Shipyard Foundation

What Shipyard Foundation does

Shipyard Foundation (Fundacja Stocznia) is a Warsaw-based nonprofit organization founded in 2009 that designs and delivers civic participation processes, social innovation programs, and applied social research for Polish municipalities, NGOs, and public institutions. Operating with approximately 52 employees across three core service pillars — Civic Participation & Public Engagement, Social Innovation (anchored by the Inkubator Pomysłów / Ideas Incubator, which has supported 105+ innovations, and the multi-year Katalizator Innowacji Społecznych 2 program), and Research & Consulting (200+ completed research projects) — the foundation combines proprietary methodologies (BOX social capital impact assessment, the National Citizens' Dialogue Model) with hands-on process facilitation to advance participatory democracy and evidence-based social policy in Poland.

The foundation's underlying "technology" is methodological rather than code-based: a layered stack of frameworks, handbooks (e.g., Ewaluacja. Jak to się robi; Budżet Partycypacyjny Krok po Kroku), digital platforms (innowacjespoleczne.pl, naprawmyTo.pl, naradaoenergii.pl, partycypacjaobywatelska.pl, kapitalspoleczny.org, silowniapamieci.pl), and recurring community convenings such as the annual Forum Praktyków Partycypacji (300+ practitioners). Notable technical outputs include Poland's first nationwide citizens' assembly on energy costs (2021–2024) and the NaprawmyTo.pl civic issue-reporting platform deployed with Urząd Miasta Katowice, which resolved more than 7,800 citizen-reported problems in 18 months.

Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) institutional grants, primarily EU structural funds (e.g., European Social Fund / European Funds for Social Development 2021–2027), EEA Grants, and bilateral programs (Polsko-Amerykańska Fundacja Wolności); (2) commercial consulting and research services for NGOs, municipalities, and corporate clients such as Orange Polska, with profits reinvested into statutory activities; and (3) individual donations processed via PayU, including recurring monthly subscriptions at suggested tiers of 20, 50, or 100 PLN. The foundation operates as a private nonprofit (fundacja) under Polish law, with no parent company, no equity investors, and no ownership changes on record. Its largest single disclosed project is a 11.99M PLN, five-year EU-funded program running through March 2029.

Name

Shipyard Foundation

Legal name

Fundacja Stocznia

Website

https://stocznia.org.pl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Shipyard Foundation is a Warsaw-based nonprofit think-tank (founded 2009) that designs civic participation processes, social innovation programs, and applied research for Polish municipalities, NGOs, and public institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Warsaw

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grants and Project Funding: Major funding from EU programs including European Social Fund (EFS), European Economic Area (EEA) Grants, and national programs such as Narodowy Instytut Wolności. Projects include Katalizator Innowacji Społecznych 2 (11.99M PLN total value), civil society development programs, and research initiatives.
2. Donations: Individual and corporate donations processed through PayU payment gateway. Recurring monthly subscriptions available alongside one-time contributions. Suggested donation amounts of 20 PLN, 50 PLN, and 100 PLN. Donations are tax-deductible for both individuals (up to 6% of income) and legal entities (up to 10% of income).
3. Commercial Consulting Services: Fee-for-service consulting work for NGOs, public institutions, local governments, and businesses. Services include impact studies, evaluations, diagnostic research, training, and facilitation. Profits are reinvested entirely into foundation statutory activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Shipyard Foundation provides consulting, research, and program design services in civic participation and social innovation for public institutions, NGOs, and citizen groups. Its core deliverables include the design and facilitation of participatory and deliberative processes, social innovation incubation, participatory budgeting implementation, and applied social research. The foundation also produces named methodologies and tools (e.g., BOX social capital assessment, participatory budgeting guides) that clients can license or adopt as part of engagements.

