NESsT Venture Fund Portfolio in Central Europe

After having received pre-feasibility study, feasibility study, and business plan development support during the early stage, NESsT Venture Fund later-stage portfolio members receive an individually-tailored, multi-year venture financing and capacity-building package from NESsT to help start up or expand their social enterprise.

Click on the country names below to learn more about nonprofit organizations that are receiving later-stage support from the NESsT Venture Fund in Central & Eastern Europe to develop their social enterprises:

            - Croatia                        - Romania                            - Czech Republic             - Slovakia                   - Hungary            

To learn more about organizations that have exited our later stage click here.

To learn about other organizations we have worked with in Central & Eastern Europe in social enterprise planning and development click here.

1. Later-Stage Portfolio - Croatia                                   

The following organizations are currently members of  NESsT's later-stage portfolio in Croatia:


Organizacija za gradjanske inicijative (OGI)
(Osijek, Croatia)

Strengthening communities.

Click here to read the OSI Investment Brief.

Social Mission: OGI initiates and supports social
development processes in local communities through three programs: promotion of human rights, community development and support for nonprofit
organizations.

Social Enterprise: NESsT is assisting OGI to provide
specialized accounting and financial services to small and medium-size nonprofit organizations in the Slavonija and Baranja regions, helping them to improve the quality of their financial planning and
management capacities.


PRONI Centre for Social Education
(Osijek, Croatia)

Promoting youth education in post-war social reconstruction.

Click here to read the PRONI Investment Brief.

Social Mission: PRONI works to effect post-war social
reconstruction and decrease youth involvement with drugs and alcohol in Croatia by engaging young people in informal education and employment
opportunities. PRONI forges transnational partnerships to improve and expand its youth and information center networks to further promote reconciliation.

Social Enterprise: At Pirovac, on the Adriatic Coast,
PRONI offers commercial rental of their Residential
Centre for seminars, retreats and private recreational
use. PRONI also offers additional services such as
training and event facilitation.


RODA – Roditelji u Akciji
(Zagreb, Croatia)

Improving health through natural childbirth and maternal care.

Click here to read the RODA Investment Brief.

Social Mission: Through education, political advocacy, and active awareness campaigns, RODA works to bring
about widespread change in Croatian maternal care
and engender increased parental involvement in children’s lives. RODA promotes a society with more
responsible attitudes towards children, future parents
and families.

Social Enterprise: As part of its marketing strategy,
RODA educates stakeholders and the public on the
social, environmental, health, and finanical benefits of
using cloth diapers, as well as the advantages of natural childbirth and breastfeeding. Continued workshops and an expanded presence at parenting fairs will allow RODA to further promote the values of active parenthood and natural childcare.

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2. Later-Stage Portfolio - Czech Republic                  

The following organizations are currently members of  NESsT's later-stage portfolio in the Czech Republic:


Chaloupky Environmental Education Centre
(Okríšky,
Czech Republic)

Preserving the environment in Czech Republic.

Click here to read the Chaloupky "Investment Brief."

Social Mission: Chaloupky is dedicated to educating citizens about nature conservation and environmental
issues in rural Czech Republic while emphasizing the
importance of preserving local cultural heritage.

Social Enterprise: Chaloupky offers an environmentally- friendly hotel and catering facility for school groups and families with children, complemented by recreational activities emphasizing environment and education.


Moznosti tu jsou
(Diakonie)

(Plzen, Czech Republic)

Improving social conditions for people with disabilities.

Click here to read the Diakonie "Investment Brief."

  

Social Mission: Diakonie works to create conditions for securing social services for mentally disabled people
and people in difficult life situations, including day care programs and housing.

Social Enterprise: Since 2005, Moznosti tu jsou (Diakonie) has operated the “Café and Tearoom Kacaba” in Plzen, which employs mentally disabled persons. The café plans to add a catering business
and transform it into a self-sustaining social enterprise in which at least 60% of the workers are mentally disabled.


Spolek Pratel
(Plzen, Czech Republic)

Improving social conditions for people with disabilities.

Click here to read the Spolek Pratel "Investment Brief."

    

Social Mission: Spolek Prátel seeks to improve the quality of life for low-income, at-risk youth in Frýdek–Místek through cultural, recreational and educational programs.

Social Enterprise: Spolek Prátel rents its theater and sports facilities and equipment to community groups (including sports teams, theater groups, families and
companies) for activities that are compatible with the organization’s social mission. It also runs a snack bar on its facilities that serves refreshments and snacks to visitors during events.


Transitions Online (TOL)
(Czech Republic)

Promoting independent journalism.

Click here to read the TOL "Investment Brief."

Social Mission: TOL is a nonprofit media development organization dedicated to strengthening the
professionalism, independence, and impact of journalism in postcommunist Central and Eastern
Europe, the Balkans, and the former Soviet Union by working with journalists, media outlets, and other groups.

Social Enterprise: NESsT is assisting TOL to derive
income from subscription sales of its online magazine on expert analysis and news coverage of Eastern and
Central Europe, the Balkans, and the former Soviet Union. TOL also provides training to young journalists in postcommunist countries.

