Transfer Networks shall operate and implement the network activities structured into three stages around three work packages:

Work package 1 (WP1) – Network management

The activities to be developed under Work Package 1 aim to ensure the sound management and coordination of the network concerning both the overall project management and all aspects of administrative and financial management. These also include organisation of responsibilities between the partners by building a strong collaborative relationship and ensuring the effective communication flows within the network and external audience.

Work package 2 (WP2) – Network Level Activities

Work Package 2 is about the transnational exchange and learning activities, which form the core of all URBACT networks. The lessons learnt during the transnational activities will inspire partners to adapt this knowledge at local level, develop skills relating to the good practice and co-design a robust Transfer process with peers.

The transnational exchange and learning activities in Transfer Networks should be built on the following principles:

• Sharing: To explore the Good practice solutions and foster the exchange of experience among partners
• Learning: To strengthen the practical knowledge and skills of partners in the policy area related to the Good practice
• Mainstreaming: To draw lessons from the exchange on an on-going basis and to help shape the local thinking and proposals that will be reflected in partners’ Transfer/Improvement Plans
• Supporting: To support all partners in improving their local policies in relation to the Good Practice policy theme, including Lead Partners through their Improvement Plans

Activities include:

• Developing the Transfer Methodology and Network Roadmap
  • The Transferability Study
  • Network Communication Plan
• Organising Exchange & Learning activities
  • At least 6 in-person transnational network meetings
  • Customised set of exchange and learning activities
• Capturing & Sharing network results
  • 6 Quarterly Network Journals
  • Three Core Network Articles
  • The Network Final Report/Product

Work package 3 (WP3) – Local Level Activities

Local level activities within the URBACT network are centred on the URBACT Local Groups (ULGs), established in each participating city. The ULG aims to have an impact on local governance and practices by enabling safe space for the city administrations. It promotes the environment for active involvement of local stakeholders in co-creation and production of Transfer/Improvement Plans. It shall foster:

• The development of organisational culture by building bridges inside the city administration as well as with external actors.
• Building relationship with key stakeholders involved by exploring and testing solutions i.e. including concrete pilot experiments, organising creative workshops and sharing events etc.
• Improved professional capacity by practicing tools & methods for effective project design and implementation processes and ensure the financial sustainability of the actions.
• Creating links with national managing authorities of EU cohesion funds. This can be done also with National URBACT points acting as brokers (i.e. with networking events).

Activities include:

• The URBACT Local Group (ULG)
• The Transfer process & Transfer Plan (for Transfer Partners)
• The Improvement Plan (for the Lead Partner)
• Testing actions

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Transfer Networks will have a total duration of 30 months which will be organised around 3 distinct stages, each having a distinctive purpose with related objectives and milestones. Communication and visibility activities shall be implemented as part of all three stages. More information about communication/visibility requirements are provided in the URBACT Programme Manual (pages 94-105).

All networks will have a minimum set of standard activities, benefiting from bespoke support from network experts to carry them out.

Stage 1 - UNDERSTAND (approximately 10 months from November 2025 to August 2026)

Stage 1 will be dedicated to the development of detailed network activities and ensuring a well-balanced and coherent partnership. The main objective is to establish a clear and thorough comprehension of the original good practice.

The first 10 months will be dedicated to the development of a deep and shared understanding of the good practice, supported by the visits from the Lead Partner and Lead Expert to network partners and the production of a Transferability Study. This stage will also involve developing detailed network activities and forming a well-balanced and coherent partnership. Communication activities will start already in this stage with the appointment of a network communication officer and first communication materials.

