Learn about the current and past accelerator participants below.

Climate Democracy Accelerator (CDA)

Past cohort participants

• Arusha, Tanzania: Tanzania Natural Resource Forum (TNRF)

  • Addressing climate vulnerability in grassroots communities by promoting climate equity and ensuring marginalized groups, including youth and women, can participate meaningfully in climate decisions.

• Chile: Municipalidad de Maipú

  • Leading a participatory policymaking initiative to develop a local water strategy, engaging citizens and stakeholders to create inclusive, transparent, and sustainable policies for water management.

• Dakar, Senegal: Centre de Suivi Écologique

  • Leading Senegal’s first government-backed participatory policymaking process to engage citizens, especially Indigenous groups, in shaping environmental policy through proposals, deliberation, and community-led monitoring.

• Dakar, Senegal: Enda ECOPOP

  • Secured municipal government commitment to develop a Climate Action Plan, launching advocacy campaigns and catalyzing participatory processes to integrate climate challenges into local decision-making and support community-driven resilience.

• Dibue Road. Ikot Ekpene, Nigeria: People Environment and Sustainability Foundation

  • Addressing agricultural challenges in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, by tackling land degradation, erratic rainfall, and food insecurity to strengthen community resilience and protect vulnerable groups.

• Glasgow, United Kingdom: Scottish Government

  • Leading a nationwide participatory policymaking initiative using a digital platform to engage citizens, including underrepresented groups, in shaping climate strategies through consultations, feedback, and long-term monitoring.

• Goma, Congo-Kinshasa (Democratic Republic): Aide et Action Pour la Paix

  • Leading a community-driven advocacy initiative in Nord Kivu, DRC, that developed a climate action plan and citizen recommendations to make the Bahunde municipality’s local development plan climate-sensitive.

• Harare, Zimbabwe: Harare Lemba Jewish Community

  • Addressing rural climate impacts in Zimbabwe such as erratic rainfall, water shortages, and deforestation by promoting locally driven solutions and inclusive approaches to climate policymaking.

• Harare, Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association

  • Addressing the absence of binding climate legislation in Zimbabwe by advocating for stronger legal frameworks that ensure accountability, climate equity, and justice for vulnerable communities.

• Hyderabad, Pakistan: Sindh Community Foundation

  • Addressing governance gaps in climate justice and flood rehabilitation in Sindh, Pakistan, by promoting inclusion, gender sensitivity, accountability, and platforms for affected communities to engage in decision-making.

• Kaduna, Nigeria: Break-Free From Plastic Awareness Initiative

  • Leading his local government’s first participatory policymaking project to tackle plastic pollution, engaging citizens through online and in-person processes to co-create policies and inform new local legislation.

• Kampala, Uganda: Uganda Community Based Association for Women and Children Welfare (UCOBAC)

  • Leading a participatory action plan for community-led wetland management, engaging stakeholders from local to national levels to build equitable, inclusive, and climate-resilient policies.

• Kathmandu, Nepal: Good Neighbors International

  • Designed a program to engage youth and communities in sustainable agricultural practices, though implementation is currently on hold.

• Kwekwe, Zimbabwe: Community Voices Zimbabwe

  • Addressing rural climate vulnerability in the Midlands Province by tackling food insecurity, misinformation, and lack of climate information to promote justice, participation, and inclusive governance.

• Khartoum, Sudan: UN-Habitat Sudan Office

  • Leading Kassala’s first participatory policymaking initiative to develop flood-responsive community action plans, engaging vulnerable groups through proposal submission, workshops, public voting, and resident-led monitoring.

• Kisumu, Kenya: Community Initiative Action Group Kenya (CIAG)

  • Collaborated with the county government to develop inclusive climate risk assessments and development plans, building community capacity and influencing long-term policy despite challenges of staff turnover and limited support.

• Lusaka, Zambia: Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ)

  • Promoting climate equity and a just transition by creating platforms for marginalized rural communities to participate in national climate decision-making.

• Managua, Nicaragua: Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo de la Universidad Centroamericana (Nitlapan-UCA)

  • Addressing gaps in Zambia’s climate budgeting and adaptation planning by promoting inclusive community engagement and ensuring grassroots voices, especially youth, are integrated into decision-making.

• Masvingo, Zimbabwe: Green Institute Zimbabwe

  • Advancing climate mitigation and adaptation in Chipinge through education, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and integration of indigenous knowledge, with a focus on inclusion and community resilience.

• Mutare, Zimbabwe: Green Governance Zimbabwe Trust

  • Advancing climate justice by shifting from confrontational tactics to consensus-building, creating safe spaces for marginalized groups to engage with government and communities in inclusive decision-making.

• New Delhi, India: Vishwadeep Trust

  • Addressing climate challenges in Ladakh’s tribal regions by promoting eco-sustainable development and participatory budgeting while ensuring the inclusion of marginalized women farmers in climate planning.

