Stowarzyszenie BORIS

What Stowarzyszenie BORIS does

Stowarzyszenie BORIS (Biuro Obsługi Ruchu Inicjatyw Społecznych) is a Warsaw-based non-profit association founded in 1992 that supports the development of NGOs, social enterprises, and local government units primarily across the Mazovia region. Its core offerings are organized around two flagship centers — LOWES (Lokalny Ośrodek Wsparcia Ekonomii Społecznej) and SCWO (Stołeczne Centrum Wspierania Organizacji Pozarządowych) — supplemented by Kręgi Wsparcia for people with intellectual disabilities, the Akademia Marketingu Przedsiębiorczości Społecznej mentoring program, Mazowsze Lokalnie grants, Budowanie Partnerstw Lokalnych, and Erasmus+ mobility projects. The organization has served more than 3,000 beneficiary organizations and operates in consortia such as SPLOT Wartości 2.0 (10 organizations, 2.3 million+ EUR through 2028) and OWES with FISE and FRSO.

BORIS has no proprietary technology platform; its services are advisory, training, mentoring, and grant-making delivered by a small practitioner team. The revenue model is grant-funded rather than transactional: services to beneficiaries are free of charge, and operating capital flows from Polish regional and national public sources (Samorząd Województwa Mazowieckiego, FIO), EU programs (CERV, Erasmus+, Interreg Europe, ESF+), and corporate partnerships (notably UBS Business Solutions Poland for wESpół). Fee-for-service offerings (Usługi odpłatne) exist but are not disclosed as material. Go-to-market is community- and event-led via partner networks, cohort-based programs, the boris.org.pl knowledge base, and social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube). Customer segments center on NGOs, social enterprises (PES), and local government units (JST), with secondary work on women's civic participation and youth-led informal groups in Mazovia.

Name

Stowarzyszenie BORIS

Legal name

Stowarzyszenie Biuro Obsługi Ruchu Inicjatyw Społecznych BORIS

Website

https://boris.org.pl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stowarzyszenie BORIS is a Warsaw-based non-profit association founded in 1992 that provides free advisory, training, mentoring, and grant-making services to NGOs, social enterprises, and local governments across the Mazovia region, funded primarily by Polish and EU public sources plus select corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Economy Support Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAKAH

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYEDADALAB

International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Education Partnerships, Intergovernmental & NGO Programs

SECONDARYBPAGABAL

Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/International Development & Poverty Alleviation

Keywords

• Social economy support
• NGO capacity building
• Grant program management
• Nonprofit advisory services
• Community development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Warsaw

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Sector Funding: Primary funding comes from Polish public sources including the Samorząd Województwa Mazowieckiego (Mazovia Regional Government) budget, government programs such as FIO (Fundusz Inicjatyw Obywatelskich), and municipal budgets.
2. EU Funding Programs: Funding from European Union programs including Erasmus+ (Education of Adults), CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme), Interreg Europe (SECON project), and European Social Fund Plus (Fundusze Europejskie dla Mazowsza).
3. Corporate Partnership Funding: Partnership with UBS Business Solutions Poland as funder for the wESpół program supporting social economy enterprises.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Stowarzyszenie BORIS is a Polish non-profit association providing free advisory, training, mentoring, and grant programs for NGOs, social enterprises, and local government units in the Mazovia region. Operating since 1992, the organization runs core support centers (LOWES and SCWO), capacity-building programs (Akademia Marketingu, Mazowsze Lokalnie, Forum Ośrodków Pomocy Społecznej), and international projects (Erasmus+, CERV-funded SPLOT Wartości, Interreg Europe SECON), supplemented by paid advisory services (Usługi odpłatne) for organizations and public institutions.

