What is the Dotation d’action territoriale?

How to set up a DAT in your area ? Initiated by the Break Poverty Foundation, the Dotation d’Action Territoriale (DAT) aims to create alliances between public, private and voluntary sector players, in the service of disadvantaged youth. Already deployed in some fifteen territories, the scheme is now spreading throughout France, providing an opportunity for social economy structures to take it up for their territory !

The DAT, initiated by the Break Poverty Foundation, is an innovative scheme designed to mobilize local businesses to finance associative projects. The aim of these projects is to combat the social determinism affecting young people in their area, through support for early childhood, prevention of school drop-out and professional integration of young people. DAT is based on a 4-stage methodology :

What is the impact of the DAT on a territory ?

Firstly, the program allows an average of 2,000 young people to be supported in each territory (ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 youth). It also strengthens the capacities of associations, with an average of 7 associations supported per territory and over 30,000 € raised annually per association. Additionally, each association gains 3 to 4 extra private partners. Finally, the program stimulates social sponsorship. One-third of the companies involved in the initiative had never engaged in social sponsorship before. More than 70 % of the funds raised come from small, medium, and mid-sized businesses (compared to just 46 % on a national scale).

What are the benefits for a Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) organization?

The Ronalpia Example

By becoming a DAT operator in its territory, an organization has the opportunity to:

• Identify and support local solutions that are most aligned with the priority needs of a territory on a crucial issue.
• Receive free training and support on a method for territorial diagnosis, business mobilization, and impact evaluation. This method can be applied not only to DAT but also to other projects.
• Gain visibility and establish lasting connections with stakeholders in its territory: local authorities, businesses, associations, etc.

Supported by the Break Poverty Foundation, Ronalpia (which supports social enterprises) is deploying a DAT in Saint-Etienne, with the backing of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Council. Enora Guérinel, its co-founder and Director of Operations, shares her experience : “The DAT attracted us because we wanted to enhance our skills in territorial diagnostic tools. Indeed, we are concerned with developing a finely tuned analysis of the territory’s needs. This is necessary to provide the most relevant responses possible, with the hope of reducing poverty in the medium term, particularly among young people.”

Why is this program necessary ?

For her, it was also essential that the program be focused on the territory to establish lasting connections with local stakeholders. “Local anchoring is an important element.” “It allows us to demonstrate that we are capable of addressing major issues in the territory, assessing needs, and supporting high-impact solutions, and it helps us solidify our reputation (…). The local dimension is also interesting in terms of sponsorship because it allows for the development of a different relationship with funders and opens the discussion with local economic actors that we may not necessarily know, especially SMEs.”

Finally, it was the replicability of the method that ultimately convinced Enora Guérinel. She envisions creating synergies between DAT and Ronalpia’s other programs. “We plan to use DAT tools to strengthen the other support sectors of our organization. For example, criminal justice, which we address through our Act’ice program.”

Find Ronalpia’s full testimony here.

Interested in implementing a DAT in your territory ?

Like Ronalpia, do you find the program relevant for your territory ? If you wish to receive free training and support with the tools of the Territorial Action Grant, you can learn more at dat-France.org. You can also contact Charlotte Wambergue, Program Manager at Break Poverty Foundation : cwambergue[@]breakpoverty.com.

Video credit :The Break Poverty Foundation’s team