• Pichilemu, Chile: Ilustre Municipalidad de Pichilemu

  • Leading a participatory policymaking initiative to engage citizens in shaping a collaborative climate action plan, ensuring accessibility, transparency, and local responses to environmental challenges.

• Piracicaba, Brazil: Mandato Coletivo A Cidade é Sua

  • Leading a citizens’ assembly in São Paulo that engages residents through civic lotteries and accessibility measures to set criteria for climate actions, with final proposals submitted to local government.

• Puerto Montt, Chile: Gore Los Lagos

  • Leading a climate citizens’ assembly in Chile’s Los Lagos region, engaging 60 participants selected by civic lottery to shape the Regional Climate Action Plan and ensure citizen input guides adaptation policies.

• Ramallah, Palestine: Agricultural Development Association (PARC)

  • Leading a climate citizens’ assembly with 35 participants selected by civic lottery to evaluate and recommend improvements to climate targets, ensuring inclusivity, transparency, and citizen-driven policymaking.

• Recife, Brazil: Prefeitura de Recife

  • Convening a climate assembly with 30 citizens selected by civic lottery to deliberate on climate issues through a social justice lens, with final proposals committed for integration into city climate planning.

• Ribeirão Preto, Brazil: Centro de Referência Popular (CERPO)

  • Advocated for climate awareness and action through digital and media campaigns across regional municipalities.

• Rosario, Argentina: Municipalidad de Rosario

  • Leading a participatory policymaking initiative to eradicate chronic landfills by engaging residents through neighborhood councils, online consultations, and community workshops to co-design waste management and green space recovery solutions.

• Santiago, Chile: Gobierno Regional Metropolitano de Santiago

  • Strengthening climate action policies in the region by developing and reinforcing institutional mechanisms.

• Warri, Nigeria: Environmental and Rural Mediation Centre (ENVIRUMEDIC)

  • Addressing the impacts of gas flaring in Delta State, Nigeria, by tackling environmental damage, health risks, and displacement while advocating for stronger mitigation and adaptation policies.

• Wassa Akropong, Ghana: Wassa Amenfi East Municipal Assembly

  • Addressing the municipality’s vulnerability to climate change in Ghana by tackling extreme weather, poor sanitation, and plastic waste through inclusive local climate action and planning.

• Zaria, Nigeria: Ashley Lashley Foundation

  • Leading the Climate Alaranma Initiative, a participatory policymaking project engaging citizens in shaping environmental policies through advocacy, consultations, proposal submission, voting, and community-led monitoring.

Learn more about the grant recipients that received $20,000 each!

All participants received a $10,000 grant to support the start of their implementation, and an additional $20,000 awarded to the best action plan

Best award recipient ($10,000 grant and $20,000 award) 

• Uttarakhand, India: Himadd Samiti, in partnership with the Bardrinath Forest Division of the local council, will convene a citizens’ assembly of forest councils, a traditional governance system, for watershed and erosion management and carbon sequestration, to improve conditions for subsistence agriculture and environmental resilience.

Grant recipients ($10,000) 

• Colobre, Panama: Fundación CoMunidad, alongside the government committee convened to protect Panama’s hydrographic basins, are implementing a citizens’ climate assembly with the goal of decreasing landfill waste by 10% and increasing jobs in the circular economy.

• Corrientes, Argentina: The Municipality of Corrientes is working with the Red de Innovación Local to develop participatory strategies for sustainable tree planting to increase climate resilience in the city. 

• Ekiti State, Nigeria: the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative is working with the state government to implement a participatory policymaking process to create accountability and inclusive governance for climate change adaptation, in the context of high reliance on subsistence farming. 

• In Semarang, Indonesia: Pattiro Semarang, with the support of Semarang’s local government’s planning office, will lead a participatory policymaking process to assess the socio-economic impacts of the climate crisis on vulnerable coastal communities.

• Kasangati, Uganda: I4DEV with the town council are convening a citizens’ assembly to institutionalize citizens’ voices in municipal climate action to ensure well-coordinated, inclusive and sustainable actions are taken. 

• Laikipia, Kenya: the Laikipia Wildlife Forum and county government, are running a citizens’ assembly to tackle a heavy reliance on rainfed agriculture, through increasing community participation in creating climate-resilient policies.

• Nairobi, Kenya: Youth-Voice for Peace and the county government are running a participatory policymaking process to reduce air pollution from the diesel-powered informal public transportation system.

• Nuevo León, Mexico: The Secretaría de Participación Ciudadana of the state government is working with a local accessibility organization to create a participatory policy framework for sustainable and accessible transport to decrease emissions. 

• Quintana Roo, Mexico: Ciudadan@s por la Transparencia, alongside the state government, will lead the development of a participatory environmental governance system to protect the natural environment, move towards renewable energy, and embed climate democracy in the state’s 2050 Strategic Plan.

• Rajasthan, India: the Manhila Housing Trust in partnership with their local government, is co-creating an early warning system for intense heat that can reach low-income women with limited access to technology and high levels of illiteracy. 

