Multi-level contribution and significant room for growth. This is the shortest possible description of the research findings of her contribution Society of Citizens in the Greek economy, carried out by the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE) for the Bodosaki Foundation, within the framework of the Active citizens fund program. This is the first scientific research conducted in Greece to measure and highlight the economic dimension of the contribution of Civil Society organizations, at national and local level. It was conducted through large-scale primary research and the application of appropriate economic models and illuminates the multifaceted contribution of Civil Society to the country, but also the significant potential for progress in the field.

According to the research findings (https://civilsocietycontribution.gr/index.html) the activities of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) support, directly or indirectly, the production of 1.6% of the country’s GDP and employment of 1.9% of employees in Greece. In absolute terms, the contribution to the GDP of OKiP for 2021 is estimated at 3 billion euros, supporting 88.4 thousand jobs. These figures do not include the economic value of volunteering, which amounted to 357 million euros in 2021, which corresponds to about 0.2% of the country’s GDP.

In addition, the activities of the organizations lead to an increase in its income Public, due to the stimulation of economic activity in the country, with annual amounts consistently higher than 1 billion euros, which correspond to 1.9% to 2.1% of the annual revenues of the State in the three years 2019-2021. In the hypothetical case that the services offered by Civil Society Organizations in Greece should be provided by the state, their cost for 2021 is estimated from Euro 2.1 billion to Euro 3.2 billion.

The size of the activity of CSOs largely depends on the acceptance and support they receive from the citizens of the country. 45.5% of respondents said that in a year (May 2021-May 2022) they financially supported an organization, with 69.4% having done so on an emergency basis and only 22% on a regular basis. In addition, Greece is low in the rankings based on citizens’ contributions and trust in charities. In particular, it ranks penultimate, 125th, based on the CAF World Giving Index for the decade 2009-2019 and 34th among 50 countries in the survey World Value Survey, based on the percentage of citizens who have donated to a Civil Society Organization or political campaign. Accordingly, Greece ranks 37th out of 54 countries based on the percentage of people who said they trust charities.

The research shows the significant scope for further development of the activities of the Civil Society Organizations, given the relatively limited geographical scope of the organizations’ action and the change that would be brought about in the area by the strengthening of citizens’ trust in the organizations. It is essential that organizations operating in sensitive sectors and managing significant resources themselves have reliable governance structures, implement external audit procedures and provide maximum transparency. Finally, it is necessary to correct the anchors that prevent the operation of the OKiPs, mainly through the improvement of the supervisory framework and cooperation with the state more broadly, with the aim of strengthening the economic contribution, as well as the significant social impact that their actions have in Greece .

The findings of the research were presented at today’s event, held at the Athens Conservatory and prefaced by the president of the Board of Directors of the Bodosaki Foundation, Athina Desypri and the Norwegian ambassador, Lajla Brandt Jakhelln. The results of the research were presented by Nikos Vettas, general director of IOBE, professor of Economics at the Athens University of Economics and Business and Svetoslav Danchev, head of the IOBE Research Group. In addition, good practices of European countries and examples of a dynamic Civil Society were presented by the general secretary of the European Civic Forum, Alexandrina Najmowicz and Aage Borchgrevink, Senior Adviser at the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. The event was attended by representatives of Civil Society organizations and scientific bodies.

For Bodosaki Foundation the strengthening of Civil Society is a strategic pillar of action. The Foundation aims to develop a strong and independent Civil Society and to create the appropriate institutional framework for its operation.

The Active citizens fund program, amounting to 13.5 million euros, in the context of which the research was carried out, is financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and is part of the financial mechanism of the European Economic Area (EEA) for the period 2014 – 2021. known as EEA Grants. The program aims to strengthen and strengthen the sustainability of civil society and to highlight its role in promoting democratic processes, strengthening citizens’ participation in society and defending human rights. The management of the grant of the Active citizens fund program for Greece has been jointly undertaken by the Bodosaki Foundation and SolidarityNow.