The CRESSI (Creating Economic Space for Social Innovation) project will explore the economic underpinnings of social innovation with a particular focus on how policy and practice can enhance the lives of the most marginalized and disempowered citizens in society. Overall, the project will take an institutionalist view of the key issues exploring the drivers and structures that lead to marginalization and disempowerment. This research will also aim to set out how interventions drawing on social innovation can address major economic, social and power imbalances and inequalities. The project began in February 2014 and will conclude in February 2018.