• Rosario, Argentina: The Municipality of Rosario is working with the Rosario Community Management Centre to design a citizen lab to eradicate chronic landfills in the city, using the tools of participatory policymaking. 

• Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Ecuador: The Provincial Government is working with young people, using both participatory policymaking and legislative theatre, to design a plan for environmental conservation, while building capacity in youth leadership on sustainability.  

• The Mchinji district of Malawi: The Youth Alliance for Sustainable Development are working with the district council to reduce the high deforestation levels through a participatory policymaking process which will be used to create policy proposals to make the forestry industry more sustainable.

• Yerevan, Armenia: The Yerevan Municipality is working with EcoLur through a process of participatory policymaking to embed civil society within the government to co-create a plan for the green transition.

All participants received a $10,000 grant to support the start of their implementation, and an additional $20,000 awarded to the best action plan

Best award recipient ($10,000 grant and $20,000 award) 

• Bujaru, Brazil: Delibera Brasil, in partnership with Prefeitura de Bujaru

  • Developed a legislative theater project in Bujaru, Amazon, to engage youth and Indigenous communities in citizen assemblies addressing climate challenges like extractivism, monoculture, and lack of territorial planning.

Grant recipients ($10,000) 

• Asuncion, Paraguay: Alma Civica, in partnership with the Youth Network for Climate Action in Paraguay 

  • Mobilizing citizens in Yabebyry, Paraguay, through Climate Citizens’ Assemblies to co-create solutions, strengthen community resilience, and influence public policy with a shared climate action plan.

• Belo, Cameroon: Centre for Research, Environmental Protection and Conservation(CeREPC), in partnership with their Municipal Council

  • Developing adaptation and mitigation strategies with the marginalized Mbororo people, whose farming and cattle livelihoods are threatened by dry spells and rainfall anomalies.

• Bishkek, The Kyrgyz Republic: Development Policy Institute, in partnership with the Department of Economics and Investments under Bishkek Mayors office

  • Working on making Bishek a climate resilient city, and would like to use PD to create a climate adaptation program.

• Embu, Kenya: Kounkuey Design Initiative, in partnership with Embu County Government

  • Creating a framework for climate reslience, focused on a community living in an informal settlement bearing the brunt of climate impacts.

• Garowe, Somalia: Bareedo Platform Somalia, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Range and Climate Change 

  • Partnering with Puntland’s environment ministry to develop guidelines that help policymakers conduct public participation and create more inclusive climate policies.

• Jubam, South Sudan: Youth Relief Organization, in partnership with the South Sudan Ministry of Health and the South Sudan Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security

  • Hosting community workshops with scientists, leaders, and citizens to address regional climate challenges by combining traditional knowledge with local experience.

• Kampala, Uganda: Might foundation, in partnership with Masajja Division Youth Council, a branch of the National Youth Council-Uganda

  • Organizing accountability dialogues at local and national levels, led by young people using music, dance, and drama to engage government officials, teachers, and civil society leaders.

• Los Cocos, Argentina: Asociación Civil Humanidad, in partnership with the Colaborativa Municipalidad de Los Cocos

  • Planning community dialogues to map vulnerabilities and establish strategies for regenerating native forests to improve water absorption and prevent landslides and floods in the context of the climate crisis.

• Lyon, France: Live Love Agora, in partnership with Ville de Lyon

  • Working with young people to dispel climate misinformation and create spaces for deliberation on youth-led climate solutions.

• Mamallapuram, India: Society for Education and Action, in partnership with the Department of Fisheries with Environmental Forest, Government of Tamil Nadu

  • Working with 41 fishing communities and their traditional governance systems (Panchayats) to raise climate awareness and strengthen coordination among local governments.

• Mar Chiquita, Argentina: Dirección de Ambiente de Mar Chiquita, in partnership with Democracia en Red

  • Convening a citizens’ assembly to implement a new legal framework for safeguarding environmental areas and to promote sustainable community management of natural resources.

• Medellin, Colombia: Prospera, in partnership with the Municipio de Vigia del Fuerte

  • Implementing community workshops and dialogues to connect indigenous knowledge with scientific expertise, aiming to develop culturally sensitive and locally relevant climate policy with government support.

• Monrovia, Liberia: Center for Youth Civic Leadership and Environmental Studies (CYCLES), in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia

  • Mobilizing youth networks and CSOs to engage policymakers in reducing plastic waste and developing stronger waste management systems to protect waterways, wildlife, and public health.

• Nanyuki, Kenya: Pathways Policy Institute, in partnership with the Laikipia County Government

  • Addressing limited citizen involvement in Laikipia’s water and health planning by forming grassroots committees to influence county development and budget priorities, while exploring participatory policymaking approaches.

