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12 Local Initiatives Join DUT’s Urban Doers Community

The DUT Partnership has selected 12 local initiatives from across Europe to join the second edition of the Urban Doers Community, an initiative connecting community-led urban innovation with European policy and research networks.
News
May 2026
By Jennifer Wendelius
Group picture of the first 20 initiatives of the Urban Doers Community.

Building on the success of the pilot in 2023-2024, the DUT Partnership has launched a second edition of the Urban Doers Community, continuing its mission to strengthen the voices, visibility and expertise of local urban innovators across Europe.

This second edition attracted 97 applications from 25 countries, with 87 initiatives meeting the eligibility criteria. Most applications came from social enterprises, NGOs and local associations. Following an evaluation process carried out together with a jury of external experts, DUT selected 12 local initiatives to join this year’s cohort. 

The selected “Urban Doers” share a strong ambition to engage at the European level and become more connected to the European research and innovation ecosystem, while continuing to drive urban transitions within their local communities. Their projects also demonstrate the importance of mobilising local knowledge, creativity and citizen-led action to help achieve Europe’s broader urban ambitions.

The selected Urban Doers bring a wealth of practical knowledge and community-driven innovation. Over the next year, we will follow and share their stories of local change, connecting their experiences with European policy and urban networks so their ideas can inspire better, more liveable cities across Europe. By the end of the journey, the Urban Doers will be more visible, connected and embedded within the wider European urban innovation ecosystem. 

Johannes Riegler, Capacity Building and Stakeholder Engagement, DUT Partnership 

 

Urban Doers Initiatives #2

The initiative officially kicks off on 9 June in Brussels, uniting the selected Urban Doers with EU policymakers and key urban networks like URBACT and Eurocities.

What is the Urban Doers Community?

The Urban Doers Community is a community of practice and learning with the objective to bridge the gap between community-level innovation and European programmes, Missions and policy objectives. 

Learn more
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