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3. Later-Stage Portfolio - Hungary                              

The following organizations are currently members of  NESsT's later-stage portfolio in the Czech Republic:


Bárka Alapitvány

(Budapest, Hungary)

Promoting integration of people with disabilities.

Click here to read the Barka "Investment Brief."

Social Mission: Bárka works to promote the social
integration and acceptance of people with intellectual and combined disabilities through community development, creative workshops, day programs and housing provision.

Social Enterprise: Building on their existing sheltered workshop, Bárka is launching a social enterprise to develop and market a high quality, designer product line of unique home decoration and gift items -
such as candles - created by people with intellectual disabilities.


Káva Kulturális Mûhely

(Budapest, Hungary)

Educating disadvantaged youth through theatre.

Click here to read the Kava "Investment Brief."

Social Mission: Expert in educational theater, Kava develops and implements workshops to teach disadvantaged children about serious social problems such as discrimination, drug use, and crime.

Social Enterprise: Kava sells interactive, drama-based trainings to private companies and the general public, addressing social issues and topics such as worker burnout, tension, conflict resolution, theft, gender,
company loyalty, and mission and vision.


Kek Madar

(Szekszard, Hungary)

Creating economic and education opportunities to marginalized people

Click here to read the Kek Madar "Investment Brief."

Social Mission: Kek Madar strives to create economic
and educational opportunities for unemployed and marginalized people, providing them temporary employment, job training and child care to help them transition to full-time employment and independent
lives.

Social Enterprise: Kek Madar runs arestaurant that provides training and employment for physically and mentally disabled people, while at the same time providing a nutritious dining alternative for families and disabled people. The social enterprise also
demonstrates an example of successful integration of people with disabilities, who can then go on to find employment in the open job market after working in the restaurant.


Open Garden Foundation
(Gödöllo, Hungary)

Promoting community, organic agriculture.

Click here to read the Open Garden "Investment Brief."

Social Mission: OGF promotes sustainable, community agricultural production and healthy lifestyles through the operation of organic farms and building a network of producers, processors and consumers of organic foods.

Social Enterprise: NESsT guided OGF with the sale of its Real food Box social enterprise, an organic food home-delivery service, to a private entrepeneur with a guarantee royalty payment. Today, NESsT is assisting OGF to develop a new organic food catering service.


Zold Kor
(Hajduboszormeny,
Hungary)

Promoting an environmentally sustainable future.

Click here to read the Zöld Kör "Investment Brief".

Social Mission: Zold Kor, or Green Circle, "Friends of the Earth Hungary" works to establish a living,
liveable and sustainable future through environmental and nature protection activities.

Social Enterprise: NESsT is helping Zold Kor to develop its municipal paper waste selection and recycling system. NESsT is providing support in market analysis, human resources management, and
financial planning.

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4. Later-Stage Portfolio - Romania                              

More information coming soon on current members of  NESsT's later-stage portfolio in Romania.

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4. Later-Stage Portfolio - Slovakia                               

The following organizations are currently members of  NESsT's later-stage portfolio in Slovakia:


Bambino Mother’s Center
(Poprad, Slovakia)

Supporting mothers for healthy babies and families.

Click here to read the Bambino Mother's Center "Investment Brief."

Social Mission: Bambino supports families and children by offering education and self-help classes for pregnant women, mothers and fathers.

Social Enterprise: The "School of Healthy Motherhood" provides fee-based courses on natural child delivery and parenting, addressing a serious need in Slovakia. Bambino's courses provide access to information on raising a healthy family - essential but largely unavailable to parents and soon-to-be parents - thereby contributing to the improvement of obstetrics in the region.


Vydra
(Cierny Balog, Slovakia)

Promoting sustainable rural development.

Social Mission: Vydra is committed to preserving
local traditions, culture and the environment in the rural microregion of Cierny Hron through education and sustainable development.

Social Enterprise: Vydra operates a tourist camp and café. Its second social enterprise is the operation of three tourist information centers that provide referrals, sell tourist packages and local souvenirs.
The tourist packages offer lodging, food services, and eco-tourism activities such as visits to "Open Air Forest Museum", rides on historic railroad, nature walks, horseback riding, eco games and cultural
presentations. Vydra also plans to convert its offices so they can be used for accommodations and activities.

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Click on the country below to download short profiles of the NESsT Venture Fund later-stage portfolio for that country:

Croatia               Romania       Czech Republic    Slovakia                    Hungary            

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NESsT Venture Fund Portfolio News Highlights

In Hungary, Czech Republic NESsT awards social enterprise competition winners

In Hungary, Czech Republic[Budapest, Hungary and Prague, Czech Republic] NESsT and Citi announced the winners of the NESsT-Citi Social Enterprise Competition 2007-2008 in Hungary and the Czech Republic. This initiative supports the creation of social enterprises in Hungary, Czech Republic, and Slovakia in order to increase self-sustainability of civil society organizations (CSOs). »more

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NESsT supports Kava to fight social problems in HunNESsT supports Kava to fight social problems in Hungarygary:

"This social enterprise changed our lives"
[Budapest, Hungary] NESsT is supporting Dramatrening, the social enterprise of Budapest-based nonprofit Kava Cultural Group, to bring theater techniques to businesses in an effort to change attitudes and behaviors of employees towards critical social issues in Hungary. »more


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