All participants received a $10,000 grant to support the start of their implementation, and an additional $20,000 awarded to the best action plan

Best award recipient ($10,000 grant and $20,000 award) 

• Abuja, Nigeria: Fundlink Aid International, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation

  • Organizing national and sub-national assemblies on energy transition and renewable energy to raise climate awareness and create a stakeholder feedback platform for evaluating climate projects and policies.

Grant recipients ($10,000) 

• Accra, Ghana: Centre for Sustainability and Environmental Action, in partnership with Upper West Akim District Assembly and Ministry of Agriculture

• Hosting a Climate Assembly to address declining agricultural production by engaging farmers, scientists, and local stakeholders in inclusive deliberation and recommendations for reducing reliance on rain-fed agriculture.

• Bikoro, DRC: SOTE PAMOJA DRC, in partnership with Bikoro Chiefdom

• Implementing a Peatland Conservation Initiative to protect Congo Basin peatlands through participatory mapping, community decision-making, and awareness campaigns, fostering biodiversity protection, sustainable development, and climate resilience.

• General Pueyrredon, Argentina: Municipality of General Pueyrredon, in partnership with Democracia en Red

• Installing PET recycling points in municipal sports centers to promote sustainable practices, reward citizens with credits for recycling, and empower them to decide how resources are reinvested in their community.

• Gwagwalada, Nigeria: Development of Educational Action Network (DEAN Initiative), in partnership with Gwagwalada Area Council

• Developing a localized climate action plan based on Nigeria’s Climate Change Act through participatory budgeting, training, and the creation of Climate Desks to support grassroots resilience and early warning systems.

• H.D. Kote, Karnataka, India: Pipal Tree, in partnership with Annuru Panchayat

• Organizing citizen assemblies for climate resilience in Adivasi and other vulnerable communities by building local leadership, promoting food security through sustainable agriculture, and supporting participatory planning in gram sabhas.

• Kisumu, Kenya: Icon Data Learning and Labs, in partnership with the County Government of Kisumu

• Implementing the Tunaweza Kikao project to amplify the voices of persons with disabilities in climate dialogues, fostering inclusive planning, resilience, and sustainable development through collaborative community–government engagement.

• Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya Red Cross Society, in partnership with Nairobi City County Government

• Mitigating urban heat island effects and improving air quality through climate assemblies that engage residents, experts, and officials to co-design parks, green roofs, and urban forests while promoting emissions reduction and sustainable building practices.

• Oaxaca, Mexico: Codeando México, AC, in partnership with the Government of the State of Oaxaca and the Ministry of Mobility

  • Organizing participatory mapping and a data-driven “Transport Datatón” to engage citizens in proposing improvements to public transportation through collaborative use of survey results and transport data.

• Osasco, Brazil: Osasco City Hall, in partnership with Delibera Brasil

• Launching citizen assemblies to strengthen social participation in the city’s Climate Action Plan and Open Government Action Plan, mobilizing communities in high-risk areas to shape sustainable development and risk reduction strategies.

• Peñalolén, Chile: Municipality of Peñalolén, in partnership with Ciudadanía Inteligente

• Developing a participatory environmental plan to mitigate and adapt to climate risks by engaging residents in diagnosis, planning, and implementation of solutions such as green infrastructure, water management, and sustainable practices.

• Sahiwal, Sierra Leone: Ministry of Youth Affairs, in partnership with Focus1000

• Hosting a climate assembly in rural areas to engage citizens, traditional leaders, and experts in learning, deliberation, and decision-making, producing community-informed recommendations on climate policy.

• Sohag, Egypt: Tamkeen for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Community Development and Training, in partnership with the Ministry of Social Solidarity

• Implementing a participatory project to integrate gender-responsive approaches into climate policy by empowering women and marginalized groups through deliberative forums, workshops, and advocacy training.

• Surabaya, Indonesia: Yayasan Arkom Indonesia, in partnership with Surabaya City Public Housing, Settlement, and Land Department

• Developing climate-adaptive housing models through a participatory approach to address housing needs, land disputes, and climate challenges for low-income and marginalized communities.

• Valongo, Portugal: Municipality of Valongo, in partnership with Casa da Participação Association

  • Implementing the Lá Fora project, a children’s citizenship laboratory that engages schools in reimagining playgrounds to promote biodiversity, climate adaptation, playfulness, and collaborative learning.

All participants received a $10,000 grant to support the start of their implementation, and an additional $20,000 awarded to the best action plan

Best award recipient ($10,000 grant and $20,000 award) 

• Hanang, Tanzania: EmpowerHer Tomorrow Initiative, in partnership with the Hanang District Council

  • Facilitate participatory policymaking to address water scarcity, foster climate-smart agriculture and reduce energy poverty. The project links community water-user committees with women-led micro-grids and agroforestry pilots.

Grant recipients ($10,000) 

• Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala: Municipality of Antigua Guatemala, in partnership with the Foundation for Ecodevelopment and Conservation (FUNDAECO)

  • Convene a citizens’ assembly to build resilience to earthquakes, floods, landslides and forest fires. Community forums prioritise adaptation measures, and citizen monitors oversee implementation in collaboration with disaster-risk agencies.

