European Community Organizing Network - ECON

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! 🚀

👉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.

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:

💵 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