Brussels-based organisations doing policy advocacy through EU-funded projects

This paper examines how a Brussels-based NGO, the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA), engages in policy advocacy through less conventional and underexplored channels, such as participation in EU-funded projects and the cultivation of transnational networks. Empirical data were collected using network ethnography to map EAEA’s relationships through collaborative projects and to trace its funding sources between 2014 and 2024. Our findings indicate that EAEA has substantially increased its participation in EU-funded projects over the past decade, both as a coordinator and as a partner, often in collaboration with its ordinary and associate members. This shift reflects both a strategic emphasis on project acquisition and an increasing dependence on EU programmes. It further raises questions about autonomy and strategic direction. The study contributes to existing literature by exploring the role of project engagement as a vehicle for collaboration and policy advocacy among Brussels-based NGOs.