The main activities and deliverables of Stage 1 shall include:

• Lead Expert & Lead Partner’s visits to Transfer partner cities (1 visit/PP);
• Consolidation of the partnership;
• Completion and submission of the Transferability Study (and network roadmap) with the support of the Lead Expert.
• Organisation of at least two transnational meetings with all network partners and possibly other online or in-person meetings:
  • The 1st network meeting should take place early in the UNDERSTAND stage, in the Lead Partner city, to facilitate a deep understanding of the Good Practice and the exploration of the project’s potential for modularisation.
  • A second network meeting, in the 2nd half of the UNDERSTAND stage, to co-create and agree on the network roadmap (programme of activities for the network) through a dedicated workshop with all network partners.
• Production of the network Communication Plan and first communication materials
• Production of the 1st Network Article;
• Set-up of the URBACT Local Group with relevant stakeholders in each partner city.

In addition to these activities, the URBACT Secretariat will host a Transfer Network kick-off event (in-person), to familiarise attendees with the Transfer Network framework, methodology and tools. This event will take place in Paris on 3-4 December 2025 and is mandatory for Lead Partners and Lead Experts of approved Transfer Networks.

To smoothly undertake the activities of Stage 1, partners should foresee the following resources (in addition to the ones related to project management):

• Network partners will be required to identify a ULG coordinator early in stage 1, who will be tasked with setting up the URBACT Local Group. This stage will in fact foresee the identification of relevant local stakeholders to be involved in the URBACT Local Groups (ULGs), which will be key to linking the transnational and local work. The analytical work undertaken for the Transferability Study as well as the exchanges organised for partners to get a good understanding of the Good Practice, will support and inform the set-up of the ULG at local level.
• The Lead Partner of each network shall appoint a communication officer in charge of the design and implementation of the communication plan. The communication officer will be in charge of the network’s branding and communication activities (respecting EU publicity and visibility requirements, maintaining a network webpage on the URBACT website, social media, developing communication materials), and will receive specific support from the URBACT Secretariat in this period.

Stage 2 – ADAPT (approximately 12 months from September 2026 to August 2027)

The ADAPT stage is the engine room of the Good Practice transfer. This is where the core activity is undertaken to extract the essential components of the Good Practice, assess which are most relevant for each transfer city, and prepare the ground for the transfer.

The following 12 months will be dedicated to exchange and learning activities focusing on the adaptation of the good practice to different city contexts.

Throughout this stage partners will focus on mapping and visioning, which includes breaking down the Good Practice into different modules and identifying which of its elements will be adapted and implemented in each transfer partner city and which are the conditions for the transfer to happen at local level. Partners will then prepare the transfer process and should capture the learning process in a first draft of their Transfer Plan. For the Lead Partner this will be the time for examining how they will sustain and enhance their original project, gathering their ideas in a first version of their Improvement plan. Communication and visibility activities will continue during this stage through the network’s dedicated webpage on the URBACT website and other digital means.

The main activities and deliverables of Stage 2 shall include:

• Organisation of at least three transnational meetings with all network partners and possibly other online or in-person meetings.
• Organisation of ULG meetings at local level to examine how to transfer the Good Practice
• Production of the 1st part of the Transfer Plan by partners, including initial reflections on the transfer roadmap of the specific Good practice modules and its adaptation within the context of each partner city.
• Production of first draft of Improvement Plan for the Lead Partner city
• Production of the 2nd Network Article
• Production the quarterly network journals (4 in this stage but 6 altogether) to provide insights about the network progress from transnational and local activities. These Journals shall be published on network webpages and can feed the production of the Network Final Report to be delivered at end of the journey.
• Realisation of the Mid-Term Reflection process

Networks are expected to connect their transnational and local activities by using the insights gained from the Transferability Study and by following the agreed network roadmap. Various types of network exchange and learning activities can be envisaged, i.e.:

• the in-person core network meetings,
• bilateral staff/ stakeholder exchanges,
• online masterclasses in specific topics or policy-making tools,
• workshops on particular modules of the Good Practice, etc.
• regular reviews of partner progress and results;

The combination of online and/ or in-person formats for these activities shall be well thought through, taking into consideration the related carbon footprint. The use of Ad hoc experts is strongly encouraged during this period for enriching the overall learning experience with tailored inputs around the specific thematic areas or support around the use of specific methods & tools.

