The Bucharest conference brought together European and national partners involved in social finance projects
On June 12, 2025, at Hotel The Marmorosch in Bucharest, the conference “Mission Possible: How We Remove Financing Barriers to Support the Financial Inclusion of Social Entrepreneurs” took place, organized by the Social Finance Association, in partnership with AFIN IFN SA and the Group ADV Romania, with the support of UniCredit Bank and the Romanian-American Foundation.
The event brought together experts from Romania and across Europe who analyzed the real needs of social enterprises regarding access to finance, and discussed concrete solutions for a more equitable and inclusive financial ecosystem.
The “Mission Possible: How We Remove Financing Barriers to Support the Financial Inclusion of Social Entrepreneurs” conference brought together over 100 stakeholders from the social, economic, and institutional sectors – from Romania and across Europe.
The event provided a platform for dialogue to accelerate access to finance for social enterprises.
Active European participation: RoHealth and FEBEA, partners in Horizon projects
Among the international participants were organizations involved in Horizon Europe projects, supporting the development of alternative financial instruments for the social economy.
Mădălina Argăseală, representative of the ROHEALTH Health Cluster, attended the event, highlighting the importance of transnational collaboration in projects that promote social innovation and financial inclusion, such as MountResilience – an initiative aimed at strengthening the adaptive capacity of European regions in the face of crises, through tailored financial tools and community-based interventions.
Also present at the event was the delegation from FEBEA – the European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks, a strategic partner of SFA in the Horizon project focused on developing innovative social finance solutions. FEBEA plays a key role in supporting financial institutions that operate based on ethical and sustainable principles and emphasized during the conference the urgent need to combine grants with guarantees and tailored financial products such as microcredits and impact investments.
AFIN – an emerging model in Romania’s social finance landscape
A key highlight of the conference was the presentation of the project and strategic directions of AFIN, the first non-banking financial institution in Romania dedicated to the social economy. With financial products built around the real needs of social enterprises, AFIN is directly aligned with the priorities promoted by European programs such as InvestEU and ESF+.
The presence of European partners from Horizon projects highlighted the international dimension of the initiative.
Also present was Daniel Sorrosal, Secretary General of FEBEA – the European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks, a partner in the Horizon project implemented by SFA. In his speech, he emphasized:
“We are here to support local ecosystems that create social value. Finance must be a catalyst for inclusion, not a barrier.”
The conference was not only a meeting of ideas, but also a strategic step toward building a national and European impact finance network based on ethics, inclusion, and community resilience.
Conclusions and perspectives
The conference highlighted not only the current challenges of the social economy sector but also the growing maturity of an ecosystem in which alternative financing and European partnerships play a decisive role. Projects such as MountResilience or the partnership with FEBEA within the SFA Horizon framework provide a solid foundation for innovation, cooperation, and long-term impact.
For more information about the conference, visit: https://finantaresociala.ro/ro/news/29/misiune-posibila-cum-eliminam-barierele-de-finantare-pentru-a-sprijini-incluziunea-financiara-a-antreprenorilor-sociali/
or watch the full recording