Asset-based community development (ABCD) is a methodology that focuses on identifying and mobilizing local community assets rather than needs. ABCD defines assets as the skills and talents of individuals, local associations and groups, physical spaces, economic resources, and institutions within a community. The ABCD approach believes that community members, including those typically viewed as clients, have gifts to contribute and should lead efforts to build stronger, more sustainable communities from the bottom up. ABCD techniques include identifying community assets through inclusive stories, mapping, and gift surveys and empowering community members to connect assets to locally-defined needs and solutions.

1. Asset Based Community
Development
An Introduction to ABCD Principles and Techniques

2. What does ABCD
mean to you?

3. ABCD Defined
ABCD is a methodology that considers local
assets as the primary building blocks of
sustainable community development; ABCD
draws upon existing community strengths to
build stronger, more sustainable communities

4. What Are Assets?
Six Types of Assets
• Individuals – people we know, people we label
• Economy – businesses, commerce
• Associations – informal and formal groups
• Physical – spaces and places
• Stories – memories, experiences, histories
• Institutions – formal organizations

5. ABCD Approach
ABCD is all about…
• Identifying and mobilizing the
assets of individuals, especially
those who are “clients” of social
services
• Building relationships among
community members, especially
those that are mutually supportive
• Giving community members more
roles and power in local
institutions; citizens lead efforts
• Believing that everyone has gifts
and everyone must give gifts

6. In small groups, share
some ways your
organizations are
currently using ABCD
techniques or ways they
could begin
implementing ABCD
techniques

7. Asset-Based
vs.
Need-Based

8. Potential Community Needs:
gang members | school dropouts | mental illness
unemployment | child abuse | homeless
housing projects | poverty | teen parents
Illiteracy | truancy | uninsured | addiction
disease | bullying | intolerance | crime
delinquency | addiction | violence

9. businesses | youth | parks
hospitals | churches | elderly | culture groups
income | citizens associations
schools | natural resources | historical landmarks
neighborhoods | volunteers
community colleges | libraries | artists
nonprofits | sports teams | festivals
Potential Community Assets:

10. Needs Survey
vs.
Gift Survey

11. Should we just forget about all
the things our community
really needs??

12. Using Assets to Address Needs
Proponents of ABCD believe focusing on local
assets will build stronger communities that are
better able to respond to and repair deficiencies
In small groups, practice connecting community assets to
groups or organizations that could use them to address
needs.

13. Implementation
• Inclusion– challenge everyone to be a leader
• Collect Stories – draw out people’s experience
to uncover gifts, skills, talents an abilities of
individuals in the community

14. • Asset Mapping – assess a community’s
potential with an inventory of strengths
• Be Action-Oriented – seek to make immediate
improvements
• Empower Others – inspire and coordinate
bottom-up solutions

15. Tools for ABCD
• Gift Survey
• Asset Mapping
• Power Ladder
• ABCs of ABCD
• …and many more!