Secondly, at local level, partners will mobilise relevant local stakeholders to test actions inspired by the Good practice. The lessons learnt from these activities will drive the development of respectively the Transfer/Improvement Plans. These can be also used as the ‘trigger tool’ to build relationship with key delivery agents including the relevant national authorities of EU funds. Partners are highly encouraged to think about ways to capture their knowledge throughout the Transfer process as this will feed in the different network and local deliverables.

Upon request from URBACT beneficiaries, National URBACT Points can have an emphasised supporting role at local level during this stage. They will act as enablers for networking with key local stakeholders and decision-makers (notably the relevant Managing Authorities in charge of operational programmes) by organising meaningful networking events at national level and providing communication support to partners.

Throughout this stage, targeted and tailor-made programme capacity building activities will complement the network activities by offering support on all the key aspects of integrated and participatory policy-making including support with defining most adequate funding opportunities. In addition, the programme will offer support to take into consideration the cross-cutting thematic dimensions - Digital transition, Gender equality, Green transition - in partners’ local activities. The use of the URBACT Toolbox will be strongly encouraged with possible live tutorials around various tools.

Knowledge Hub and communication activities initiated by the URBACT Secretariat will focus on both identifying relevant content coming from different networks or partner cities and providing needed knowledge to networks, in order to create or reinforce synergies and contributions among different parties and external partners.

The Mid-term Reflection (MTR) process starting towards the end of this stage will enable to pause and reflect on the progress being made at the mid-point of the network journey. It will be a well-structured and guided process with an aim to optimise the design and delivery of network exchange and learning activities for the remaining period. Based on the results of the MTR, networks will have the possibility to adjust and reprogram their network’s activities, outputs and budget. Further guidance will be provided on this point following the approval of networks.

Stage 3 - RE-USE (approximately 8 months from September 2027 to April 2028)

During this 8-month stage, partners will continue their transfer process and produce their Final Transfer Plans, reflecting on the results and future prospects of the transfer process.

The RE-USE stage is the concluding phase of the networks which will be characterised by the completion of the Transfer network outputs and the dissemination of key lessons.

The main activities and deliverables of Stage 3 shall include:

• Organisation of at least a final network meeting
• Production of the 2nd part and finalisation of the Transfer Plan by partners
• Production of the Improvement Plan by the Lead Partner
• Production of the 3rd Network Article by Lead Expert
• Capturing & Sharing network results
• Development of the final network product/report and dissemination of the Network results
• Closure of the Network

A meeting focusing on the peer-review of Transfer Plans shall be incorporated in network workplans at the beginning of this stage. This meeting shall have the aim to compare and review partners’ draft plans for final improvements related to the delivery of actions and stakeholder’s involvement. Lead Partner reflections on their Improvement plan can provide an additional dimension to these reflections.

A final network meeting is expected at end of the Journey. The first part the meeting can be a closed session for partners where the focus will be on reviewing the final Transfer Plans including Lead Partner reflections on their Improvement plan. The second part can be an open session with a focus on sharing network results and lessons, aimed at an external audience of cities and wider urban stakeholders (as identified in the network Communication plan).

To complement this, each city may choose to host its own local event, aimed at a city/regional audience. This can be done as part of the URBACT Local Group activities with the purpose to celebrate the city’s achievements, to explain how the Good Practice has been adapted and to showcase and promote the Transfer Plans to key stakeholders.

Lead Partners may also host their own local event, with a slightly different twist by focusing on their experience of customising their Good Practice with other cities, underlining how it has been adapted and reused. They can also explain how their initial Good Practice has been enhanced or upgraded in their own city and use the Improvement plan to reinforce the city’s political support and commitment to the project.

Dissemination of network results. The network must make public and easily accessible the transfer plans of partners, the improvement plan of the Lead Partners, articles, and final network output by the end of the network, through the network’s dedicated webpage on the URBACT website.

Just as importantly, at the end of this stage it will be also important to include main network management and coordination activities related to the network formal closure.

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