Figuring out what to do

You now understand the system - super! But now, what should you do with this information?

We help organizations peel their ambitious words and targets off the strategy document and design circular pilots, partnerships, and programmes.

Why designing the right initiative comes next

Many organizations have circular ambitions written into strategies or sustainability plans. The challenges lies in turning those ambitions into something practical.

Designing the right initiative means thinking through partners, funding, infrastructure, and the realities of the system you’re working within. Without this groundwork, even your strongest of ideas can fail to take flight.

We help organizations design initiatives in line with their strategies by:

  • Translating circular goals into programme concepts

  • Testing ideas through pilot projects before scaling

  • Identifying and aligning the right partners

  • Exploring funding pathways and resources

  • Designing initiatives that work in systems

Typical ways we help

Every organization’s goals, resources, and timelines are different. Some projects involve moulding a new circular strategy, whilst others focus on designing a specific pilot or partnership.

At this stage, our role is to help translate insights into initiatives that can realistically move forward.

Typical design and planning work can include:

  • Once opportunities are identified, the next step is deciding how to move forward in a structured way.

    We help organizations develop strategies and roadmaps from their ambitions that prioritize the most meaningful actions.

    This work can include:

    • Circular strategy development

    • Action plans and implementation roadmaps

    • Identifying priority intervention areas

    • Defining goals, indicators, and timelines

    • Aligning initiatives with organizational objectives

    The result is a crystal clear direction for what to focus on first and how to move forward.

  • Pilots allows organizations to test circular ideas in a manageable way before committing to larger investments.

    We help design circular initiatives and pilot programmes that are ready to go!

    This can include:

    • Pilot programme design

    • Defining objectives and success indicators

    • Identifying requires resources and infrastructure

    • Implementation planning

    • Preparing for initiatives for future scaling

    Consider the pilots to be experiments that generate learning and momentum.

  • Most circular initiatives require collaboration across organisations, sectors, and supply chains.

    We help identify and engage the partners needed to make an initiative viable and impactful.

    This work may include:

    • Identifying potential partners and collaborators

    • Stakeholder engagement and alignment

    • Defining roles and responsibilities

    • Facilitating collaboration discussions

    • Building shared understanding across stakeholders

    Strong partnerships often make the different between a stalled idea and a working initiative.

  • Larger circular programmes often require lots of partners collaborating, especially when applying for funding or delivering international projects.

    We support organizations in building consortia that combine complementary expertise and resources.

    This may include:

    • Identifying consortium partners

    • Shaping collaborative project concepts

    • Coordinating roles and responsibilities

    • Facilitating early alignment between organizations

    • Preparing consortium structures for funding applications

    This helps create strong partnerships capable of delivering complex circular initiatives.

  • Many circular initiatives require external funding to launch or scale.

    We help organizations explore funding pathways and develop strategies to secure the resources needed to move forward.

    This work can include:

    • Identifying relevant grants or funding programmes.

    • Mapping funding lanscapes

    • Shaping initiatives to align with funding priorities

    • Developing funding strategies and timelines

    A clear funding strategy increases the chances of getting those ideas turned into funded projects!

  • When funding opportunities are identified, strong proposals are essentials.

    We support organisations in designing ‘unturndownable’ funding applications.

    This can include:

    • Concept note development

    • Grant proposal writing

    • Structuring project plans for funding applications

    • Coordinating contributions from partners

    • Supporting submissions processes

    Strong proposals help get initiatives implemented.

You might need this support if…

You have a circular idea but need help turning it into a structured program

You’re preparing a grant or funding proposal

You want to test a circular solution through a pilot project

You’re coordinating a multi-stakeholder initiative

You want to de-risk an innovation before scaling it

You’re launching a cross-sector collaboration or knowledge exchange program

Sample Past Projects

“We had the pleasure of working together last year on the impact report for Delen is Helen, and [TWNS’s] impact assessment made a real difference. [They] helped us translate soft values of the weggeefwinkel into numbers, insights and a story that potential sponsors and supporters could understand. So yes: if anyone is looking for solid, funder-ready impact reporting grounded in circular thinking, I can highly recommend working with [them].”

— Karola (Delen in Helen WegGeefWinkel)

Ready to turn a circular idea into a real initiative?