Het Lowlander Project

What Het Lowlander Project does

Het Lowlander Project is a Dutch private training and education organization founded on September 21, 2020, by Sandra Ball and Job van den Assem, both former organizers at Milieudefensie. Headquartered in Amsterdam and operating exclusively in the Netherlands, the company is the country's first dedicated training center for community organizing, movement building, and leadership development, teaching the methodology of Marshall Ganz (Harvard Kennedy School) adapted to Dutch progressive movements. Its core technology is the organizing curriculum itself — a six-step framework (Six Principles of Organizing), supplemented by the Ladder of Engagement and Pillars of Power — delivered through instructor-led training rather than software.

The company monetizes across four streams: (i) the "Leiderschap en bewegingsopbouw" organizing opleiding — a six-day plus two-online-session program priced via solidarity tiers from €850 to €2,300 ex VAT depending on organizational budget size; (ii) custom advisory and coaching engagements sold directly to NGOs on strategy, campaign design, volunteer policy, and Theory of Change (first consultation free); (iii) three published books — the first Dutch-language organizing book ("Stickers plakken is niet genoeg"), a storytelling guide ("Jouw verhaal doet ertoe"), and Marshall Ganz's "People, Power, Change" distributed in the Netherlands at €15–€26.99; and (iv) ticketed events such as the May 2025 Marshall Ganz masterclass in Utrecht at €35 per ticket. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through Lowlander's own website and training venues (Kraaybekerhof in Driebergen, the Lowlander office in Amsterdam, and Utrecht-area venues), supported by a community-led and event-driven go-to-market motion.

Lowlander serves progressive social movement organizations in the Netherlands — including Milieudefensie, Amnesty International, Greenpeace, FNV, Pax, IVN, GroenLinks, Oxfam Novib, De Noordas, and Stem op een Vrouw — and has built an alumni network of 150+ trained organizers across ten editions of its flagship program. The organization operates with 1–10 core staff supported by a pool of approximately 7 freelance trainers; co-founder Sandra Ball retired in June 2026, and the company has not raised institutional funding to date.

Name

Het Lowlander Project

Legal name

Het Lowlander Project

Website

https://lowlanderproject.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Het Lowlander Project is a Dutch training center, founded in 2020, that teaches Marshall Ganz's community organizing methodology to progressive NGOs, unions, and political organizations across the Netherlands through opleidingen, books, and advisory services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Movement Building Training Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Writing Craft & Technique Workshops (Voice, Structure, Character, Style) (EDAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Organizing training
• Movement building
• Leadership development
• Campaign strategy
• Community organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Training and Education Programs: Revenue from the organizing opleiding (Leadership & Movement Building program, 6 training days plus 2 online sessions) priced at €850–€2,300 ex VAT depending on organization size, and shorter workshops and training sessions.
2. Book Sales: Sale of three published books: 'Stickers plakken is niet genoeg' (first Dutch-language book on organizing), 'Jouw verhaal doet ertoe' (storytelling guide), and 'People, Power, Change' by Marshall Ganz (€15–€26.99 each).
3. Advisory and Consulting Services: Custom consulting and coaching engagements for organizations including strategy development, implementation planning, volunteer policy design, campaign strategy, and Theory of Change development. First consultation is free.
4. Event Tickets and Partnerships: Revenue from ticketed events such as the Marshall Ganz masterclass (€35 per ticket including book). Event organized with financial support from partner organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Het Lowlander Project is a Dutch training center that delivers an organizing education program (Leiderschap en bewegingsopbouw), shorter workshops, free introductory webinars, custom advisory/coaching engagements, and published books on organizing and storytelling. Its methodology is based on Marshall Ganz's organizing framework, adapted to the Dutch context, and targets progressive NGOs, unions, political organizations, and grassroots movements seeking to build people power and run effective campaigns.

