This paper argues that local making of knowledge about gender balance dynamics is needed to motivate for concrete action and develop inclusion actors. Gender balance in academia has been a political and scholarly topic since the 1970s. Nevertheless, change is slow. Research aiming to explain the lack of women in academia has mainly understood this in terms of general features of research and higher education. However, there are large variations between departments at the same faculties, not easily explained in this way. Therefore, we carried out an action research project with a focus on departments to study what may be achieved at this level. Through analysis of data generated by the project, with 12 participating departments at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, we discuss what motivates and limits head of departments and other departmental actors in improving the gender balance among faculty. Three main features are critical for local achievements and for developing inclusion actors conscious of and engaged in gender balance: (1) Competence, tools and motivation for local making of knowledge about gender balance and action alternatives, (2) access to scholarly knowledge to legitimise and embed action, and (3) resources to implement relevant measures.