Peer to Peer
Strengthening Western Balkans civil society through peer learning and EU partnerships
Peer to Peer connects civil society organisations across the Western Balkans with their EU counterparts. Implemented by the Western Balkans Fund and funded by Germany's Federal Foreign Office, the programme brings together 12 organisations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia for a full cycle of exchange and capacity-building: study visits with EU peer organisations, expert-led training in monitoring and evaluation, strategic communication, and countering misinformation, followed by mentoring and local trainings that pass this knowledge on across the region.
Why Peer to Peer
Civil society organisations across the Western Balkans operate in an increasingly complex environment — shaped by evolving funding landscapes, growing public expectations, and a rapidly shifting information ecosystem. Sustaining resilient, impactful organisations today requires strong governance, effective communication, and the ability to navigate misinformation while maintaining public trust.
Peer to Peer gives participating organisations the space to address these challenges together — connecting with peers, field experts and EU counterparts, and taking the time to reflect, reshape and reimpact.
One programme · four connected formats
The Peer to Peer journey combines intensive expert training, one-on-one mentoring and first-hand exchange with European civil society organisations. From residential training to EU study visits, each step builds the skills organisations need — knowledge they then carry home and share with peers through their own local trainings.
1. Residential Training
The residential training took place in Belgrade, 14th to 20th of June. It was the first part of the "Peer to Peer" programme, bringing together twelve organisations, 24 participants from across the Western Balkans for a full week of collaborative learning and expert-led workshops. Beyond technical knowledge, residential training helped create professional relationships and encourage future cross-border cooperation.
Residential Training; Belgrade, 14th - 20th of June 2026
Develop practical systems for measuring results, improving organisational performance and demonstrating long-term impact.
Strengthen organisational storytelling, public engagement and communication strategies that build trust and visibility.
Develop practical skills for identifying misinformation, strengthening information resilience and promoting evidence-based public communication.
2. Online Mentoring
After the residential training in Belgrade, Peer to Peer participants spent the summer putting that learning into practice. Working individually with our three expert trainers, they translated what they learned into tools built specifically for their own organisations: clear theories of change backed by concrete performance indicators, strategic communication plans tailored to their key stakeholders, and resilience plans to navigate an evolving information landscape.
3. EU Study Visits
Why host?
Open your door to host a Western Balkans civil society leader for five days and gain a genuine peer partnership — an exchange of practice, perspective and ideas that strengthens both organisations and builds lasting cross-border cooperation.
Connect with an experienced civil society organisation from the Western Balkans and build a relationship that can extend well beyond the five-day visit.
All travel and accommodation costs are covered by the programme, so hosting means only a modest investment of staff time for a meaningful contribution to civil society development in the region.
Visiting organisations bring their own field experience and perspective, offering your team fresh insight into governance, advocacy and community engagement across a different context.
The study visit is structured around 8 areas of operational excellence — from stakeholder engagement to governance and accountability. It's a two-way opportunity: the visiting organisation gains fresh perspective and practical tools, while the host gains a comparative view of their own practices through a peer's eyes. And beyond the exchange itself, it's often the start of a lasting partnership.
How do you keep the people you serve at the center of every decision?
How you gather input from your key stakeholders and let it genuinely steer your strategy — not just inform a report.
What makes a partnership actually deliver value for both sides?
How you select partners, define clear roles and responsibilities, and structure collaborations that create mutual upside.
How do you drive change, not just react to it?
How you use evidence and influence to shape the bigger landscape you operate in.
How do you build trust through open communication?
How you communicate performance, funding, and even setbacks in a way that builds credibility with your donors, partners and the public.
How do you build and grow your team?
How you create a pipeline of future leaders within the organisation.
How do you make every euro count?
How you ensure funding is spent efficiently and delivers the greatest possible return on the mission.
How fast do you turn feedback into action?
How insights from the field translate into real, timely adjustments to your programmes and services.
Who's steering the ship, and how are they held accountable?
How board oversight, executive accountability and decision-making structures keep the organisation aligned with its mission and answerable to its stakeholders.
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