Reciprocity at CollectieveKracht

Reciprocity—the idea that you give in exchange for something in return—is the foundation of many citizen collectives. The knowledge platform CollectieveKracht (Collective Power) is also largely based on this principle.

People who participate in a citizen collective often do so out of "enlightened self-interest." For example, they want to improve the quality of life in their neighborhood or are looking for good housing for the elderly, affordable green energy, or food from a local producer. They are willing to give something in return. This could be a sum of money, but also, for example, time, knowledge, or resources in kind. They give with the goal of ultimately receiving something in return.

This platform also works the same way. The members of CollectieveKracht have something to offer each other in the form of knowledge and expertise. They exchange tips and tricks with each other, for example, on member retention, finding funding, or managing the collective's growth. Providing input for other collectives goes hand in hand with gathering information for their own use.

Labs: giving and taking

The experts from the various labs are also there to give and receive. The members of the Government Lab benefit greatly from understanding the challenges citizen collectives face. By asking questions and sharing knowledge, the collectives help the government better align its practices with the needs of citizens – to the benefit of all parties.

Through CollectieveKracht, the financiers from the Finance Lab gain insight into the specific questions of citizen collectives. With this knowledge, they can develop financial instruments that better align with the daily practices of collectives.

The scientists from the Science Lab receive structured information through the platform, enabling them to investigate exactly how citizen collectives work. They then share the insights they gain from their research with the citizen collectives via the platform.