Citizen participation strengthens public policy. It improves targeting, enhances legitimacy and increases the long-term impact of investments. Following successful pilot projects across European regions, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are launching a new cycle of support under the project “With Citizens for Effective Cohesion Policy.”
We invite:
• Managing Authorities (Track A – 10 selected)
• Cities (Track B – 4 selected)
What is offered?
-Track A – Managing Authorities
- Online capacity-building workshops
- A practical toolkit to embed participation in the next Cohesion Policy cycle
- Tailored recommendations
-Track B – Cities
- Tailored technical support
- Design and implementation of innovative participation processes
- OECD case studies and visibility opportunities
Key information
- Application deadline: 30 April 2026
- Project duration: until September 2027
- Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a 30-minute motivation interview
This initiative supports institutions ready to move from consultation to structured, meaningful citizen participation — strengthening administrative capacity and trust in public institutions.