• Buenos Aires, Argentina: Government of the City of Buenos Aires, in partnership with Potenciar Argentina Foundation

  • Facilitate citizens' assembly to strengthen climate adaptation and mitigation across solid-waste management, air quality and green-infrastructure planning. Citizens will co-define priorities, monitor progress with open-data dashboards and advocate for sustained funding.

• Córdoba, Argentina: Fundeps, in partnership with the Human Rights Directorate of the Municipality of Córdoba

  • Convene a legislative theater to craft youth-centred adaptation policies that directly address how the climate crisis affects young people. Assembly deliberations sit alongside a training track and a “climate-champion” programme to embed youth leadership.

• Dar Chaabane El Fehri, Tunisia: Commune Dar Chaabane El Fehri, in partnership with the Tunisian Association for a Better Future

  • Co-create participatory solutions to manage coastal-erosion risks and adapt to rising sea levels. A series of deliberative “street theatres” tests policy options, revises municipal plans and monitors shoreline-defence upgrades.

• Florianópolis, Brazil: Politize!, in partnership with the Government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul

  • Facilitate participatory policymaking to set state-level climate-resilience priorities. Public-policy laboratories and open assemblies diagnose the most pressing problems and generate actionable recommendations for Rio Grande do Sul.

• Kakamega, Kenya: Girls to Women Organization, in partnership with the Kakamega County Department of Environment

  • Facilitate participatory policymaking to reduce the environmental and social impacts of small-scale mining. Gender-focused forums generate community scorecards and negotiate action plans with mine operators and county regulators.

• Kissidougou, Guinea: Cooperative for Agro-Pastoral Development (CODAPA), in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development

  • Facilitate participatory policymaking to combat drought, soil erosion and deforestation. Farmers, pastoralists and officials co-design land-restoration plans and track results with shared scorecards and satellite imagery.

• Luanda, Angola: Fundacao Kissama, in partnership with the Angolan Ministry of Environment

  • Facilitate legislative theatre to address fire-management gaps and broader climate mitigation needs. This project builds multi-level leadership among community groups, traditional authorities, and officials through “legislative theatre” workshops that turn residents’ stories into policy proposals.

• Magelang, Indonesia: Yayasan Tiga Pilar Pertiwi, in partnership with the Village Government of Tirto

  • Facilitate participatory budgeting to identify local climate priorities ranging from flood-control infrastructure to sustainable livelihoods. Deliberations merge ancestral knowledge with scientific expertise, producing an integrated adaptation roadmap.

• Mendoza, Argentina: ENCAI, in partnership with Mendoza Municipio

  • Convene a citizens' assembly to restore ecosystems and improve watershed management in this drought-prone region. Multi-sector round-tables map a shared vision and set up long-term governance arrangements spanning local, provincial and national actors.

• Pune, India: Centre for Environment Education (CEE), in partnership with Salawade and Kelawade Gram Panchayats

  • Convene a citizens’ assembly to expand regenerative agriculture, organic farming and local climate-adaptation measures. Assembly outputs feed directly into village-development plans and are distilled into state-level policy briefs.

• Tepoztlán, Mexico: City Hall of Tepoztlán, Morelos, in partnership with Sarar Transformación S.C.

  • Facilitate participatory budgeting to reform water-governance rules and safeguard local aquifers. Activities include watershed walks, deliberation circles and the launch of a citizen-monitoring committee that publicises water-quality data.

• Winnipeg, Canada: Climate Reality Project Canada, in partnership with the City of Winnipeg

  • Facilitate participatory policymaking to guide municipal investments in energy planning and sustainable infrastructure. Residents rank climate projects, allocate budget envelopes and track delivery through an open-government portal supported by provincial energy experts.

• Zapopan, Mexico: ProSociedad, in partnership with the Gobierno de Zapopan – Dirección de la Ciudad de los Niños y las Niñas

  • Convene a citizens’ assembly to co-design child-centred climate-resilience policies. Play-based workshops ensure children’s voices shape priorities in urban planning, public-space design and emergency-response training.

Inclusive Democracy Accelerator (IDA)

Current cohort participants

• Abuja, Nigeria: Development of Educational Action Network (DEAN) Initiative in partnership with Kwali Area Council, FCT Abuja.

• Creating inclusive mechanisms to overcome the systemic exclusion of women, youth, and internally displaced persons from local budgeting by providing access, tools, and platforms to ensure public resources reflect community priorities.

• Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil: Instituto Pirilampos in partnership with Governo do Estado de Roraima

• Promoting the active participation of youth, women, migrants, LGBTQ+ people, and Indigenous communities in public policy spaces through grassroots training, community mobilization, and continuous monitoring of government policies.