Product overview

Stowarzyszenie BORIS operates as a non-profit support organization for Poland's third sector, offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services for NGOs, social enterprises, and local governments. Its core offerings include LOWES (Lokalny Ośrodek Wsparcia Ekonomii Społecznej) providing grants and advisory for social enterprises, SCWO (Stołeczne Centrum Wspierania Organizacji Pozarządowych) for NGO capacity building, and Kręgi Wsparcia for people with intellectual disabilities. These are complemented by the Akademia Marketingu Przedsiębiorczości Społecznej (a mentoring program), the Mazowsze Lokalnie grant program, Forum Ośrodków Pomocy Społecznej, and Budowanie Partnerstw Lokalnych. International engagement is supported through Erasmus+ projects. Grant-based support is available via SPLOT Wartości 2.0 (EU CERV) and wESpół (UBS-funded). A knowledge base (Baza Wiedzy) provides self-service educational content. Fee-for-service (Usługi odpłatne) offerings supplement publicly funded programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lokalny Ośrodek Wsparcia Ekonomii Społecznej (LOWES) A local support center providing free advisory services, training, and grants to social economy entities (PES) and social enterprises operating in Warsaw and surrounding counties (grójecki, legionowski, sochaczewski, warszawski zachodni, wołomiński, żyrardowski). Offers job creation subsidies up to 82,256 PLN per full-time position and individual reintegration support for social enterprises and PES entities.
• Stołeczne Centrum Wspierania Organizacji Pozarządowych (SCWO) Advisory and training center for NGOs based in Warsaw, offering guidance on organizational development, social services, and cooperation with local government. Provides free consulting, training, and coaching services for Warsaw-based NGOs through a dedicated infoline (22 828 91 23).
• Kręgi Wsparcia Osób z Niepełnosprawnością Intelektualną Peer support circles for individuals with intellectual disabilities, providing community-based social support, integration, and ongoing group support facilitated by trained animators.
• Akademia Marketingu Przedsiębiorczości Społecznej Free 3-month mentoring program for NGOs and social enterprises in Warsaw and surrounding counties, pairing organizations with a marketing expert to develop sales, communication, and marketing strategies for paid social services. Limited to 10 organizations per edition, delivered through online mentoring sessions and webinars.
• Mazowsze Lokalnie Grant program for young NGOs and informal groups in Mazovia province, modeled on the Działaj Lokalnie program. Co-initiated by BORIS with Fundacja Fundusz Współpracy and Stowarzyszenie Europa i My, funded under the government's Civic Initiatives Fund (FIO) 2021–2030. Provides small grants and capacity-building support for emerging community initiatives.
• Forum Ośrodków Pomocy Społecznej Networking and knowledge-exchange platform for social welfare centers, supporting cooperation and professional development among social services practitioners across Mazovia through regular meetings and knowledge sharing.
• Budowanie Partnerstw Lokalnych Program supporting the development of local partnerships between NGOs, local governments, businesses, and residents, promoting a holistic model of participatory local development across Mazovia communities.
• Erasmus+ International Cooperation Projects International mobility and cooperation projects under the Erasmus+ program, including the ElevatHER project on women's leadership and international learning visits. BORIS holds Erasmus+ accreditation in Adult Education since 2023, enabling delivery of funded international projects.
• SPLOT Wartości 2.0 Grant Program Multi-organization consortium grant program under the EU CERV programme providing small grants (2,000–7,500 EUR) and large grants (up to 15,000 EUR) to NGOs across Poland through four grant calls. Total budget over 2.3 million EUR through October 2028, implemented by a consortium of 10 organizations led by Sieć Wspierania Organizacji Pozarządowych SPLOT.
• wESpół Grant Program Annual grant program supporting social economy enterprises (PES) on Mazowsze, awarding 4 grants of 10,000 PLN each per edition to PES entities supporting local initiatives aligned with SDGs. Funded by UBS Business Solutions Poland and operated by BORIS, with substantive partnership from Mazowieckie Centrum Polityki Społecznej.
• Pakiet Rozwojowy (Development Package) Development package worth up to 10,000 PLN per organization for NGOs and social enterprises launching new paid social services, distributed through a competitive application process to support the professionalization of social service delivery.
• Usługi Odpłatne (Fee-Based Services) Fee-for-service offerings provided by BORIS for organizations and public institutions seeking specialized advisory, training, or consulting support beyond publicly funded programs. Supplements the free core service portfolio with paid expertise for institutions needing tailored engagement.
