About the Network
An "umbrella of umbrellas"
A young and focussed network close to its core constituency
The European Network of National Civil Society Associations (ENNA) was incorporated by royal decree on March 2011 as an international not-for-profit association. ENNA receives structural support from the European Commission's Europe for Citizens Programme, and a general purpose grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
ENNA is a membership organisation, bringing together organisations, platforms, and associations that work at a national level to promote the cross-sectoral interests of the not-for-profit/public benefit/civil society sector.
Our members support thousands of local, regional, and national civil society organisations delivering each and every day important activities for the benefit of society.
Our members support them to be more effective on a daily basis, whilst at the same time defending the interests of civil society organisations by ensuring a supportive operating environment exists for them to achieve their objectives.
Our members work across different sub-sectors of civil society. We work on topics that affect all not-for-profit actors regardless of whether they work solely on social issues, environmental issues, socio-cultural activities, or any other topic of societal interest.
Whilst we may be a young network, we bring together a membership that work directly and indirectly with over 80.000 European civil society organisations.
ENNA is a membership organisation, bringing together organisations, platforms, and associations that work at a national level to promote the cross-sectoral interests of the not-for-profit/public benefit/civil society sector.
Our members support thousands of local, regional, and national civil society organisations delivering each and every day important activities for the benefit of society.
Our members support them to be more effective on a daily basis, whilst at the same time defending the interests of civil society organisations by ensuring a supportive operating environment exists for them to achieve their objectives.
Our members work across different sub-sectors of civil society. We work on topics that affect all not-for-profit actors regardless of whether they work solely on social issues, environmental issues, socio-cultural activities, or any other topic of societal interest.
Whilst we may be a young network, we bring together a membership that work directly and indirectly with over 80.000 European civil society organisations.
Our members support, guide and champion the sector
We work on the infrastructure needed for vibrant national civil society sectors
ENNA's members therefore play an important role in supporting local, regional, and national civil society organisations to reach their full potential by:
- Providing a forum where civil society actors can share their challenges and experiences;
- Providing guidance, advice, and training to civil society organisations' human resources;
- Serving as an information point on new developments affecting civil society;
- And serving as an intermediary vis-à-vis the for-profit business sector, public authorities, and the media.
- Providing a forum where civil society actors can share their challenges and experiences;
- Providing guidance, advice, and training to civil society organisations' human resources;
- Serving as an information point on new developments affecting civil society;
- And serving as an intermediary vis-à-vis the for-profit business sector, public authorities, and the media.
ENNA: the network supporting them at the European level
We provide a place for infrastructure bodies to improve their state of the art
ENNA is the space for these national associations to work together in order to:
- Increase their capacity as infrastructure organisations;
- Disseminate and share good practices arising from their work;
- Showcase their work on behalf of civil society organisations within countries;
- And share a common policy platform on issues affecting the sector at European level.
- Increase their capacity as infrastructure organisations;
- Disseminate and share good practices arising from their work;
- Showcase their work on behalf of civil society organisations within countries;
- And share a common policy platform on issues affecting the sector at European level.
Want to know more about ENNA?
We're always happy to make new friends!
On this website you will be able to discover more about what we believe in, our priorities for the coming years, and our current activities.
We hope to be able to welcome you as a member of our Civil Society Hub where everyone's opinions and thoughts matter.
You can also access our Resource Centre where we're publishing all our publications arising from our unique expertise. You can also find our Statutes and other governing documents in the Resource Centre.
We hope to be able to welcome you as a member of our Civil Society Hub where everyone's opinions and thoughts matter.
You can also access our Resource Centre where we're publishing all our publications arising from our unique expertise. You can also find our Statutes and other governing documents in the Resource Centre.
