Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD): core principles

This chapter introduces the core principles of Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) in the context of local communities. This way of thinking was popularized by the seminal volume, Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path toward Finding and Mobilizing a Communitys Assets by Jody Kretzmann and John McKnight (1993). The chapter will show that when a community is engaged in identifying its assets, the focus tends to remain on the inherent strengths of the people in the community and what they bring to make their communities better. With this method, community members feel empowered and they are more likely to think that their involvement in community work can and will be truly meaningful. The chapter was written for those who seek an introduction or a refresher to ABCD and it will be particularly valuable for local community leaders, associations, institutions, government officials, philanthropist, business owners, and anyone who wishes to support effective community-building strategies.

Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD): core principles Chapter