• Bujumbura, Burundi: ASSOCIATION BURUNDAISE POUR LE DÉVELOPPEMENT, DEMOCRATIE ET DROITS HUMAINS « AB3D »  in partnership with Ministère de l'Intérieur, du Développement communautaire et de la Sécurité publique

• Building systemic solutions for marginalized youth participation by standardizing support tools, diversifying facilitators, and balancing digital and analogue approaches to ensure consistent inclusion across all phases of the process.

• Cluj-Napoca, Romania: PONT Group in partnership with Cluj-Napoca City Hall

  • Advancing from isolated inclusion efforts to consistent participation of marginalized youth by standardizing support tools, diversifying facilitators, and balancing digital and analogue approaches to ensure no one is left behind.

• Guatemala, Guatemala: Red Ciudadana in partnership with Mancomunidad de los Altos, Quetzaltenango

• Addressing the exclusion of Indigenous, rural, and returnee women from economic decision-making and digital transformation by promoting civic participation and technological empowerment to strengthen local opportunities and reduce migration.

• Islamabad, Pakistan: Code for Pakistan in partnership with KPITB

• Creating safe, inclusive spaces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to overcome the exclusion of women, youth, transgender individuals, and displaced people from civic decision-making, strengthening community voice, trust, and ownership in governance.

• Kampala, Uganda: Biosphere Foundation Uganda in partnership with Arua City Council

• Addressing unequal participation in participatory budgeting by developing inclusive engagement methods, strengthening facilitation, and co-creating mechanisms to empower women, youth, and displaced people in shaping public priorities.

• Kibaale Town Council - Kibaale District, Western Uganda: Rural Smiles Foundation in partnership with Kibaale District local government

• Refining participatory models to dismantle barriers excluding rural women, youth, and displaced persons from decision-making through localized policy labs, peer facilitation, mobile participation tools, and safe spaces for inclusive civic dialogue.

• Kilifi County, Kenya: Haki Yetu Organization in partnership with Kilifi County Government- Kilifi County Directorate of Civic Education and Citizen Participation

• Enhancing meaningful participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities by addressing social and structural barriers, simplifying processes, and creating safer, more inclusive spaces for civic engagement in county decision-making.

• Satkhira, Bangladesh: PARITTRAN in partnership with Satkhira Municipality

• Breaking structural barriers to include Dalit women, youth, and displaced people in local governance by building leadership and advocacy skills and ensuring their formal participation in planning and decision-making.

• Tagum City, Davao Del Norte, Philippines: Youth Service Philippines NGO, Coexister Philippines NGO, and Tabang Ta Bai NGO in partnership with the Local Government Unit of Tagum City - Local Youth Development Office

• Creating culturally sensitive youth assemblies and localized participatory mechanisms to overcome systemic exclusion of Indigenous and out-of-school youth, bridging the digital divide, and empowering marginalized voices in grassroots governance.

• Wakiso, Masajja B, Uganda: Might Foundation in partnership with Masajja Division Youth Council (MDYC)

• Addressing the challenge of limited funding to strengthen the participation of women and displaced people in local decision-making processes.

Past cohort participants

• Accra, Ghana: National Youth Authority 

• Addressing the systemic marginalization of out-of-school and illiterate youth by creating inclusive engagement opportunities, tackling language and access barriers, and building local capacity to empower their participation in democratic processes.

• Dhaka, Bangladesh: SERAC-Bangladesh

• Advocating for the integration of the Urban Youth Council model into government systems by building advocacy capacity, fostering partnerships, and using community-driven data to ensure inclusive urban governance for youth, women, and marginalized groups.

• Digos City, Davao del Sur, Philippines: Leaders United for Progressive Advocacies of Davao-Soccsksargen (LUPAD)

• Organizing a Youth Assembly to ensure inclusive participation across gender, LGBTQIA+ youth, Indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities.

• Guatemala, Guatemala: Asociación Civil Diálogos 

• Promoting the effective participation of Indigenous populations—including women, youth, and displaced returnees—in public decision-making in Huehuetenango.

• Kasangati Town Council, Uganda: Kasangati Town Council

• Using participatory processes to rebuild public trust, strengthen civic competency, and balance citizen expectations with limited local government resources to foster more meaningful and sustainable community engagement.

• Kisumu,Nyanza Ghana: Amazon Theatrix Ensemble 

• Empowering women, youth, and marginalized groups—including persons with disabilities and people affected by HIV/AIDS—through capacity building and advocacy to strengthen inclusive participation in governance and policymaking.

• Kyiv, Ukraine: PU "Center for innovations development"

• Addressing war-related challenges to public participation by supporting strategic planning, community resilience, and citizen engagement under conditions of insecurity and chronic stress.

• Nord-Kivu, DRC: Aide et Action pour la Paix

  • Promoting democratic, participatory policymaking to ensure communities, especially marginalized groups, can shape context-specific policies, while addressing cost-related barriers that often limit inclusive participation.

