D1.3.2. Workplan of the multistakeholder Action Group Network

In the last reporting period, the IMPACTA consortium focused on laying the foundations for the project’s future pilot actions, policy work and long-term impact. As a transnational initiative connecting women’s entrepreneurship, social innovation and inclusive labour markets, IMPACTA began by building a shared knowledge base, a cooperation structure across countries, and a common methodology for joint work in the Danube Region.

This early phase was important because the project addresses complex challenges affecting women in business and in the labour market, especially those facing multiple disadvantages. IMPACTA aims not only to support these women directly, but also to strengthen the wider ecosystem around them by involving public institutions, business support actors, researchers and civil society organisations.

A key focus of the period was the launch of Specific Objective 1, which is dedicated to strengthening local initiatives through research and capacity building. Partners started the analytical work that will guide the rest of the project, including the Strategic Diagnostic Review and Contextual Analysis, the Analysis and Policy Review, and the Benchmarking Analysis. These activities help ensure that future interventions are based on evidence, local realities and shared learning across countries.

At the same time, the partnership also began shaping the practical side of the project. Early work started on the logic of future training materials, workshops and toolkits that will later help turn research findings into useful support for experts, practitioners and decision-makers.

Another major step in this period was the development of the stakeholder cooperation framework. In IMPACTA, stakeholder involvement is not treated as a side activity, but as a core working method. The project combines Local Support Groups in each country with a transnational Action Group Network, creating a structure where local experience and transnational learning can inform each other.

This approach is one of IMPACTA’s strengths. It allows the project to stay rooted in territorial realities while also working toward shared Danube-wide solutions. It also lays the groundwork for the next stages of implementation, including validating research findings, reviewing project tools, supporting pilot design and linking local experiences with future policy recommendations.

Although this reporting period was mainly preparatory, it was strategically important. It helped align the partnership around a shared methodology, a common understanding of the project’s goals, and a practical model for cooperation. By investing in these foundations early, IMPACTA is strengthening its ability to deliver actions that are evidence-based, inclusive and transferable across the Danube Region.