Role of CollectieveKracht

NL

News about and developments withing the ECCO research project will be shared through the communication channels of CollectieveKracht. As the leading Dutch knowledge platform for citizen collectives, CollectieveKracht already reaches the project's primary audiences, making it an ideal channel for dissemination and engagement.

CollectieveKracht is a national, cross-sector knowledge exchange platform that supports citizen collectives working in areas such as energy, housing, care, food, nature and agriculture. The platform is built around three complementary goals:

• Sharing knowledge by making research and practical experience accessible.
• Connecting people by bringing together citizen collectives, researchers, funders, policymakers and network organisations.
• Mapping the movement by generating insights into the development, challenges and impact of citizen collectives across the Netherlands.

Through online and in-person events, partnerships and an extensive knowledge library, CollectieveKracht creates a bridge between scientific research and practical experience. By combining evidence-based knowledge with insights from practice, the platform helps strengthen the resilience and long-term sustainability of citizen collectives.

Op deze pagina

• CollectieveKracht at a glance
• Extreme Citizen Science approach
• Citizen Collectives Monitor
• Financing, subsidies and awards

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CollectieveKracht at a glance

Sinds de lancering in februari 2022 is CollectieveKracht snel gegroeid. Dit zijn onze huidige cijfers.

Community

• 554 citizen collectives
• 68 researchers
• 29 funders
• 74 public officials
• 35 network partners

Reach

 

Knowledge base

CollectieveKracht's online knowledge base makes scientific research and practical resources accessible to everyone involved in citizen collectives. Visitors can search by topic using thematic collections and filters.

Current content includes:

• 90 research-based publications
• 120 practical guides, reports and other resources
• 35 documentaries and videos
• 10 podcast episodes
• 9 infographics

External engagement

Between September 2023 and September 2024, CollectieveKracht received more than 140 external requests, including:

• 10 interview requests
• 30+ invitations for lectures, panel discussions and debates
• 12 requests to contribute to publications
• 22 requests for expert insights on citizen collectives

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Extreme citizen science approach

CollectieveKracht follows an Extreme Citizen Science approach, actively involving citizens throughout the entire research process—not only in collecting data, but also in identifying research questions, designing studies, interpreting findings and developing solutions.

This collaborative approach combines the expertise of researchers with the lived experience of citizens, resulting in research that is scientifically rigorous while remaining directly relevant to practice. Clear roles and shared responsibilities help foster meaningful participation, mutual learning and long-term collaboration.

 

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The Citizen Collectives Monitor

Every citizen collective joining CollectieveKracht completes a questionnaire about its organisation and development. Besides serving as a moment of self-reflection for participants, these data form the basis of the Citizen Collectives Monitor.

The monitor provides one of the most comprehensive overviews of local self-organisation in the Netherlands. It shows where citizen collectives are active, how they operate, which challenges they encounter and what opportunities they see for the future.

The monitor combines national statistics with in-depth analyses of initiatives in four sectors: energy, housing, care and wellbeing, and food, nature and agriculture. Its findings support policymakers, umbrella organisations, researchers, civil society organisations and citizen initiatives in understanding how the movement is evolving and what is needed to strengthen its resilience.

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Funding and recognition

Since 2020, CollectieveKracht has received €667,000 in grants and financial support from several Dutch funding organisations.

        

In 2025, the platform was awarded the prestigious KHMW Brouwer Trust Award, including a prize of €100,000, in recognition of its contribution to strengthening social trust and cohesion through citizen collectives.

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In 2023, CollectieveKracht received the Erasmus University Rotterdam Open and Responsible Science Award for Public Engagement. The jury praised the platform's sustainable community-building efforts and its ability to engage diverse stakeholders while generating valuable large-scale research data.