Grassroots Education

What Grassroots Education does

Grassroots Education is a small educational organization founded in 2014 and based in Iași, Romania. It designs and delivers workshop-based training programs on sustainable development and grassroots project implementation, targeting educators, youth workers, and community organizers across Europe. The organization has built a track record of running 10 Erasmus+ consortium projects between 2014 and 2022, spanning eight European countries, and is involved in pan-European initiatives such as the European Rural Youth Summit 2023. Community-facing activities include Reel Rock film festival partnerships with outdoor brands.

The offering is facilitator-led rather than technology-based: workshops and training modules are built around frameworks such as UNESCO's Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and delivered in consortium with European partner organizations. There is no proprietary software platform, no AI/ML component, and no digital product layer evident in the input data.

The revenue model is workshop registration fees funded primarily through Erasmus+ grants and consortium partnership budgets. Go-to-market runs through European education and youth-work networks and community events rather than direct sales. The organization is privately held, bootstrapped, and operates with a team of approximately 10 employees in a low-cost Eastern European base.

Name

Grassroots Education

Legal name

Grassroots Education

Website

https://grassrootseducation.ro

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Grassroots Education is a 10-person Iași, Romania-based training organization that delivers workshop-based programs on sustainable development and grassroots project implementation to educators and youth workers across Europe, funded primarily through Erasmus+ grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education and Training Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intergovernmental Education Cooperation & Bilateral/Multilateral Programs (EDADALAA), Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO)

Keywords

• Sustainability education training
• Education for sustainable development
• Grassroots project consulting
• Teacher training workshops
• Erasmus+ project management

Headquarters

HQ city

Iași

HQ country

Romania

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Workshop and Training Programs: Revenue is generated through workshop registration fees for educational programs including the Introduction to Sustainable Thinking (1-day), Education for Sustainable Development (5-day), and Designing & Implementing Effective Grassroots Projects in Education (5-day). Organizations typically fund participation through Erasmus+ grants.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Grassroots Education designs and delivers in-person workshop training programs in Iași, Romania, focused on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and the design and implementation of grassroots education projects. The core catalog comprises a one-day Introduction to Sustainable Thinking workshop, a five-day ESD workshop for teachers aligned with UNESCO's ESD framework, and a five-day EmpowerEd workshop on designing and implementing effective grassroots projects. The organization also acts as a consortium partner and coordinator on Erasmus+ funded European projects targeting youth entrepreneurship, vocational training, and support for NEETs and marginalized youth.

