What SOLIDAR & SOLIDAR Foundation does

SOLIDAR is a Brussels-headquartered European civil society network established in its current form in 1992 (with roots going back to 1948), bringing together more than 50 progressive member organisations across 26 countries (19 EU member states) and maintaining partner presence in more than 40 countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Its substantive work is organised around five policy areas: inclusive education and lifelong learning (delivered through the SOLIDAR+ / SOLIDAR Foundation vehicle), social rights in Europe, sustainable development and international cooperation, migration and inclusion, and democratic participation and civic space. The network delivers its impact through policy advocacy at EU institutions, coalition coordination (notably as leader of the European Alliance for a Just Transition of 35+ organisations), capacity-building resources (training materials, toolkits such as the EMPASY Advocacy Toolkit), and flagship products including the interactive Social Rights Monitor and the annual Silver Rose Awards ceremony.

Revenue is generated through two streams: tiered membership fees from full and affiliated member organisations, sized by each member's annual revenue, and grants from EU programmes including Erasmus+, ESF+ and EaSI, typically awarded for discrete projects such as ENHANCE, EMPASY, Just4All, ECODE and SMILE. Go-to-market is community-led and coalition-based rather than commercial: engagement is delivered through the Brussels Secretariat via annual assemblies, policy dialogues, working groups, capacity-building workshops, joint campaigns (e.g., Global Just Transition, Erasmus+ Coalition, Civil Society Alliance for Global Citizenship Education), and structured alliances with progressive political families (S&D Group, PES, FEPS, ETUC). There are no commercial products, no app or API surface, and no proprietary technology stack; the underlying 'infrastructure' is institutional access to EU decision-makers in Brussels combined with the convening power of a 50-organisation membership network.

The organisation is governed by an Annual General Assembly and a Board of Directors drawn from full members, with Mikael Leyi serving as Secretary General since May 2020 and Anne van Lancker as President. Leadership is drawn from across the membership base (e.g., Vice-President Klaus Thieme from SOLIDAR Suisse, Treasurer Susanne Drake from Internews Kosova), reflecting the federated nature of the structure. The 2026 launch of a new 2026-2029 organisational strategy, alongside recent board refreshes and member status upgrades, signals a deliberate broadening of thematic scope into digital transition and gender equality mainstreaming while maintaining the historical core of social rights and lifelong learning advocacy.

Name

SOLIDAR & SOLIDAR Foundation

Legal name

SOLIDAR

Website

https://solidar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SOLIDAR is a Brussels-headquartered European civil society network of 50+ progressive member organisations across 26 countries, delivering EU-level policy advocacy, coalition coordination, and capacity-building across social rights, lifelong learning, just transition, migration, and civic space.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Society Advocacy

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Education Systems Strengthening (Policy, Planning, EMIS, Governance) (BPADAKAK)

Keywords

• Civil society network
• Policy advocacy services
• Social justice advocacy
• EU policy monitoring
• Capacity building programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: SOLIDAR operates as a membership organisation with member fees based on the size of each organisation's annual revenue. Members include full members and affiliated members who pay fees according to a tiered membership fee system.
2. EU Programme Funding: The organisation receives EU funding through various programmes including Erasmus+, ESF+, EaSI, and other EU grants to fund projects, capacity building activities, and network operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SOLIDAR is a Brussels-headquartered European civil society network that unites progressive civil society organisations, trade unions, federations, NGOs and educational bodies to advocate for social justice at EU and international levels. Its substantive offerings include EU-level policy advocacy, capacity building and training, policy monitoring (notably through the Social Rights Monitor tool), coalition coordination, and a portfolio of EU-funded projects (e.g. ENHANCE, EMPASY, Just4All, ECODE, SMILE) across the policy areas of inclusive education and lifelong learning, social rights, sustainable development, migration and inclusion, and democratic participation. Revenue is generated through tiered membership fees and EU programme grants rather than commercial sales.

Product overview

SOLIDAR & SOLIDAR Foundation is a European civil society network advancing social justice through advocacy, capacity building, and policy monitoring. The core offering consists of the Social Rights Monitor (an interactive national-level assessment tool for European Pillar of Social Rights implementation), the Silver Rose Awards ceremony, and five policy area services covering inclusive education/lifelong learning, social rights in Europe, sustainable development/international cooperation, migration and inclusion, and democratic participation/civic space. Supporting products include publications, training materials, toolkits, and advocacy campaigns. The organization also runs various EU-funded projects including ENHANCE, EMPASY, Just4All, ECODE, and SMILE.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Social Rights Monitor (SRM): SOLIDAR's interactive map that assesses the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) at national level from the perspective of civil society.
• Silver Rose Awards
• Social Rights Monitor

