Society/Activism/Community Building

Society / Activism / Community Building /

Community building has come to refer to a variety of intentional efforts to (a) organize and strengthen social connections or (b) build common values that promote collective goals. Literally, community building means building more community (an interim goal) as a way of achieving some set of desired outcomes (safer neighborhoods, healthier children and families, better-preserved cultural traditions, more profitable businesses, and so forth). While specific meanings vary widely depending on context, community building emphasizes the beneficial aspects of key processes (actions) that shape relationships, values, psychological attachment, and other aspects of community. As such, community building bears important connections to community organizing and community development." (Xavier de Souza Briggs) This category is for groups which directly build community and for groups which enable community building and maintenance, through actions such as providing grants or feedback. It also includes sites which discuss, criticize, or study "community".

Sub Categories

Saul Alinsky

Related Categories

Ranked Sites

National Community Development Institute

Provides customized capacity-building services to promote community-building and social transformation in diverse low-income communities.

4
5,707,940
NA
787
335
2

Common Focus

A nonprofit organization dedicated to providing resources for community building and creative citizen dialogue and engagement.

5
NA
NA
300
115
NA

Community Development Exchange (CDX)

The UK-wide community development membership organisation. Works to bring about social justice and equality by sharing information, experience and practice, and by representing the community development field in policy work.

5
6,676,326
NA
932,000
5,170
NA

Ontario Project for Inter-Clinic Community Organizing (OPICCO)

Provides community organizations and community legal clinics in Ontario with tools (information and guidance) for organizing.

5
15,438,612
NA
1,430
355
NA

National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation

Organizations and individuals committed to strengthening and uniting the growing dialogue and deliberation field.

6
1,588,779
475,774
410,000
18,500
616

Conversation Cafe

Includes the background of this structured form of conversation, with a list of existing cafe groups, and information and resources about how to start a new one.

5
2,732,955
NA
12,100
886
3

Global Citizens Circle

Sponsors town meeting-style discussions led by a diverse community of world dignitaries, which focus on current global issues, with a goal of constructive change. Describes organizations history, with details of past program topics and leaders.

4
NA
NA
725
225
NA

Berkana Institute

This US-based nonprofit promotes "leadership development" projects based on community conversations on issues of interest. They provide much high-level discussion of their methodology.

5
3,498,692
NA
553,000
430
3

The World Cafe

This process for leading collaborative dialogue and knowledge-sharing, particularly for larger groups, is described, with a bibliography and resources for implementation.

6
907,027
NA
35,400
736
843

Tom Wolff and Associates

US-based consultant offers services in collaboration-building and community planning. Provides overview of experience and philosophy, with client list, resource links, and description of areas of work.

4
16,134,221
NA
655
265
NA

Rank Directory