• Ouahigouya province du Yatenga région du Nord, Burkina Faso: Association Beogo Neeré Sooré (ABNS) 

• Implementing a program to increase citizen participation in municipal decision-making by addressing low engagement, distrust of authorities, low literacy, and exclusion of marginalized communities.

• Recife, Brazil: Delibera Brasil 

• Strengthening citizen participation by engaging underrepresented groups in participatory spaces and supporting youth-led territorial initiatives with resources to advance the city’s Local Climate Action Plan and promote social inclusion.

• Semarang city, Central Java, Indonesia: PATTIRO Semarang

• Implementing participatory policymaking and citizen assemblies within village consultations to create accessible platforms for women, youth, persons with disabilities, and rural communities to influence policies and strengthen inclusive governance.

• Yaoundé, Cameroon: Action for Sustainable Development

• Promoting the inclusion of women and youth in managing the Mengamé Gorilla Sanctuary by addressing gendered impacts of climate change and ensuring their voices shape forest governance and community decision-making.

Democratic innovations Accelerator (DIA)

Current cohort participants

• Durres, Albania: Civil Society Development Center (CSDC) Durres

  • Youth co-create local policies through hybrid forums, participatory tools, and inclusive outreach to marginalized groups in Durrës.

• Yerevan, Armenia: Information and Education Development Network

  • Youth in Armenia are trained to lead participatory budgeting initiatives, designing and implementing local projects through inclusive Youth Budget Labs.

• Yerevan, Armenia: National Trans Coalition human rights NGO (NTC)

  • LGBTQI+ youth in Armenia co-lead health policy reform through training, community research, scorecards, and a formal dialogue platform with government actors.

• Brussels, Belgium: European Youth Card Association

  • The EYCA Youth Panel is a European youth body that advises on cardholder services and leads its own initiatives, with potential to enhance diversity and structural inclusivity.

• Burgas, Bulgaria: German Language High School "Goethe"-Burgas

  • A youth co-designed Civic and Emotional Intelligence Center in Burgas will use civic education and emotional skill-building to empower diverse young people to influence local governance and build community cohesion.

• Paris, France: DYPALL Network - Developing Youth Participation at Local Level

  • The Youth Geopolitical Power Forum empowers youth (18–30) to co-create public policy through assemblies, budgeting simulations, and education in geopolitics and media literacy

• Bagdati, Georgia: Knowledge Oda

  • “Youth for Food Justice” engages rural youth in Georgia to run a food bank and lead civic actions, addressing food insecurity and exclusion.

• Monfalcone (Italy), Italy: Commonground Initiatives MTÜ

  • Collettivo Onda mobilizes marginalized youth in Monfalcone through grassroots gatherings, storytelling, and co-designed civic actions to reclaim public space and reshape local democracy.

• Siena, Italy: Siena Youth Council - Fondazione Monte dei Paschi

  • The Siena Youth Council aims to evolve into an inclusive, deliberative platform where young people co-create policies with institutions through rotating participation, peer facilitation, and intergenerational dialogue.

• Podgorica, Montenegro: NGO Institute for Youth Policy

  • The ATOM project simulates elections in Montenegrin high schools to empower older minors and promote their political participation.

• Cluj-Napocs, Romania: PONT Group

  • Com’ON Cluj-Napoca enables informal youth groups to propose and implement publicly funded projects through participatory budgeting, now aiming to scale across the metropolitan area with stronger inclusion.

• Madrid, Spain: Demos Lab

  • EFIC is a pan-European youth-led Metaforum and Climate Advisory Council that fuses citizen science and deliberative democracy to co-create climate policy with young people from all EU member states.

Past cohort participants

• Athens, Greece: ProNous in partnership with Youth Lead the Change - Greece

• Establishing local youth councils to revive youth policy relevance

• Bolton - Greater Manchester, United Kingdom: Bolton CVS in partnership with Bolton Council - Public Health

• Overcoming siloed systems to build trust and amplify community voice in decision-making

• Budapest, Hungary: Hungarian Psychodrama Association in partnership with The Small Steps Foundation 

• Engaging marginalized housed residents in participatory housing policy through co-design and storytelling

• Bruxelles, Belgium: Citoyenneté & Participation in partnership with Democratie Ouverte

• Evaluating and enhancing democratic vitality in municipal advisory councils

• Chongqing, Armenia: Armenian Caritas 

• Tackling low rural participation and bridging the disconnect between citizens and local officials through more inclusive engagement.

• Gouda, Netherlands: Post-X Society in partnership with Ministry of Internal Affairs

• Monitoring and raising awareness of democratic erosion amid political shifts

• Hamburg, Germany: Sternbrücke, aber richtig! e.V

• Embedding early, meaningful participation in urban infrastructure approvals

• London, United Kingdom: Europiamo ETS

• Empowering migrants through culturally adapted civic participation platforms

• London, United Kingdom: London Borough of Newham in partnership with Compost London

• Improving equity, sustainability, and impact measurement in participatory budgeting

• Lund, Sweden: Trans Europe Halles

• Understanding how alternative art spaces foster political participation

• Málaga, Spain: Fundación CIEDES

  • Addressing the lack of knowledge in participatory democracy by building awareness and capacity for more inclusive decision-making.

