An internal governance structure is essential for EdiCitNet to connect across the diversity of sectors, disciplines and cultural contexts of our partners. Governing for social inclusion goes beyond formal government approaches to include public, private (business) and civil society (community) sectors. New forms of urban governance are required to engage with such a diversity of stakeholders beyond traditional governance forms. Given the diversity of the participants and the high reliance on collaborative goodwill the governance model will require relational modes of engagement rather than simply transactional modes. The purpose of this document is to support EdiCitNet achieve three main objectives: 1. To establish clear and accountable governance and communications processes to underpin the institutional backbone of EdiCitNet; 2. To design a functional governance framework for efficient stakeholder engagement across the EdiCitNet project and within each participating city; and, 3. To develop an active international Edible Cities ‘network of networks’. Strong interpersonal relationships with partners are essential for achieving our aims, as are recognizing the specificities, values, and resources existing within local contexts. Based on the relationships and learnings developed over the course of the project, we aim: ● To foresee and manage emerging risks ● To ensure consistent and effective collaboration for all partners ● To co-design the governance model with both the cities and the Consortium ● To facilitate the sharing of information on progress among cities ● To facilitate mainstreaming ECS into existing institutional, regulatory and decision-making frameworks at the municipal scale ● For this infrastructure, knowledge and support base to provide the jump off point for the internationalization of the network. The diverse contexts for each City Team mean that no set template can be uniformly applied. However general guidance that empowers local groups to work collaboratively can be offered. Such guidance needs to be flexible and adaptable to allow cities to tailor their participation to their needs and context, and to facilitate experimentation to nurture new possibilities3. We have consulted with partners across the project to identify key goals and concerns towards these considerations.

The EdiCitNet project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 776665