The project “Solid Base - Financial Sustainability Education for Solidarity-Based Food Systems” is a strategic partnership of five partners to design a European core training programme and disseminate it on local, national and European level. The partners are Tudatos Vásárlók Egyesülete, (coordinator, Hungary), Asociace místních potravinových iniciativ (Czech Republic), Netzwerk Solidarische Landwirtschaft (Germany), the international network, Urgenci (based in France) and Forschungsgesellschaft die Agronauten e.V. (Germany). Rural areas of the EU facing several challenges. Rural people are more at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the majority of EU Member States (Europe 2020 indicators, 2014). The Solid base project addresses these challenges with a non-formal educational programme which contributes to the long-term financial sustainability of Solidarity-based food systems (SFSs). The purpose of the project is strongly connected to the objectives Europe 2020 Strategy which emphasises smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and highlight poverty reduction as a key policy component. SFSs are a form of short food supply chains which are based on social solidarity economy (SSE). Solidarity-based economic units rest upon a model of democratic decision-making and a participatory management system. SFSs are often produce organically, they are excellent examples of climate-friendly agriculture, thus they can provide nutritious food with less ecological impact and higher social benefits. SFSs connect small-scale farmers from rural areas directly with consumers from cities through the majority of researched schemes increasing social contact between people, a sense of community, trust and co-operation.The objectives of the Solid Base educational programme are the following: 1) designing a European core training programme on SFSs in 4 modules, 2) elaborating supporting educational tools, and 3) test, evaluate and improve the core programme and used tools. To assure the dissemination partners plan to 1) build capacity of staff, trainers and multiplicators (engaged volunteers), 2) make the educational programme accessible on European level and 3) build new alliances on local and international level in order to ensure the long term sustainability of the project. Topics of Solid base were identified by the needs of the adult learners which showed that for entrepreneurial education of SFSs not only financial and management related knowledge are required, but also those transversal and soft skills which could strengthen the solidarity and community based operation (Topics of the modules: 1. Management of SFSs, 2. Financial and business planning of SFSs, 3. Digital tools for SFSs, 4. Participatory inclusion techniques).During the project an easy-to-use IT tool will be developed (O2) which provides features in budget planning and consumer management. Specific innovative education methods (e.g. peer to peer learning, hackathon) will ensure that the primary target groups of the project will be able to improve the above mentioned skills through personal and practical learning.The evaluation process showed that adult learners would be especially interested for an educational programme which provides practical entrepreneurial knowledge not only for farmers but for their consumers, who actively participate in the management of these initiatives. So the main target groups of the project are: 1) adult learners (active farmers and consumers of SFSs); 2) multiplicators (volunteers of the partner organisations who will disseminate the project results in their local networks); 3) staff and trainers of the project partners; 4) Decision-makers and experts, 5) allies and 6) general public.During the project period, 1) a modular training programme will be developed with supporting tools (Guide for trainers, IT tool and Booklet), 2) 12 test training events will be organized in 3 countries, with the participation of 160 adult learners – 40 of them will be participants with fewer opportunities; 3) 3 national and a European multiplier event will be organised. Through dissemination, partners will address allies, organise meetings with decision-makers and experts, as well as disseminate the results to the wider audience reaching 32 European countries and thousands of people (at least 400 000). Altogether, about 4000 people will benefit from the project results indirectly.The share of rural people participating in life-long learning activities remained disappointingly slow in the project countries (CZ: 10%, GE: 8%), or even declined (FR: 5,7%, HU: 2,8%) (Rural Development in the EU Statistical and Economic Information Report 2013). Our project is an opportunity for them. Stakeholders of SFSs will acquire those entrepreneurial and soft skills which are needed for the building of financially sustainable social enterprises in rural regions in Europe.