Abstract This article analyses key factors related to citizen participation in place governance processes. We study how network characteristics (ties and trust), sense of power (ability to influence outcomes), and affective characteristics such as bond with place (place attachment) relate to resource‐intensive and resource‐extensive citizen participation. We test these relationships in two different settings with a quantitative survey distributed among citizens involved with two civil society organisations in an Australian and a Spanish region. We find that network characteristics (ties) are significantly related to the level of citizen participation in both cases and trust only in the Australian case. While sense of power is not significant for any of the cases, place attachment matters in context‐specific ways, shaping participation differently across the two regions. We use qualitative data to further interpret our findings. The article contributes to public administration research by demonstrating the importance of distinguishing types of participation and by highlighting the contextual conditions under which relational, psychological, and affective factors foster citizen engagement. Points for practitioners Recognise the complexity of participation types : Participation is not uniform—resource‐intensive and resource‐extensive forms require different levels of commitment. Therefore, organisations should offer diverse participation pathways to accommodate individuals with varying capacities and motivations. Invest in building and managing local networks : Citizen participation is strongly linked to social interactions and network ties. Therefore, organisations should prioritise creating opportunities for community members to connect, collaborate, and share experiences, especially across different groups. Tailor engagement strategies to local context : Our study shows that factors like trust and place attachment vary in influence depending on cultural and regional contexts. Therefore, participation strategies should avoid one‐size‐fits‐all approaches and instead reflect local values, histories, and social structures. Leverage affective connection to place : In regions with strong place identity, such as Muntanya d'Alacant, appealing to shared regional identity can be a powerful motivator for participation. This suggests that place branding and storytelling can be effective tools in mobilising citizen participation. Support long‐term engagement beyond projects : Sustained participation depends on ongoing relationships, not just one‐off initiatives. Maintaining networks and communication channels before, during, and after specific projects to ensure continuity and readiness for future collaboration is key.
González et al. (Mon,) studied this question.