Leaning into strengths

Asset based community development is a strategy that builds on the assets found in communities and mobilizes individuals, associations, and institutions to come together to realize and develop their strengths. The premise is that communities can drive the development process themselves and thus respond to and create local economic opportunity. The process includes identifying the assets of individuals, associations, and institutions. Those individual assets are then matched with people or groups who are interested or in need in that area. Some of the guiding principles in this practice are acknowledging everyone has gifts, relationships build a community, listening conversation, and citizens at the center. This topic closely relates to a previous term we defined, social capital. ABCD has a core focus on social relationships. The formal and informal networks and associations are a means to mobilize other assets in the community.  ​