Product overview

Het Lowlander Project is a Dutch training center for organizing, movement building, and mobilizing 'People Power' for social change. The organization offers a portfolio of educational products and services: three published books on organizing and storytelling (Stickers plakken is niet genoeg, Jouw verhaal doet ertoe, and People, Power, Change by Marshall Ganz), a six-day organizing education program (Leiderschap en bewegingsopbouw), free introductory webinars, and custom consulting services. The organization operates on a solidarity pricing model where larger organizations pay more to subsidize smaller organizations. Training locations include Kraaybekerhof in Driebergen and the Lowlander office in Amsterdam.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stickers plakken is niet genoeg The first Dutch-language book about organizing and movement building, covering the theory and practice of organizing with case studies from Dutch organizations including FNV, Amnesty International, Extinction Rebellion, Stem op een Vrouw, Het Woonprotest, and S.P.E.A.K.
• Jouw verhaal doet ertoe A book about storytelling for activism, containing a step-by-step method for finding, shaping, and sharing personal stories to inspire action, with examples from Dutch organizations and a practical workbook. Priced at €15.00 incl. BTW per copy.
• People, Power, Change. Organizing for Democratic Renewal Book by Marshall Ganz (2024) on community organizing principles for democratic renewal, based on experiences from the Freedom Summer civil rights movement to Obama's presidential campaign. Distributed in the Netherlands by Het Lowlander Project. Priced at €26.99 incl. BTW per copy.
• Leiderschap en bewegingsopbouw (Organizing Opleiding) Six-day organizing education program covering six principles of organizing, with solidarity pricing (€850–€2,300 ex VAT depending on organization size). Includes six training days, two online sessions, and a closing evening at the Lowlander office in Amsterdam.
• Advies en coaching op maat Custom consulting and coaching services for organizations on organizing, movement building, and strategy. Includes multi-year strategy development, implementation planning, volunteer policy development, campaign strategy, and Theory of Change development. Supported organizations include Greenpeace, Amnesty International, IVN, Pax, GroenLinks, Milieudefensie, Oxfam Novib, and De NoordAs.
• Marshall Ganz Organizing Masterclass A large-scale public masterclass event with Marshall Ganz (Harvard Kennedy School) covering community organizing principles, held at Kinepolis Utrecht. Tickets priced at €35 including a copy of the People, Power, Change book.
• Masterclass Storytelling Training module on storytelling techniques for activism, teaching participants how to craft personal narratives that resonate and inspire action, aligned with the storytelling methodology in the Jouw verhaal doet ertoe book.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150+ people trained across the organizing opleiding as of late 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FNVcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 May 2025FNV co-organized the Marshall Ganz masterclass event on 25 May 2025 in Utrecht, alongside Lowlander and Wallaart&Kusse. FNV is also a customer of Lowlander's training and advisory services, with organizer Pritha Belle having completed the Lowlander opleiding.
• Wallaart&KusseminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 May 2025Event production partner that co-organized the Marshall Ganz masterclass with Lowlander and FNV.
• Highlander Research and Education CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLowlander draws direct inspiration from the Highlander Research and Education Center (Tennessee, USA), founded by Myles Horton in 1932. Lowlander's name is a direct reference to Highlander. Co-founders Job and Sandra visited Highlander in 2025 and maintain a deep ideological and methodological connection to it.
• Marshall GanzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarshall Ganz (Harvard Kennedy School) is the intellectual architect behind Lowlander's organizing methodology. His six principles of organizing framework forms the core of Lowlander's training. Lowlander published and distributes his book 'People, Power, Change' in the Netherlands and organized a masterclass tour event featuring him.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Highlander Research and Education Center: The direct ideological and methodological inspiration for Het Lowlander Project (the name itself is a tribute). A US-based organizing training center founded in 1932 by Myles Horton, operating in the same grassroots education and movement-building niche.
• BeMORE: Belgium-based cooperative delivering organizing training to movement organizations in Dutch-speaking Europe. Most direct geographic/cultural comparable given shared language, comparable NGO ecosystem, and identical target customer.
• Momentum (community organizing): US-based community organizing training program that combines an organizing opleiding with a digital community platform. Comparable cohort-based organizing training plus a digital community flywheel analogous to Lowlander's alumni network.
• Training for Change: Philadelphia-based training organization offering workshops on organizing, leadership, and activist education. Closely comparable mission (training progressive organizers using structured methodologies) and training-event delivery model.
• The New School for Organizing (US): US-based training organization offering organizing curricula to unions, campaigns, and progressive nonprofits. Comparable cohort-based training products, solidarity-style tiered pricing, and a target buyer profile that overlaps with Lowlander's NGO and union clients.

Broad incumbents

• Marshall Ganz / Harvard Kennedy School Organizing Programs: Academic origin of the organizing framework Lowlander teaches. While not a commercial competitor, Harvard's executive education and Kennedy School programs train organizers globally and shape the intellectual IP that Lowlander translates and commercializes in Dutch.

Emerging players

• European Democracy Lab: European initiative focused on democratic renewal and civic participation. Adjacent in mission (strengthening democratic movements) and overlaps with Lowlander's training buyer base (progressive European NGOs).

Regional players

• De Goede Zaak (training/advies): Dutch training and advisory firm serving nonprofit and social-sector clients. Comparable buyer base in Dutch NGOs and unions, with adjacent training offerings in fundraising, leadership, and organizational development.
• NCDO / Partos: Dutch sector organizations for international development cooperation. Comparable Dutch-language training and capacity-building ecosystem for civil society organizations, sharing target buyer profile with Lowlander.

Others

• Berrett-Koehler Publishers: Independent publisher specializing in books on organizing, leadership, and social change. An ecosystem enabler for Lowlander's publishing arm and a comparable IP-based business model around organizing thought leadership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/het-lowlander-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Het Lowlander Project