In today's world, the conditions of dynamic citizen interaction combined with substantially changed, accelerated social and political communication, are shaping innovative practices of interaction between local people and government. This is of relevance in the context of digital communications. Social initiatives or the possibility of their formation fill the regional processes of socio-political interaction and can also contribute to the innovative development of the territory. A significant problem is the difference in the content and significance of the initiatives proposed by the population and the content of innovative projects envisaged for implementation in the region. It is important to determine the impact of social initiatives on the innovative development of regions, which is the purpose of this article. The results of the study demonstrate that the most meaningful and multidirectional initiatives are manifested in the most resource-rich regions of Russia. Social initiatives of the population focus on certain problems of living and social space, are an indicator of unaccounted for contradictions, which can be considered as the basis for the innovative development of the region. They prove the willingness of residents to get involved in solving regional development issues and are also an important form of dialogue interaction with the authorities.