European Community Organizing Network - ECON

26/05/2026

We’re happy to share ECON’s Annual Report!

Take a look back at what we achieved together over the past year, the work we’ve done, and the progress we’ve made as a network. Thank you to everyone who made this possible.

Read the report here:https://organizeeurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/ECON-Annual-Report-2025.pdf

20/05/2026

New member of ECON: Centrul FILIA (Asociația Centrul de Dezvoltare Curriculară și Studii de Gen: FILIA)

FILIA is a Romanian feminist organization. Since 2014, community organizing has been central to FILIA’s mission of amplifying women’s voices and strengthening collective power, particularly within rural, and Roma communities.

Their approach is grounded in long-term relationship-building and the creation of safe spaces where women can transition from discussing personal concerns to leading issue-based organizing.

By facilitating the formation of autonomous women’s groups and providing expertise in advocacy and research, FILIA empowers marginalized women to engage directly with authorities on priorities ranging from healthcare access and school conditions to public infrastructure.

Through this work, FILIA ensures that women are at the center of decision-making, transforming individual experiences into a powerful, collective struggle for human rights and anti-discrimination.

12/05/2026

Last week, the ECON board members and our consultancy team gathered in Budapest to strategize on our current activities and future directions. It was a productive few days full of meaningful conversations, collaborative spirit, and hard work.

A sincere thank you to our hosts: CKA, aHang, and Gólya, for their hospitality.

And many thanks to the board members and consultants who dedicated their time and energy to this vital planning process. Exciting things are on the horizon! 🚀

06/05/2026

The 2026 parliamentary elections in Hungary marked a cataclysmic shift in the nation’s trajectory, concluding sixteen years of Fidesz-KDNP governance. While political defectors provided the catalyst, the structural foundations of this victory were laid by the tireless efforts of non-governmental entities and community organizers. These civic forces established the necessary infrastructure to mobilize a disillusioned electorate, resulting in a record-breaking turnout and a constitutional supermajority for the TISZA Party.

This transformation was the culmination of a multi-year preparation by grassroots organizers and civil society. Read a material prepared by our colleagues from CKA (Civil College Foundation) on their work around the elections: https://organizeeurope.org/2026-hungary-elections/

29/04/2026

👉Meet a new member of ECON: Conatus

Conatus is a French organization driven by the vision that "the last shall be first," dedicated to creating and growing movements led by those deprived of their rights to restore justice through direct action.

Grounded in the values of autonomy, equality, and empiricism, Conatus views community organizing as a rigorous discipline necessary to build the power required to win victories against the powerful.

Their work is a blend of principles and techniques inspired by movement history, performing arts, and the art of war, formalized through the teachings of organizers like Ella Baker and Marshall Ganz.

Working across a broad spectrum of communities - including migrant, Roma groups - Conatus focuses on systemic issues such as housing, anti-racism, and environmental justice.

22/04/2026

In the last years, Europe has faced intertwined crises – climate change, rising inequality, and political polarization. The challenge is immense, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, where long-standing traditions and post-communist histories intermingle with the pressure for a socially just transition.

✊But grassroots organizers have shown that, even when the winds of Realpolitik blow fiercely, bottom-up community organizing can be a beacon – and a movement – for hope, agency, and systemic change.

📕You can read a full report on our Organizing Across Borders project here: https://lnkd.in/dd_Ws-5A

🔖And we also gathered main outcomes of the publication in the cards:

17/04/2026

Highlights from the Hungarian elections, resources provided by our members, and latest funding opportunities - it's all in the April issue of the ECON's newsletter.

Read it here: https://mailchi.mp/organizeeurope/april-news

Subscribe here: https://mailchi.mp/4f8ae3f32999/sign-up

15/04/2026

🔔Last call!
Join us tomorrow at the webinar on crowdfunding.
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/1wkDoEGwQ92O69iQsljL_A #/registration

💵 One of the greatest challenges for local organizers, community projects is securing the resources needed to turn a vision into reality. Whether it’s starting a community garden, launching a local energy cooperative, or funding a legal challenge against environmental damage, it all costs money.

🫰 Crowdfunding offers a democratic alternative, allowing organizers to raise funds while building a base of committed supporters.

📲 Join us for this practical 90-minute workshop on successful crowdfunding.

Speakers:

Aleksandr Voronov – Fundraising and Communications Expert
Elena Samoila – Senior Expert in Gender Equality and Community & Corporate Partnerships at Centrul FILIA

When: 16th April 2026 – 15:00-16:30 CET
Where: online, Zoom

Register Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/1wkDoEGwQ92O69iQsljL_A #/registration

10/04/2026

Meet our new member!

Centar za promene (Center for Change) is a Serbian nonprofit association founded by passionate individuals who believe that every individual can contribute to social change.

Based on the values of solidarity, education, and justice, the organization works to protect citizens' rights. Their primary focus is on strengthening the capacities of individuals and teams through community organizing training and educational programs.

By equipping activists across Serbia with skills in strategy and structure, Centar za promene supports effective campaigns on issues ranging from climate and environmental justice to civic participation, democracy.

30/03/2026

💵 One of the greatest challenges for local organizers, community projects is securing the resources needed to turn a vision into reality. Whether it’s starting a community garden, launching a local energy cooperative, or funding a legal challenge against environmental damage, it all costs money.

🫰 Crowdfunding offers a democratic alternative, allowing organizers to raise funds while building a base of committed supporters.

📲 Join us for this practical 90-minute workshop on successful crowdfunding.

Speakers:

Aleksandr Voronov – Fundraising and Communications Expert
Elena Samoila – Senior Expert in Gender Equality and Community & Corporate Partnerships at Centrul FILIA

When: 16th April 2026 – 15:00-16:30 CET
Where: online, Zoom

Register Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/1wkDoEGwQ92O69iQsljL_A #/registration