Center for Social Investment and Innovation CSI Profile

Nowadays, the complex tasks of non-profit organizations, social enterprises, and foundations can only be solved through consistent cooperation between the social sciences (civil society, policy analysis), law (non-profit law, foundation law), economics (management), and theology and ethics (normative foundations). That is why we place particular emphasis on innovative cross-border approaches – whether between social sectors (e.g., politics, business, and civil society) or between academic disciplines. In addition to interdisciplinarity and knowledge transfer, the CSI attaches particular importance to international connections, both within the team and within the projects.

The CSI uses traditional formats of communication and transfer to disseminate its research findings. This means transferring relevant knowledge to practical applications. The institute is also working on new innovation formats. From the outset, researchers are in close contact with stakeholders in business, politics, and practice. The research is based on societal problems and the resulting social needs. The results obtained in the research process are passed on to practitioners in the form of impulses for change. Such formats of cooperation include, for example, real-world laboratories, social innovation labs, or intralabs for the entrepreneurial and strategic development of participating organizations.

The research projects carried out at the CSI are funded by third parties. Sponsors include the European Union, federal and state ministries, foundations, commercial enterprises, welfare associations, civil society organizations, and the DFG.

As part of the Max Weber Institute for Sociology, the CSI belongs to the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences. It also cooperates with the Faculty of Law and the Institute for Diaconal Studies at Heidelberg University, as well as other individual institutes and chair holders. Since 2016, the Max Weber Institute has received basic funding for the CSI from the university. During its development phase as a central institute of the university until 2015, the CSI's core funding came from the Manfred Lautenschläger Foundation, the Robert Bosch Foundation, the Fritz Thyssen Foundation, the Deutsche Bank Foundation, the non-profit Hertie Foundation, the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, and only a small portion from Heidelberg University.