for 2021 is estimated at €3 billion, supporting 88,400 jobs. These figures do not include the economic value of volunteering, which amounted to €357 million in 2021, corresponding to about 0.2% of the country’s GDP.
In addition, the activities of the organisations lead to a boost in public revenue due to the stimulation of economic activity in the country, with annual amounts consistently above €1 billion, corresponding to 1.9 – 2.1% of annual State revenue in the three-year period 2019-2021. In the hypothetical case where the services offered by Civil Society Organisations in Greece would have to be provided by the State, their costs for 2021 are estimated at €2.1 to €3.2 billion.'
All research data is open and available through this link
Active citizens fund Greece is the civil society programme of the EEA Grants, amounting to 13.5m euros. More information here