About the Project

There is a growing awareness of the role community-led social enterprises play in addressing rural challenges. The services that social enterprises provide in remote rural areas improve the quality of life of local people and affect their ability to remain in rural areas. However, the lack of knowledge and understanding of the prerequisites and conditions for rural social enterprises and the need for business models adapted to the growing prevalence of for purpose-driven entrepreneurship hinders sustainable regional and local development in rural areas.

MERSE generates methods, models, tools and policies needed to better support the prerequisites and conditions for rural social entrepreneurs.

The MERSE project leads to:

• suggestion of policies and strategies to be implemented in regions and municipalities to increase the conditions for rural social entrepreneurship.
  On the website you will find research-based knowledge and valuable resources that have been developed through MERSE during the three years the project has been running.
• enhanced knowledge about the prerequisites and conditions of social enterprises in rural areas.
• increased awareness of business models adapted for social enterprises in rural areas.
• better understanding of the importance and effects of social activities, products and services provided by rural social entrepreneurs in the local community.
• better understanding of support systems needed to facilitate social entrepreneurs’ opportunities to participate in long-term and robust development for communities and regions in the Northern Periphery.

Project Leaflet

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The Team

Project Partners

Co-funders

Associated Partners