Ensuring Impact: New Guidelines for Effective Citizen Participation Published
From
February 9, 2026
The Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Federation for Innovation in Democracy Europe (FIDE) have published a comprehensive guide Ensuring Impact – A Guide to Effective Set-up and Follow-up of Citizen Participation. The publication is aimed at public administrations and political decision-makers at the regional, national, and European levels.
The practice-orientated guidance pays particular attention to two crucial elements: the Set-up (preparation) and the Follow-up of participation processes. The aim is to support public institutions in:
defining clear objectives,
transparently establishing mandates and responsibilities,
involving administrative structures early on,
recruiting citizens in a diverse and fair manner,
ensuring political processing of results,
and tracking the long-term impact of a process while communicating it to participants and the wider public.
The publication includes 23 concrete recommendations for action, emphasising that effective citizen participation requires embedding the process in political decision-making.
KNOCA is delighted to see that our groundbreaking work on follow-up and impact evaluation is highlighted in the guidance.
The publication was developed within the Network for Citizen Participation and Deliberation in Europe. The network, initiated by the Bertelsmann Stiftung and FIDE, brings together experts from public administrations and political institutions across Europe and advocates for high-quality, institutionally anchored participation.
