A broad consortium of scientific and societal organisations, including the national government, umbrella organisations, universities, municipalities, and funding bodies, will collaborate over the coming years on the research project Empowering Citizen COllectives in societal transitions (ECCO). For this project, €6.8 million has been awarded by the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA).
Equal collaboration with citizen collectives
The Netherlands faces major societal challenges such as housing, liveability, climate change, and the energy transition. At the same time, many citizens experience less control over their lives and living environments, and trust in the government is declining. In addressing these societal transitions, citizen collectives may be part of the solution, as they help communities strengthen their resilience and capacity to respond and adapt within their local surroundings.
Connecting society and science
ECCO aims to develop new models, methods, and tools through research that foster equal collaboration between governments and citizen collectives, thereby improving mutual trust. The growing knowledge exchange platform CollectieveKracht, founded by Professor Tine De Moor (Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University), will play a central role in this.
De Moor, who is also the principal investigator of the project, explains: 'Thanks to this grant, an incredibly enthusiastic and engaged group of fellow researchers and societal partners can provide even stronger support to the citizen collectives movement. ECCO equips citizen collectives with the tools they need to tackle the challenges of the future in areas such as housing, care, and sustainability.'
Knowledge, skills, and visible impact
By developing models and both digital and analogue tools, citizens will gain access to practical knowledge and skills. New scientific insights will help demonstrate the value, credibility, and long-term impact of citizen collectives for governments. ECCO represents an important step towards a society where citizens and governments collaboratively shape the future of their living environment.
About NWA-ORC
In total, 14 projects received funding under the program line Research along Routes by Consortia (ORC) of the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA). In these projects, researchers work together with knowledge partners and societal organizations to develop and apply knowledge, leading to both scientific and societal impact.
ECCO Consortium:
Erasmus University Rotterdam, Utrecht University, Delft University of Technology, University of Groningen, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, Leiden University
Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG), Buurkracht, City of Gent, Cooplink Knowledge network Housing cooperatives, Council for Public Organisation (ROB), Energie Samen, Febecoop/Belgium, GEN NL - Ecodorpen, Humanitas, International Association for the Study of the Commons (IASC), Knarrenhof Foundation, LaNSCO, LSA Bewoners, Ministry of Climate and Green Growth (MinKGG), Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning (MinVRO), Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (MinBZK), Municipality of Amsterdam, Municipality of Rotterdam, Municipality of The Hague, National Platform for Neighbourhood Oriented Management (LPB), National Cooperative Council (NCR), Netherlands Enterprise Agency, Duurzaam Door program (RVO-DD), Social Impact Fund Rotterdam, Sociale Vraagstukken Journal (SV), Voor Goed Agency.
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Questions following this press release? Please contact Tessa Moolenaar - Communications advisor CollectieveKracht via t.moolenaar@rsm.nl.
CollectieveKracht is the knowledge platform of and for citizen collectives from all sectors: from energy to housing, from care to food. Find out more about this knowledge platform.
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