Strategic Impact Article
At a Glance
- Increase in advocacy engagement (from 4 to 15 active members)
- 7 advocacy trainings delivered to member organisations
- 2 global webinar series: Let’s Talk Parliaments & Action for Impact
- 2 climate-focused advocacy webinars
- 3 online advocacy forums engaging members outside the EU
- 3 annual in-person advocacy meetings in Europe
- 3 advocacy guides published on core topics
- 3 members developed their own advocacy toolkits
- 3 Brussels study visits facilitated
- 1 Climate Champions Campaign with 13,000% increase in social media impressions
- 4 policy briefs produced on cross-cutting issues
- 9 Spotlight newsletters featuring advocacy contributions
- 6 EU parliamentary advocacy milestones achieved
- 7 joint events co-hosted with FBOs in Brussels
- 1 external advocacy training delivered to Micah Global
- 2 members featured in global PaRD publication on gender and faith
Looking Back to Look Forward
At the start of 2022, when the new EU-CORD strategy was rolled out, advocacy was not a strong feature within our network. In fact, the concept of advocacy—and how to do it—was widely acknowledged as a weakness.
A 2021 member audit revealed the challenge: while interest was present, members’ own confidence and capability were lacking. Only four members could assertively say they were conducting advocacy or saw it as necessary to their organisational objectives. The rest expressed uncertainty, with several concerns surfacing:
- A lack of knowledge on how advocacy worked
- Insufficient support to carry it out
- A lack of sustained momentum once an idea was implemented
At the time, member engagement was low, and there was a dearth of advocacy-related material to draw from. Resources were scarce. Structures were minimal. Advocacy, for most, was a concept that felt distant—something other organisations did, not something rooted in their own strategies or communities.
Fast forward four years, and the picture has changed significantly. Today, 15 members are actively engaged in advocacy or lobbying, and three more have expressed interest in developing advocacy strategies. The Advocacy Hub has evolved from a concept into a community of practice, bringing renewed energy, deeper collaboration, and tangible policy engagement.
Building Confidence, Capacity and Collective Action
From the outset, we knew that confidence comes with practice, and practice needs a safe space. That’s what the Advocacy Hub set out to be—a space to learn, try, fail, and grow together.
Over the past four years, we have delivered seven advocacy trainings, hosted three online forums, held two global webinar series, and convened three in-person meetings across Europe. These gatherings—both virtual and physical—have created moments of connection and learning that stretch across borders.
We’ve prioritised equipping members with tools, not just ideas. From three advocacy guides to member-developed toolkits and Brussels visits, the Hub has supported a growing number of members to lead their own work. We’ve also used social media as an advocacy platform—our Climate Champions campaign reached new audiences and raised our collective visibility with a 13,000% increase in impressions.
What began as a knowledge gap is now a network asset.
Deepening Engagement with the European Parliament
One of the most tangible areas of growth has been our engagement with the European Parliament. In 2022, we piloted a new collaborative approach within our education advocacy initiative. A member mapping revealed 11 members working on education across 44 countries. This led to the development of a joint education brochure, which became the basis for our engagement with MEPs Barry Andrews and György Hölvényi.
As a result, we celebrated two significant milestones:
- Dennis Semakula, Country Director of LM Sudan, spoke at a Parliamentary hearing on Education in Emergencies
- LM’s programme was featured in Capacit4Dev, DG INTPA’s official communications platform
This advocacy foundation laid the groundwork for further engagement. In 2023, we submitted input to two Own Initiative Reports by the DEVE Committee—one on humanitarian strategy and the other on development cooperation in education and training. We co-hosted a high-level event with FBOs asking the critical question: Is the Global Gateway fit for purpose?
In 2025, we further expanded our presence:
- In January, we held the first-ever MEP Breakfast event in Strasbourg, titled Shaping Europe’s Global Future: Christian Values in Global Development and Cooperation
- In February, we provided input on the escalation of violence in the eastern DRC, which was used in draft resolutions by two political parties.
- In June, we participated in a confidential hearing as part of the European Parliament’s fact-finding mission to the DRC.
These engagements underscore a shift—from being observers to active contributors in EU advocacy spaces.
Member-Led Momentum
Members themselves are carrying the momentum we’ve built. From developing national advocacy strategies, to creating toolkits, to speaking on global platforms, members are now shaping their own advocacy journeys—while contributing to the collective strength of the network.
The Climate Champions campaign is one example of how storytelling, social media, and coordinated messaging can create a broad impact. Similarly, the nine Spotlight newsletters have become a platform for members to share their experiences, insights, and lessons learned.
Beyond visibility, we are seeing ownership. Advocacy is no longer something members join when invited—it’s something they initiate, lead, and sustain.
Shifting the Culture
The Advocacy Hub has made significant progress and now exhibits a sense of enthusiasm and urgency that was previously absent. The tone of the network has shifted—members are no longer asking “why advocacy?” but “how do we do this well, together?”
There is a growing understanding that advocacy is not the preserve of a few individuals with technical skills. Rather, it is a collective responsibility that stems from proximity to people’s lived realities. Grounded experience, shared values, and a vision for justice increasingly shape advocacy in our network.
Crucially, the culture shift has come not just from developing materials or hosting events, but from actively listening to member needs. We’ve taken time to understand different contexts and used that understanding to identify and elevate existing strengths within the network. In doing so, we’ve moved from a place of scarcity to a place of shared capability.
In Closing
While some members remain early in their advocacy journey, there is now a clear pathway—backed by tools, training, and a community that walks alongside.
Four years ago, advocacy felt like an uncertain, even intimidating, idea for many in our network. Today, it is a living, growing practice—rooted in relationship, driven by conviction, and supported by shared learning.
The Advocacy Hub has become a space where members not only learn about advocacy, but live it. And in doing so, we’re beginning to shape a future where our collective voice can speak to power, grounded in faith, and rooted in justice.
Reflecting Forward
CEOs affirmed the value of the network in amplifying members’ messages in Brussels and welcomed the clarity brought through recent policy briefs. They see momentum to build on these foundations with a sharper, more agile focus on a few themes where the collective voice can achieve the greatest impact.
They also highlighted the opportunity to root advocacy even more firmly in local realities. Regional and in-country forums are viewed as vital spaces where members and partners can shape priorities that flow upwards to the EU level. This approach strengthens legitimacy, ensures advocacy reflects lived realities, and positions the network as a bridge between local experience and European decision-making.
Finally, CEOs encouraged the network to keep advocacy flexible and responsive to shifting contexts. They see value in EU-CORD connecting members around shared issues, enabling joint initiatives when energy aligns, and providing timely intelligence that supports strategic action. In this way, advocacy can move beyond a static set of priorities to become a dynamic practice of cultivating influence where it matters most.
