Become a member

What do we offer our members?

When joining the SOLIDAR progressive network you are joining a family of over 50 likeminded civil society organisations across Europe and the world. You carry the strength of a collective that care of and support each other, learn from one another, and work together on issues of shared importance.

The Secretariat in Brussels is there to support you in your increased efforts to engage with EU level decision makers and provide access to and increase understanding for decision making processes and how they affect your country or region, as well as to facilitate contacts and relations with similar organisations internationally.

We offer you to be something more together than you are on your own, based on the realization that most of the greatest challenges of today need to be solved at the appropriate level, and that what happens at the European level matters for all of us.

Since SOLIDAR established its headquarters in Brussels in 1992 we have been successful in influencing the direction of the European project as a driving force of civil society of the progressive family. You can read more about SOLIDAR achievements HERE.

JOIN US

What does it mean to be a member?

As a member, you can expect the full support and assistance of the Secretariat on any matter that might interest you. This can relate to advocacy, policy, participation in projects, during visits to Brussels, or be it the Secretariat joining members’ national activities.

You will also be invited and expected to join members’ meetings, policy dialogues, capacity building and information updates, stakeholder events, joint projects, study visits, and coordinate collective action. If you are interested, you will also be able to stand for elections within the network’s governance structure.

This is what we call the full membership in SOLIDAR and it is our main membership category.

If you feel that you would like to get to know the network better before committing fully, there is also the possibility to apply for an affiliated membership. This is intended as a starting point for your engagement with the network rather than a permanent status. You will be invited to join shared activities, projects, and events, take part in shaping the policy of our network and more, but you will also have limited rights and cannot expect the same kind of support from the Secretariat for your ambitions and activities, and cannot stand for elections.

What do we expect from our members?

As a member of SOLIDAR, we expect a strong commitment and belief to our shared vision and strategy, your active engagement in our advocacy and policy work, openness to collaborate and share with the rest of the network and communicating your SOLIDAR membership and our positions. We are only as strong as a network as the commitment and activity of our members!

As a member of SOLIDAR, you subscribe to the vision, mission, and governing documents of SOLIDAR and you are organized in a way that reflects the values expressed therein. Please go through our By Laws, Internal rules, Code of Conduct, Organisational values, and our Multiannual strategy as reference documents.

You are also expected to pay a membership fee and to actively taking part in the constitutional matters of SOLIDAR, such as our Annual General Assembly.

 Membership fee system

You pay a membership according to the size of your annual revenue.

membership fee system

How to apply

 Applying for membership with SOLIDAR happens in four steps:

  • An interview or a meeting, preferably in person.
  • A formal application
  • A decision by the board
  • A final approval by the Annual General Assembly

Please send an email to our Communication and Membership officer if you want us to set up a meeting. We will then contact you for a first discussion and interview to get to know each other better.

Should you wish to proceed with a formal application, you will be asked to fill in the following application form.

In this form, you will be expected to share the following information:

  • contact information to the leadership of your organisation, as well as points of contact for communication, finances, and the policy area most of interest to your organisation.
  • a signed declaration whereby you support SOLIDAR’s governing documents, explain what you expect from the membership and are willing to contribute, as well as indicating the level of membership fee relevant to your organization and your acceptance thereof.
  • a copy of your By Laws or equivalent.
  • a copy of your audited accounts or equivalent for the previous year.

Based on this information the Board then will proceed to a decision. If we already have members in your country of origin we will confer with them as well to ask for their approval. A decision is then taken to approve your application or not. If approved your application will be presented to the Annual General Assembly for a final confirmation During this waiting period, you are able to enjoy the full benefits of a membership, but the membership fee will only be due after you have been confirmed by the AGA.

FAQ

Unfortunately, we cannot accept members that are not officially registered as not-for-profit.

No, unfortunately not. To be a full or affiliated member you must come from Europe. However, it is not a requirement to come from the European Union.

Directors of the Board are elected every year during the Annual General Assembly. The main requisite to run for Director of the Board is for the organisation to be a full member of SOLIDAR and for the nomination to be supported by two other full members.

Among other things, SOLIDAR offers opportunities for members to influence European and international policy through participation in joint campaigns, calls to action, decision making procedures, and consultations in the main EU institutional bodies. It offers capacity building and trainings. It facilitates access to funding by providing support to members and partners to access grant schemes, as well as focusing on fundraising activities based on member and community funding opportunities.

Yes, you will! Through all activities done by SOLIDAR, members have access to policymakers and information of policy processes at EU level. We are also always there for you to help you navigate EU policy making processes and decisions and how they affect you and your country.

Members are encouraged to come to Brussels at least once a year for the Annual General Assembly. We often organise events and meetings, where we invite and involve members. When possible, we also sponsor their participation.

Meetings with Members of the European Parliament, Trade Unions, European Political Parties and Groups, Civil Society Organisations active at European level, Governments officials, as well as stakeholders in other EU bodies such as European Economic and Social Committee, the European Commission, European Committee of Regions.