Impact Policy Tracker Policy

2030 Agenda for Impact



Launched in 2022, Portugal’s Agenda 2030 for Impact is the national strategy to accelerate the development of Portugal’s impact economy. It was co-created through an extensive participatory process involving over 400 organisations from the public sector, private sector, academia, and civil society. The Agenda sets out clear targets to be achieved by 2030, including: mobilising €500 million for impact investment, supporting the creation and/or scaling of 2,500 impact enterprises, integrating impact measurement and management practices across businesses and investors, and strengthening intermediary organisations that provide technical support. 

Some of its key objectives include: 1) Strengthening Portugal Social Innovation (PSI): Mobilising approximately €150 million from the European Social Fund to support innovative solutions to social challenges, making it the first initiative of its kind in Europe; 2) Extending tax incentives to encourage social investment; 3) Building capacity among social enterprises; 4) Redirecting unclaimed assets into social investment, similar to the UK’s dormant assets scheme; 5) Developing new financial instruments under PT2030, such as liquidity products, guarantee-free loans, impact investments for retail investors (e.g., green savings accounts), and mechanisms to support social investment intermediaries.

Highlights

  • Key role of GSG’s National Partner in Portugal: The Agenda 2030 for Impact builds on the groundwork laid by the Portuguese Social Investment Taskforce, which became part of the GSG Impact partnership in 2015 as Portugal’s National Partner. Coordinated by a consortium that included MAZE -now part of GSG’s National Partner in Portugal- the Taskforce published two reports with recommendations to develop the country’s social investment ecosystem. This pioneering work positioned Portugal as the first country to mobilise EU funds into testing social innovation financing instruments and helped it become a global leader in outcomes-based contracting, currently ranking 2nd in Europe and 3rd worldwide in the number of social impact bonds launched. MAZE Impact has continued to play a key role as a convener in shaping and promoting the Agenda 2030 for Impact, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to advancing the impact ecosystem.

  • Clear Targets to Scale Outcomes-Based Solutions: The Agenda 2030 for Impact reinforces Portugal’s commitment to outcomes-based mechanisms, setting a target of USD 160 million in contracts and funding. It outlines key steps to achieve this, including improving access to social investment data, training public entities, scaling tested initiatives, and promoting coordinated action between government and Portugal Social Innovation (PSI) to embed social innovation in public policy.

Government’s Role:
Market Facilitator


Country:
Portugal

Policy Type:
National Impact Strategies

Year: 2022

Responsible Institution:
National Competence Centre for Social Innovation

National Impact Strategies

What are National Impact Strategies?

National Impact Strategies serve as comprehensive roadmaps to advance impact economies, identifying government priorities and actions tailored to a country's specific circumstances, existing policies, and legal framework. These strategies typically: a) Set clear, measurable targets and objectives; b) Align the activities of multiple sectors and levels of government;

c) Define specific responsibilities and coordination mechanisms; and d) Often include legally binding measures, usually supported by legislation to ensure effective implementation. Furthermore, they convene stakeholders around a shared vision, helping to build robust impact ecosystems through sustained coordination and a long-term commitment.

Specific national strategies to foster impact economies or promote social impact investing are still relatively rare around the world, with current examples such as Brazil’s Ten-Year National Impact Economy Strategy (2023–2032) and Portugal’s 2030 Agenda for Impact (AFI30) standing out as the most ambitious and comprehensive. Other national strategies or blueprints tend to have a narrower scope, typically targeting either the demand for impact capital -eg. blueprints for social enterprises or broader frameworks for the social and solidarity economy - or the supply of capital, often via green or sustainable finance strategies aimed at mobilising financial flows towards environmental goals.