Product overview

Grassroots Education is an education-focused organization offering a portfolio of workshop programs and services centered on education for sustainable development and grassroots project implementation. The core offerings include Introduction to Sustainable Thinking (one-day workshop), Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) workshops aligned with UNESCO frameworks, and Implementing Grassroots Projects services. The flagship programs are the 5-day EmpowerEd workshop for designing grassroots education projects and the 5-day ESD workshop for teachers, both offered as in-person training in Iași, Romania. These programs serve educators, non-profit staff, and community organizations seeking to promote sustainable education initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Introduction to Sustainable Thinking A one-day in-person workshop for educators and community practitioners providing an overview of sustainability concepts and practices, covering the principles of sustainability, environmental and social challenges, and practical strategies for creating positive change.
• Education for Sustainable Development Workshop A comprehensive five-day in-person program designed to empower primary and secondary school teachers with knowledge, skills, and practical strategies to integrate UNESCO's Education for Sustainable Development initiative into their curriculum.
• EmpowerEd: Designing & Implementing Effective Grassroots Projects in Education An immersive five-day in-person program tailored for individuals engaged in the education sector, equipping participants with knowledge, strategies, and hands-on experience to conceive, design, and execute impactful grassroots projects in educational settings.
• Implementing Grassroots Projects (Project Implementation Services) A comprehensive suite of project implementation services for underserved communities, covering project design through to implementation to ensure projects are tailored to each community's needs and create lasting positive change through education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60 young artists and 9 youth workers trained as enterprise mentors through YOUTH TALENT TO MARKET project
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• YOUTH TALENT TO MARKET Consortium (UK, Italy, Cyprus)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014European partnership consortium for youth enterprise education project. Designed, developed, and tested a 10-day enterprise workshop for young artists with input from stakeholders across three countries.
• Erasmus+ National AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with multiple Erasmus+ National Agencies across Europe including UK NA, Romanian ANPCDEFP, Spanish NA, Italian NA, and others. These agencies provide funding and support for educational mobility and project implementation. Grassroots Education has participated in multiple Erasmus+ KA102, KA202, and KA205 projects as a consortium member.
• TEBEVAT Consortium (Germany)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership creating a common European system for assessing and validating prior learning of sound technicians and event technology workers. Two project phases implemented 2015-2018.
• European Youth Village Programme (ADA Bacău Association and Go Free Association)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizational partners for European Rural Youth Summit 2023. The event aims to strategically develop the rural youth ecosystem in Europe by bringing together young people, youth workers, youth organizers and decision makers.
• The North FaceminorOthersSponsorship support for Reel Rock climbing film festivals in Romania. The North Face sponsored Reel Rock 17 and Reel Rock 18 Tour events.
• Black DiamondminorOthersSponsorship support for Reel Rock climbing film festivals in Romania.
• YetiminorOthersSponsorship support for Reel Rock climbing film festivals in Romania.
• SMART WORKING Consortium (Italy-led)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean partnership focused on creating pathways for VET teachers, trainers, and mentors to support disadvantaged learners and foster social and digital inclusion. Project implemented 2020-2022.
• DIVERSITY YOUTH MANAGER Consortium (UK-led)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership developing training routes for disabled and marginalized youth. Created Diversity Youth Worker role to support disadvantaged youth in developing technical and entrepreneurial skills. Awarded 'good practice' label by UK NA.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• SALTO-YOUTH: EU-co-funded resource centre network operating under Erasmus+ that delivers training, seminars, and toolkits to youth workers across Europe; comparable because its target learner (youth workers and educators) and funding stream (Erasmus+) are essentially identical to Grassroots Education's.
• CESIE: Italian NGO headquartered in Palermo that implements a large portfolio of Erasmus+ KA1/KA2/KA3 projects across education, youth, and VET — directly comparable in mission (non-formal learning and capacity building) and in operating model (consortium-led, donor-funded project delivery plus occasional fee-bearing training).
• EUROCIRCLE: French association carrying out Erasmus+ youth and adult education projects, including mobility, training, and capacity-building consortia — very similar operating profile, scale, and workshop-based service delivery to Grassroots Education.
• EFVET (European Forum of Technical and Vocational Education and Training): Brussels-based network representing VET providers across Europe and running Erasmus+ projects such as SMART WORKING equivalents; comparable because Grassroots Education's SMART WORKING and INVENT projects explicitly target the same VET educator segment.
• European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA): European-wide membership association providing policy advocacy and capacity building for adult education providers; comparable because its members and learners (educators, training organisations) and its funding base (Erasmus+ / EU programmes) mirror Grassroots Education's footprint.
• EUROCLIO (European Association of History Educators): European association delivering teacher professional development, curriculum co-design, and training programmes for educators across multiple EU countries — comparable in offering structured in-person and project-based educator training funded through EU programmes.
• ICYE Federation: International federation operating long-term youth exchange and non-formal learning programmes across Europe and beyond; comparable because its focus on non-formal learning for youth workers and disadvantaged youth overlaps strongly with Grassroots Education's DIVERSITY YOUTH MANAGER and CREATIVE YOUTHWORK NETWORK projects.

Broad incumbents

• Ashoka: Global organisation supporting social entrepreneurs including in education and youth development; comparable because it trains educators and community 'changemakers' through cohort programmes — broader scope and global reach than Grassroots Education but a recognised model for scaling grassroots community education.
• European Youth Forum: Brussels-based umbrella platform representing youth organisations across the EU; comparable in policy and capacity-building remit but materially larger and focused on advocacy rather than direct training delivery to teachers — a broader incumbent versus Grassroots Education's narrower practitioner focus.

Emerging players

• ENO Programme Association: International sustainability education network delivering online and hybrid programmes for schools focused on environmental themes; comparable because it targets the same Education for Sustainable Development curriculum niche that Grassroots Education's flagship 5-day ESD workshop addresses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GrassrootsEdu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grassroots-education
• Instagraminstagram.com/grassrootsedu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Grassroots Education