CROPS Training Resources: Responsible Scaling in Citizen Science

Scaling citizen science is about more than growth. It involves strengthening impact, building sustainable partnerships, increasing institutional support, and ensuring that initiatives remain responsive to the communities and contexts they serve.

To support these efforts, the CROPS project has developed the CROPS Training Series: Responsible Scaling in Citizen Science, a collection of practical learning resources designed for citizen science practitioners, researchers, coordinators, support organisations, policymakers, and other stakeholders interested in strengthening and scaling citizen science initiatives. Drawing on research, assessments, stakeholder engagement activities, and practitioner experiences from across the CROPS project and an array of citizen science initiatives, these resources explore key topics including organisational readiness, governance, ethics, partnerships, communication, institutional engagement, sustainability, funding, and long-term impact.

We invite practitioners, researchers, organisations, public authorities, and community groups across Europe and beyond to explore, use, and share these resources as part of building a stronger and more sustainable citizen science landscape.

Training handbook

The CROPS Training Handbook for Responsible Scaling in Citizen Science is the primary training resource developed through the project. Organised into two complementary training streams, the handbook combines practical guidance, reflection activities, tools, examples, and further resources to support informed and context-sensitive approaches to scaling.

Whether you are seeking to strengthen an existing initiative, build new partnerships, improve sustainability, or increase influence and impact, the handbook provides a flexible learning resource that can be explored as a complete training programme or used selectively according to your needs.

Coming Soon: OpenLearn Create course

The CROPS Training Series will soon be available as an interactive online course through the OpenLearn Create platform. The online version will provide enhanced navigation, modular learning pathways, embedded multimedia content, and direct links to complementary CROPS resources.

The OpenLearn version will allow learners to engage with the training at their own pace while benefiting from improved accessibility, discoverability, and future updates.

Expected launch: October 2026

Curated training resources

Alongside the CROPS Training Handbook, the project has curated a dedicated collection of training resources relevant to scaling in citizen science. Unlike the broader collection of CROPS Resources, which provides access to a wide range of project outputs, methodologies, publications, and toolkits aligned with EU Missions to support scaling citizen science, this curated selection focuses on capacity building and practitioner learning related to scaling challenges and opportunities.

The following curated resources complement the CROPS Training Series and were selected based on identified practitioner needs related to responsible scaling in citizen science. Organised by thematic area, they provide additional guidance, examples, and practical tools that practitioners may find useful when strengthening communication, governance, partnerships, sustainability, technical capacities, institutional engagement, and long-term learning.