Cohesion and Development Agency (AD&C) & Portugal Social Innovation (PSI)

about AD&C and PSI

The Agência para o Desenvolvimento e Coesão (AD&C) is a public institute under the Ministry of Planning in Portugal, responsible for coordinating regional development policy and the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF

AD&C oversees the general coordination of EU funds such as the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund, and the European Social Fund (ESF). Its functions include national coordination of the implementation of funds, certification, payment, monitoring, evaluation, communication, and auditing of co-financed operations. The agency also facilitates technical dialogue with the European Commission and supports the design of territorial instruments that promote sustainable regional development.

Portugal Social Innovation (PSI) is a public initiative aimed at promoting social innovation, social entrepreneurship, and impact investment in Portugal. Launched in 2014, PSI mobilised funding from European Union Funds under Portugal 2020, becoming a European frontrunner in building a social investment market and supporting hundreds of innovative projects nationwide.

The pioneering nature of this initiative involved several aspects that had not yet been experimented with in the same way as in Portugal, such as the creation of public policy programmes, the establishment of a specialised public entity, and specific financing instruments for social innovation projects.

The mission of PSI is twofold: to further develop the national social innovation ecosystem and to foster improved public policies. Through a variety of regional funding instruments (aligned with mainland Portugal’s five regions), PSI consolidates Portugal’s position as a European reference in leveraging innovation and investment to create sustainable social impact.

team members from PSI

Filipe Almeida

Filipe Almeida is the president of Portugal Social Innovation. He is professor at the University of Coimbra and researcher at the Center of Social Studies (CES/FEUC) and Center of Cooperative and Social Economy Studies (CECES/FEUC). He holds a PhD in Business Administration from EBAPE / FGV (Brazilian School of Public Administration and Business, Getúlio Vargas Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and a PhD in Business Management from the University of Coimbra. He is the author of several books and articles in Business Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, Academic Fraud and Social Innovation.

Filipa Magalhães

Filipa Magalhães is a Communication Advisor at Portugal Social Innovation (PSI).

Born in Lisbon into a large family with roots in Minho and Beira, Filipa holds a Law degree, influenced by a long family line of jurists — yet her path soon led her towards the arts and culture. She studied Communication and Audiovisual Marketing, nurturing from an early age a passion for creative expression.

While still a student, she worked in an art gallery and began her career in the film industry, contributing to the production of major film and music festivals. Filipa was part of pioneering teams in digital marketing, collaborating on some of the first live-streamed large-scale events in Portugal and Spain.

At Turismo de Portugal, she worked in communication, digital marketing, and major event acquisition. Later, at the Portugal Film Commission, she focused on attracting major film productions to the country, and at the Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual, she specialised in international relations.

Currently, alongside her work at Portugal Social Innovation, Filipa also serves as an international expert with SOCIEUX+, the European Union’s Facility on Employment, Labour and Social Protection, where she applies her strategic communication expertise in cooperation missions with partner countries.

Filipa believes that life’s transformations and cycles unfold with a greater purpose, guiding each step towards new horizons. In the SI-Mission Facility, she contributes her strategic communication skills and creative energy to strengthening the visibility and impact of social innovation.

Francisco Fragoso

Francisco Fragoso is the Regional Representative for Alentejo and Algarve at Portugal Social Innovation (PSI), where he is part of the Ecosystem Activation Team.

A proud Alentejano, father, and devoted Benfica supporter, Francisco uses photography to highlight the essential role of Nature in human life. He believes in Social Innovation and Sustainable Development models as powerful means to promote people’s autonomy and quality of life.

With a background in Sociology, he values its ability to deepen understanding of social dynamics, while his passion for Evaluation stems from the clarity it brings to decision-making. Over the past two decades, Francisco has designed, implemented, managed, and assessed numerous projects. He has founded and co-founded companies, managed NGOs, and served on the boards of several organisations dedicated to local and regional development.

As a consultant and author of several books, Francisco combines analytical thinking with a deep human perspective. Once determined to change the world, he soon realised that it is the world that changes us — and that, perhaps, is where true transformation begins.

Luísa Bernardes

Luísa Bernardes is the Regional Representative for the Centro Region at PSI, where she also contributes to Strategic Advisory and International Relations, namely in the context of SI-Mission Facility project. She worked at the Portuguese Cohesion and Development Agency within the Simplification and Interconnection Unit, acting as the Portuguese EaSI (European Social Fund Plus) National Contact Point and as an expert on the establishment of National Competence Centers for Social Innovation (2022-2024).

Luísa is cofounder of Mulheres Incomuns, a community to celebrate women’s success, mainly through the publication of books and the organization of events to celebrate and recognize role models (since 2023). For 18 years she was part of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), providing tailored advice on innovation management, market access & funding.

Currently, she is a PhD student in Social Work at ISCTE — University Institute of Lisbon, and her research is on social innovation, social action, and the development of the welfare state.

An incurable optimist, Luísa believes that social innovation is key to a more inclusive future. In the SI-Mission Facility, she brings in this optimism mainly to WP3 and the establishment of the SI Funders and Investors’ Network.

Maria João Almeida

Maria João Almeida is a Senior Advisor for Knowledge Management and Public Policies at Portugal Social Innovation (PSI).

Known for her inquisitive nature and early sense of justice, Maria João developed a lifelong interest in social issues, which led her to earn a degree in Social Work and a Master’s in Planning and Evaluation. Passionate about people and public service, she brings over 23 years of experience in the social sector.

Driven by curiosity and a constant desire to learn, she seeks to understand the inner workings of public policies and how they interconnect. Throughout her career, Maria João has had the privilege of contributing to both national and international initiatives — a dimension she finds truly fulfilling. Her expertise lies in defining, planning, and implementing public policies, as well as monitoring their outcomes and impacts to ensure the effective promotion of citizens’ quality of life.

In the SI-Mission Facility, Maria João contributes her strategic insight and deep commitment to evidence-based policymaking, always guided by a strong belief in the power of public policy to improve lives.

team members from AD&C

Joana do Ó

Joana do Ó is Head of the Simplification and Interconnection Unit at the Agência para o Desenvolvimento e Coesão (AD&C), where she leads initiatives aimed at improving governance, simplification, and efficiency in the management of European funds in Portugal.

With extensive experience in public administration and European funding, Joana has dedicated her career to fostering collaboration across institutions and simplifying procedures that enhance transparency and impact. She combines a strategic mindset with a strong commitment to public service and innovation in policy design and implementation.

In the SI-Mission Facility, Joana brings her expertise in administrative simplification and interinstitutional cooperation, contributing to the development of frameworks that enable more effective and accessible social innovation policies.