What Asset-Based Community Development Really Means

Every community has assets. The question is whether we recognize them.

Too often, organizations begin planning by asking, "What problems need to be solved?" Understanding needs is important, but it is only part of the picture. At Consultants for Community Resources (CCR), we begin with a different question: "What strengths, assets, and resources already exist, and how can we build on them?"

That simple shift in perspective lies at the heart of Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD). Developed by John Kretzmann and John McKnight, ABCD is a well-established approach to community development that starts by identifying and mobilizing the assets already present within a community. These assets include residents, neighborhood associations, nonprofit organizations, businesses, schools, faith communities, public agencies, local leadership, physical spaces, and the many informal relationships that connect people.

This does not mean ignoring problems. Every community faces challenges, and effective planning requires addressing them. ABCD recognizes that lasting solutions are rarely created by focusing solely on deficiencies. Communities become stronger when they build on their existing capacities while addressing the issues that matter most.

Consider an older neighborhood facing increasing social isolation among older adults. A traditional approach might begin by identifying unmet service needs and seeking additional funding for new programs. An asset-based approach asks different questions. Which residents already volunteer? What organizations, clubs, libraries, parks, congregations, or businesses could become partners? What skills, knowledge, and experience do older adults themselves bring? What relationships already exist that could be strengthened?

Often, the answers reveal overlooked resources.

This perspective is especially important as communities prepare for longer lives. Older adults are too often viewed primarily as recipients of care. In reality, they represent one of the greatest assets every community possesses. They are mentors, caregivers, volunteers, civic leaders, entrepreneurs, skilled professionals, historians, neighbors, and problem-solvers whose experience continues to enrich community life.

The same principle applies to organizations. Successful nonprofits, foundations, local governments, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and community coalitions already possess valuable assets, including committed staff, dedicated volunteers, trusted relationships, community credibility, institutional knowledge, passionate supporters, and deep knowledge of the people they serve. Effective planning begins by recognizing those strengths and building on them.

At CCR, Asset-Based Community Development is more than a planning technique. It is the philosophy that guides our work with organizations and communities across the country. We help leaders identify the assets they already possess, engage the people who matter most, and develop practical strategies for moving forward. If your organization is ready to see its strengths more clearly, use them more intentionally, and put them to work, CCR can help. Along the way, we use a variety of tools, including our Action Analysis process, a structured decision-making framework that helps organizations identify opportunities, evaluate alternatives, build consensus, and move from planning to implementation, step by step.

Strong communities are not built because they have no problems. They are built by recognizing, connecting with, and investing in the strengths they already possess. We believe those strengths exist in every community. The challenge, and the opportunity, is learning to discover them and put them to work. In this blog, we'll explore practical ideas, tools, and proven approaches that help organizations strengthen themselves and the communities they serve.

References

Kretzmann, J. P., & McKnight, J. L. (1993). Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community's Assets. ACTA Publications.

Kretzmann, J. P., McKnight, J. L., & Block, P. (2010). The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Marcus, M. S. (2026). Action Analysis™: A Proprietary Organizational and Community Planning Methodology.Unpublished manuscript. Consultants for Community Resources.