Products and services

• Social Rights Monitor (SRM) An interactive map and monitoring tool that assesses the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) at national level from the perspective of civil society, covering five thematic areas: equal opportunities, fair working conditions, social inclusion and protection, just transition, and civic space. Used by member organisations, policymakers and researchers to benchmark national-level social rights implementation.
• Silver Rose Awards Annual awards ceremony co-organised with S&D Group in the European Parliament, Party of European Socialists (PES), Foundation of European Progressive Studies (FEPS), European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), PES Women, and Young European Socialists (YES), celebrating activists and organisations championing equality, justice and solidarity.
• Inclusive Education and Lifelong Learning Policy Services Advocacy, capacity building, and knowledge sharing services focused on promoting inclusive education, lifelong learning, global citizenship education, and digital citizenship education across EU institutions, targeted at SOLIDAR+ member organisations.
• Social Rights in Europe Policy Services Advocacy and monitoring services focused on advancing social rights in Europe, including platform work, minimum income directives, social protection, and European Pillar of Social Rights implementation, targeted at SOLIDAR member organisations and EU policymakers.
• Sustainable Development and International Cooperation Services Advocacy services promoting sustainable development, universal social protection floors, and international cooperation, with activities spanning over 40 countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, targeted at member organisations and partner CSOs.
• Citizenship and Lifelong Learning Monitor Annual monitoring publication tracking citizenship education and lifelong learning policies across Europe, produced by SOLIDAR+ for members and EU stakeholders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Led the European Alliance for a Just Transition, a coalition of more than 35 progressive organisations with a common vision for a socially just green transition in Europe.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR+ is a founding member of the Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP), collaborating to promote lifelong learning across EU institutions and advance civil society contribution to inclusive education policies through non-formal and informal learning.
• Civil Society Europe (CSE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR is a founding member of Civil Society Europe (CSE), which coordinates and represents European civil society organisations at EU level.
• European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR works in strategic partnership with ETUC on issues of common concern including social rights, just transition, and labour rights.
• Social PlatformcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR cooperates with Social Platform, a European network of NGOs working on social issues, on joint advocacy for social rights and policy positions.
• CONCORDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR works with CONCORD, the European NGO confederation for relief and development, on international cooperation and sustainable development issues.
• European Alliance for a Just TransitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2021, SOLIDAR leads the European Alliance for a Just Transition, a coalition of more than 35 progressive organisations committed to advancing climate action alongside social justice.
• SDG Watch EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR co-founded SDG Watch Europe, a coalition monitoring implementation of Sustainable Development Goals in Europe.
• Global Coalition for Social Protection FloorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR co-founded the Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors with Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung and other civil society organisations to promote universal social protection.
• Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung (FES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR collaborates with Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung on advocacy for social justice and progressive policies, including joint work on social protection floors.
• Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR works with FEPS on progressive policy research and advocacy, including co-organising the Silver Rose Awards since 2023.
• European Trade Union Institute for Research (ETUI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR collaborates with ETUI on research and policy analysis related to labour rights and social policy.
• International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR works with ITUC and its regional structures on international labour rights and trade union cooperation.
• S&D Group in European ParliamentcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSOLIDAR co-organises the Silver Rose Awards with the S&D Group, collaborating on progressive advocacy and social justice campaigns.
• Party of European Socialists (PES)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSOLIDAR partners with PES on the Silver Rose Awards and works with Progressive Caucus in European Parliament on shared progressive agenda.
• Green FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR engages in collaborations with sister foundations including Green Foundation to advocate for common positions on environmental and social justice.
• Transform! EuropemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR partners with Transform! Europe, the European think tank network, on progressive research and policy analysis.
• ECRE (European Council on Refugees and Exiles)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR cooperates with ECRE on migration and asylum policy, working together on advocacy for refugee rights and humane migration policies.
• PICUM (Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR collaborates with PICUM on undocumented migrants' rights advocacy and policy work at EU level.
• European Digital Rights (EDRi)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR partners with EDRi on digital rights, AI regulation, and ensuring the AI Act puts people and fundamental rights first.
• European Environmental Bureau (EEB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR collaborates with EEB on environmental policy, just transition, and ensuring the European Green Deal incorporates social justice dimensions.
• Climate Action Network (CAN) EuropemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR works with CAN Europe on climate policy and just transition advocacy at EU level.
• CIVICUScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLIDAR participates in CIVICUS Monitor project and cooperates on monitoring civic space developments in Europe and globally.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• European Environmental Bureau (EEB): Brussels-based federation of environmental citizens' organisations. Comparable to SOLIDAR in operating model (Brussels federation advocating to EU institutions on progressive policy) and overlaps with SOLIDAR on environmental and just-transition policy work.
• Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe: Brussels-based European coalition of environmental NGOs working on climate policy. Comparable to SOLIDAR as a progressive coalition partner working on the European Green Deal and just transition, where SOLIDAR leads the European Alliance for a Just Transition.

Direct peers

• European Civic Forum: Brussels-based pan-European network of civil society organisations focused on civic rights, democracy and civic space. Directly comparable to SOLIDAR in mission (civic space, democratic participation) and Brussels-based EU advocacy model.
• SDG Watch Europe: Brussels-based coalition monitoring Sustainable Development Goals implementation in Europe. Directly comparable to SOLIDAR as a progressive coalition network co-founded by SOLIDAR.
• CONCORD: European NGO confederation for relief and development based in Brussels. Directly comparable to SOLIDAR in operating model, Brussels-based EU advocacy, and progressive civil society coordination; listed as a core SOLIDAR partner.
• Social Platform: European network of NGOs working on social issues, headquartered in Brussels. Directly comparable to SOLIDAR as a like-minded civil society network advocating on social rights and European Pillar of Social Rights implementation, and listed as a core partner of SOLIDAR.
• Civil Society Europe (CSE): Brussels-based European civil society coordination platform. SOLIDAR is a founding member; CSE is directly comparable as a network coordinating European civil society organisations at EU level.
• Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP): Brussels-based platform promoting lifelong learning across EU institutions. Directly comparable to SOLIDAR+ on education and lifelong learning advocacy; SOLIDAR+ is a founding member.

Broad incumbents

• Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS): Brussels-based progressive think tank linked to the European social-democratic movement. Comparable as a progressive policy ecosystem partner, co-organises the Silver Rose Awards with SOLIDAR and shares a Brussels progressive policy footprint.
• European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC): Brussels-based confederation of European trade unions. SOLIDAR works with ETUC as a strategic partner on labour rights and just transition; comparable as a broader Brussels-based progressive civil society/worker representative network with overlapping membership base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/solidar-eu.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SOLIDARaisbl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solidar
• Instagraminstagram.com/solidar_eu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SOLIDAR & SOLIDAR Foundation