Product overview

Shipyard Foundation operates as a civic participation think-tank and social research organization with three core service pillars: (1) Civic Participation & Public Engagement, providing consultation and facilitation services for participatory processes; (2) Social Innovations, running the Idea Incubator (105+ innovations supported) and the Social Innovation Catalyst program (2024-2029); and (3) Research & Consulting, having completed over 200 research projects. The foundation publishes practical methodologies and guides including BOX (Social Capital Impact Assessment), participatory budgeting guides, and evaluation handbooks. It organizes the annual Forum Praktyków Partycypacji (250+ participants per edition) and runs deliberative processes like the nationwide Citizens' Dialogue on Energy Costs. Key digital platforms include innowacjespoleczne.pl (social innovation portal), naradaoenergii.pl (energy costs dialogue), inkubatorpomyslow.org.pl (idea incubator), and partycypacjaobywatelska.pl (participation practitioners hub). Programs like Siłownia Pamięci (Memory Gym) address specific social needs among seniors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Civic Participation & Public Engagement Consulting
• Social Innovation Incubation
• Research & Consulting Services
• Forum Praktyków Partycypacji (Practitioners of Participation Forum)
• BOX – Social Capital Impact Assessment
• Budżet Partycypacyjny Krok po Kroku (Participatory Budgeting Step by Step)
• Katalizator Innowacji Społecznych (Social Innovation Catalyst)
• Siłownia Pamięci (Memory Gym)
• Narada Obywatelska (Civic Deliberation)
• Inkubator Pomysłów (Idea Incubator)

Quantifiable outcome

• 105 social innovations supported through Inkubator Pomysłów
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue (Norway)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaboration on public dialogue methodology. The Norwegian center's dialogue approach was adopted for the 13th Forum Praktyków Partycypacji to facilitate discussions on democracy and civic participation among Polish practitioners.
• Urząd Miejski w Toruniu (Toruń City Hall)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2026Local government partner hosting the 13th Forum Praktyków Partycypacji. Provided practical context and field visits showcasing local civic participation examples including neighborhood revitalization and climate adaptation initiatives.
• Orange PolskaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Corporate partnership for social impact research. Foundation conducted comprehensive analysis of Orange Polska's social, environmental, and business activities in Poland, providing insights for program modification and future planning.
• Fundacja Inicjatyw Społeczno-Ekonomicznych (FISE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020Strategic partnership for development of social innovation ecosystem in Poland. Jointly operates the Katalizator Innowacji Społecznych program. FISE serves as co-implementer of major initiatives including the first edition of the social innovation catalyst program and the national citizens' dialogue on energy costs.
• m.st. Warszawa – Dzielnica Śródmieście (Warsaw City - Śródmieście District)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014In-kind support partnership providing office space at Plac Zamkowy 10. Long-standing relationship with Warsaw city government for premises support enabling foundation operations in central Warsaw location.
• Various Polish Government MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative engagement with government bodies on policy development including Ministry of Family and Labor Policy on working time reduction, and Ministry of Interior on police station design standards.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights12 records

Broad incumbents

• Ashoka: Global social innovation network supporting leading social entrepreneurs. Operates in the same social innovation space but at much larger scale and through a fellowship model rather than direct program delivery.
• Nesta: UK innovation foundation running programs in social innovation, civic participation, and public services. Comparable in combining research, experimentation, and methodology development, with a much larger endowment and broader scope.

Direct peers

• Stowarzyszenie Klon/Jawor: Poland's leading NGO research and civil society monitoring organization, producing headline studies on the third sector. Directly comparable as a Polish nonprofit delivering research and evaluation services to NGOs and public institutions.
• Fundacja ePaństwo: Polish civic-tech foundation building digital tools for transparency, participation, and open government. Comparable as a domestic nonprofit operating at the intersection of civic participation methodology and digital platforms.
• Democratic Society: European civic participation and digital democracy organization working with governments and civil society on participation design. Comparable in scope, methodology, and European public-sector client base.
• People Powered: Global hub for participatory democracy programs, funding and advising on participatory budgeting and civic engagement. Directly comparable mission and member base of municipalities and civic organizations.
• Fundacja Inicjatyw Społeczno-Ekonomicznych (FISE): Polish civic society foundation and the foundation's co-implementer on Katalizator Innowacji Społ0142cznych and the national citizens' dialogue on energy costs. Operates in the same social innovation and civic participation space with overlapping public-sector clients.
• Involve: UK charity specializing in deliberative democracy and citizens' assemblies. Closely comparable in methodology (sortition-based panels, facilitation, public dialogue) and customer base (governments and civil society).
• New Democracy Foundation: Research and delivery organization focused on deliberative democracy processes including citizens' panels and assemblies. Comparable in delivering national-level deliberative processes for governments.

Others

• Open Government Partnership: International multi-stakeholder initiative promoting civic participation, transparency, and accountability across 75+ countries. Thematically adjacent as an ecosystem shaper that influences demand for the foundation's services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/stoczniaTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/stocznia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundacja-stocznia

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Shipyard Foundation