• Aktywność Obywatelska i Wsparcie Procesów Rzeczniczych Civic activity and advocacy support projects including initiatives supporting women's participation in local democracy and multi-organization consortium grant programs under EU programmes. Supports advocacy processes, civic dialogue, and citizen participation across Mazovia.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sieć Wspierania Organizacji Pozarządowych SPLOTcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Consortium of 10 organizations implementing SPLOT Wartości 2.0 project funded by EU CERV program. BORIS is one of 10 partners in this consortium leading civil society support across Poland. Project runs until October 2028 with total value exceeding 2.3 million EUR.
• Mazowieckie Centrum Polityki SpołecznejcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Merytoryczny partner (substantive partner) in the wESpół program. Regional government body supporting social economy development in Mazovia.
• Fundacja Inicjatyw Społeczno-EkonomicznychcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in jointly operated Ośrodek Wsparcia Ekonomii Społecznej (OWES). Collaborates with BORIS on Spinacz PS events and social enterprise support.
• Fundacja Rozwoju Społeczeństwa ObywatelskiegocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in jointly operated Ośrodek Wsparcia Ekonomii Społecznej (OWES). Co-organizer of Spinacz PS networking event for social enterprises.
• Województwo MazowieckiecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Invited BORIS as stakeholder in SECON project (Interreg Europe) on regional social economy policies. Mazovia Region leads the project and coordinates international cooperation on social economy development.
• Fundacja Fundusz WspółpracycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Co-initiator of the Mazowsze Lokalnie program, modeled after the Polsko-Amerykańska Fundacja Wolności and Akademia Rozwoju Filantropii 'Działaj Lokalnie' program. Fundusz Współpracy is a key consortium partner in supporting civil society development.
• Stowarzyszenie Europa i MycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Co-initiator of the Mazowsze Lokalnie program alongside Fundacja Fundusz Współpracy and BORIS. One of three organizations implementing the program.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Akademia Rozwoju Filantropii w Polsce: Polish NGO support organization that originated the Działaj Lokalnie program model on which Mazowsze Lokalnie is built. Directly comparable in mission: NGO capacity building, local philanthropy, and grant distribution across Poland.
• Fundacja Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Obywatelskiego (FRSO): Partner in OWES and co-organizer of Spinacz PS networking events with BORIS. Comparable as a Polish NGO and social-economy support foundation operating grant and capacity-building programs.
• Fundacja Stocznia: Polish foundation specializing in social innovation, civic participation, and participatory research methods. Comparable as a Polish third-sector capacity-building organization with overlapping expertise on advocacy and civic engagement (Michał Szymanderski-Pastryk's previous affiliation).
• Fundacja Fundusz Współpracy: Polish foundation co-initiating Mazowsze Lokalnie with BORIS and serving as a core SPLOT consortium partner. Directly comparable as a Polish NGO-support and grant-making organization operating in civil-society capacity building.
• Centrum Edukacji Obywatelskiej (CEO): One of Poland's largest civic-education NGOs, providing training and resources to NGOs and educators. Comparable to BORIS in the civic-engagement and adult-education space, with Erasmus+ sector experience similar to BORIS's accreditation.
• Fundacja Inicjatyw Społeczno-Ekonomicznych (FISE): Co-operator of the OWES (Social Economy Support Center) network with BORIS and a key partner on Spinacz PS events. Directly comparable as a Polish social-economy support and capacity-building foundation.
• Stowarzyszenie Europa i My: Co-initiator of the Mazowsze Lokalnie program alongside BORIS and a core partner in the same Polish NGO support ecosystem. Closely comparable scope: local civic engagement, NGO capacity building, and grant distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Polsko-Amerykańska Fundacja Wolności: Major Polish foundation supporting the Działaj Lokalnie program (the model Mazowsze Lokalnie is based on). A larger, established grantmaker with overlapping NGO-support and community-development scope but operating nationally.
• Ashoka Polska: Global network supporting social entrepreneurs with presence in Poland. Comparable to BORIS in supporting social-economy actors and capacity building, but operates a fellowship/incubator model at a larger scale and broader geographic reach.

Regional players

• European Citizen Action Service (ECAS): Brussels-based NGO supporting civic participation and civil-society capacity across Europe, including EU CERV programming similar to BORIS's SPLOT Wartości 2.0. Comparable as a CERV-funded civil-society support organization but operating at the pan-EU level rather than a single Polish region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@StowarzyszenieBORIS
• Facebookfacebook.com/stowarzyszenieboris
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stowarzyszenie-boris
• Instagraminstagram.com/stowarzyszenieboris

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stowarzyszenie BORIS