BILSP Publishes its 2025 Annual Report: Research, Policy, and Social Innovation for Inclusive Development
The Balkan Institute for Labour and Social Policy (BILSP) has released its Annual Report for 2025, highlighting the organization’s continued contribution as a bridge between research, policy, and practice in addressing complex social, labour market, and demographic challenges across Bulgaria and the region.
Founded in 2001, BILSP is an independent, non-profit think-tank NGO working in the public interest. With over 20 years of experience, the institute has established itself as a reference institution in areas including labour market and employment policy, responsible business conduct, social protection, industrial relations, welfare technology, and active ageing.
Key Achievements in 2025
The year marked significant progress across BILSP’s core programme areas. A major milestone was the full operationalization of the Civic Engagement and Transparency Facility (CETF), one of the largest civil society support programmes under the Second Swiss Contribution in Bulgaria. Working with partners BCNL and Innovabridge, BILSP launched the first CETF funding opportunities, including three Lighthouse Projects and a Regional Grant Fund that together support 33 civil society projects. A nationwide communication campaign reached 329 organizations from 49 municipalities, generating over 140 project applications.
BILSP’s baseline survey on civic participation revealed that 12.1% of Bulgarian citizens participated in at least one CSO-related activity, while 19.9% engaged in some form of public debate. In the social policy sphere, the institute continued implementing its ex-post assessment of the Personal Assistance Act for the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, evaluating one of Bulgaria’s largest social programmes through nationally representative surveys, focus groups, and interviews. Since June 2025, BILSP has also been supporting more than 800 employees of the National Social Security Institute through a comprehensive capacity-building project.
The institute expanded its work on welfare technology and social innovation through the EEA-funded FAIR project and continued development of Sinova Lab, Bulgaria’s first social-focused living lab. Additional activities included developing workability assessment models for people with disabilities, training Social Assistance Agency staff on new methodologies, and contributing policy recommendations on emerging forms of work and labour legislation.
Looking Ahead
For the coming period, BILSP plans to launch the CETF Matching Grants Scheme supporting up to 88 community initiatives, strengthen its research and policy dialogue on social services and labour legislation, expand institutional capacity building including digital and AI-enhanced training programmes, and pilot new welfare technology solutions for seniors and people with disabilities through Sinova Lab.