EU-CORD in 2024: Partnerships, Purpose, Progress

Agile Advocacy

We strengthened our collective voice through a responsive and strategically focused advocacy approach. Through our policy conversation series—three informal EU policy sessions led by Tabeth and Ruth—we created an open space for anyone in the network interested in understanding and reflecting on the evolving European political landscape, including the priorities of the new Commission. Together, we also contributed to shaping wider sector discourse through our input into the VOICE 2024 Policy Resolution and by co-editing CONCORD’s AidWatch Report.

To build capacity across the network, Tabeth delivered tailored training and released two updated editions of the Advocacy Guidelines.

We also launched a new faith-based coalition exploring the link between justice, critical raw materials, and the climate crisis—placing our network at the forefront of ethical resource governance. These actions amplified each other’s voices and strengthened our role as a connector between local realities and EU policy processes.

Faith in Action

This year, we deepened our understanding and communication of the value of faith in development. Together, we revisited and refined The Story We Tell, a narrative that supports us in sharing our distinct identity with donors and partners. Whether meeting in Sweden or online, our Faith in Action gatherings energised our community and created space for strategic reflection and joint planning.

We increased our visibility through contributions to PaRD’s Gender Publication and improvements to its WECARE resource catalogue. Meanwhile, our new community group on Faith, Climate, and Environment—meeting quarterly—has become a strong platform for ongoing dialogue and action.

This community also laid the groundwork for advancing our work on equitable partnerships as part of the Reframing Partnerships initiative. Together, we developed a methodology and proposed a framework to support members in forming more equitable relationships with their local partners. Five members agreed to pilot this approach, and by the end of 2024, both the survey and methodology had been finalised.

Through these initiatives, we’ve embedded faith-based insights into the wider sector and supported each other in leading faith-informed engagement.

Cross-Cutting Priorities

At the Spring General Assembly we agreed to develop concise policy briefs for each cross-cutting priority so that our programme work, policy positions, and EU-level advocacy are tightly aligned. In 2024 we completed the first of these—the Climate Justice brief, which now steers our faith-informed environmental action—while the briefs on Partnership Practices, Disability Inclusion , and Faith-Based Engagement moved through drafting and testing and will be finalised in 2025.

Funding and Partnerships

Members gained from detailed briefings on ECHO partnership requirements and a clear, user-friendly guide on compliance and eligibility.

Our In-Country Forums continued to connect funding conversations to local realities, offering space to explore donor dynamics and strengthen partnerships with local actors.

The Funding and Partnerships Forum held in Hungary was a key moment in 2024, where we explored the results of the Funding Survey in depth. The survey captured the real-world experiences, challenges, and needs of members, and provided the foundation for shared action.

As a result of these discussions, three thematic working groups were launched—focusing on Innovation, Innovative Finance and Private Sector Engagement, and Humanitarian Funding. These groups are now taking forward the insights from the forum, working collaboratively to identify new opportunities, address structural funding challenges, and strengthen our collective capacity.

A standout moment in our shared learning was the Business Case Development training in Nairobi, where 40 of us came together to sharpen our skills in programme design and resource mobilisation.

Our new digital tools—including the member Partnerships Brochures—have improved our ability to connect and collaborate across the network. The launch of our new website has further enhanced accessibility, making it easier for members to find relevant information, including country-specific details and partnership brochures.

CEO & Senior Leaders Engagement

Our CEO Assemblies in Sweden and Hungary created time and space to reflect on leadership, strategy, and trends shaping the sector. A new WhatsApp group and more structured one-on-one connections with the Secretariat have built stronger peer support.

We also shared timely insights—like how the politicisation of faith in Europe is affecting civil society—helping us think more clearly and strategically about our own contexts. These efforts have strengthened our leadership community and supported us in navigating a fast-changing environment together.

Learning Space

Learning across the network gained real momentum this year. Through our revitalised Learning Space programme, we ran workshops on Theory of Change, Partner Assessments, and Meeting Donors, with 81 participants—including many from local CSOs—joining three key sessions.

By delivering these workshops online, we made learning more accessible and inclusive, breaking down barriers to participation. This approach has reinforced our network’s continuous learning culture.