• Rome, Italy: Europiamo ETS in partnership with Municipio III - Roma Capitale

• Engaging youth newcomers in community decision-making processes

• Roma, Italy: Public Administration Department - Participation Hub in partnership with Period Think Tank

• Ensuring inclusive deliberation on AI and equity with civil society

• Sofia, United Kingdom: The Small Steps Foundation in partnership with Lozenec Ditstrict, Sofia

• Introducing and piloting school-based PB for youth civic education

• Barcelona, Spain, Associació SVS (Sitges Voluntaris Socials)
  Project IMPULSED engages citizens in transforming the city of Sitges into a diverse and inclusive community through participatory, rights-based initiatives that promote equity, shared governance, and social cohesion.

• Barcelona, Spain, Cooperative Colectic
  Launch two community-based research programs on historical memory and digital rights, connecting CSOs, research centers, and public institutions to address local challenges through a participatory and transformative approach.

• Bratislava, Slovakia: DEMDIS
  Convene a citizens’ assembly to test deliberative tools on national issues. Insights will shape Slovakia’s wider democratic-innovation agenda.

• Bratislava, Slovakia: EDYN
  Lead participatory budgeting to engage young leaders in community recovery projects. The model links micro-grants with mentorship from experienced civic activists.

• Budapest, Hungary: Budapest 12th District
  Lead participatory budgeting to give residents a direct say in district investments. The programme also teaches participants how public finance decisions are made.

• Budapest, Hungary: City Hall of Budapest
  Facilitate participatory policymaking to turn one-off engagement pilots into permanent structures. The city will embed regular citizen input across policy areas and departments.

• Chichester, UK, Safe Landing
  Aviation workers worldwide promoting Workers’ Assemblies to lead the industry's just transition, aiming to decarbonise air travel and secure jobs through worker-driven, sustainable strategies.

• Cologne, Germany: Youth Lead the Change Germany, in partnership with the cities of Hamburg, Wuppertal, and Mönchengladbach
  Lead participatory budgeting to scale youth-led decision-making across municipalities. A “Youth Budget Program” lets young people allocate real funds and strengthens their connection to democracy.

• Kraków, Poland: Fundacja Optimum Pareto
  Facilitate participatory policymaking to make local debates clearer and evidence-based. A digital deliberation tool maps arguments so residents can weigh policy trade-offs.

• La Palma, Spain: La Palma Renovable
  Convene a citizens’ assembly to guide the island’s renewable-energy transition after volcanic disruption. Community priorities will inform investment and resilience planning.

• Lodz, Poland: Lodz City Hall
  Lead participatory budgeting to refresh an existing scheme with stronger outreach and feedback loops. New digital tools will widen participation among under-represented groups.

• London, UK, Big Local Work
  Leading a People-Power Regeneration in Bermondsey to ensure inclusive urban renewal by involving diverse residents in shaping local transformation through participatory tools, protecting community identity and equity amid gentrification.

• Marseille, France: DU VOTE A L'ASSIETTE
  Facilitate participatory policymaking to empower citizens to influence food policy through everyday choices. The campaign links media content and culinary workshops to show how voting and civic action shape the future of food.

• Messina, Italy: Parliament Watch Italia
  Facilitate participatory policymaking to update and monitor Sicily’s participatory budgeting law. The project expands “Spendiamoli Insieme,” which tracks how municipalities spend citizen-chosen funds.

• Sassari, Italy: Prossima Democrazia, in partnership with Comune di Stintino, the National Research Council, Italia Nostra and Legambiente
  Convene a citizens’ assembly to balance offshore wind plans with biodiversity protection and local interests. The process seeks common ground for Sardinia’s just energy transition.

• Siena, Italy: Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena, in partnership with Comune di Siena
  Convene a citizens’ assembly to launch a Youth Council that fills a long-standing governance gap. Young delegates will research peers’ needs and present joint solutions to municipal leaders.

• Valongo, Portugal, Municipality of Valongo
  The Municipality of Valongo aims to co-create a participatory model that empowers social housing residents to shape local policies and priorities, tackling exclusion and strengthening civic engagement in vulnerable neighbourhoods.

• Vinnytsia, Ukraine, Podolian Agency for Regional Development
  Empowering veterans and IDPs in post-conflict areas by fostering their civic participation through community-led processes, using digital tools and training to integrate them into local decision-making and build inclusive, resilient communities.

• Zviahel, Ukraine, Zviahel City Council
  This initiative aims to boost youth engagement in volunteering by increasing awareness, breaking stereotypes, and creating incentives that highlight personal and professional benefits, making volunteerism more accessible and appealing to young people.

Mainstreaming Participation Accelerator (MPA)

Past cohort participants