MUTUAL GAINS: GRASSROOTS ORGANISATIONS AS KEY PARTNERS IN HORIZON EUROPE RESEARCH PROJECTS

Longford Women’s Link (LWL), a rural Irish women’s community organisation, demonstrates how including grassroots organisations as part of multi-actor consortiums strengthens the relevance, inclusivity, and impact of Horizon Europe research while building its own organisational capacity. 

LWL ensured representation: LWL were involved in all aspects of the project. It co-authored early concept notes to broaden definitions of innovation beyond economic and technological forms, incorporating social and advocacy-based innovations. Through its contributions to Stakeholder Mapping and the Community of Practice (CoP), it brought forward the voice and lived experiences of women from rural communities experiencing multiple challenges including lack of access to education, domestic violence and underrepresentation in political life. Combining their knowledge with findings from FLIARA, LWL developed policy briefs that reflect the needs of the diverse groups of women accessing their services and supports. 

Mutual benefits: LWL strengthened its own research and policy capacity while enriching FLIARA’s findings with grounded insights. As a gender-based organisation, they expanded their connections through the diverse networks of the FLIARA consortium and CoP enabling the organisation to share their message with wider audiences and on international platforms. The inclusion of multi-actors in research projects bridges the gap between research, policy and practice ensuring greater impact of the project. Lessons include the need to highlight the benefits of engaging with grassroots organisations and to provide them with the resources and tools needed to participate in European projects.