How funders can support community-led initiatives

Community Led Initiatives (CLIs) are the beating heart of sustainable and just cities. They address local needs by taking matters into their own hands – making a big difference, even if at a small scale. The primarily unpaid nature of their work, however, often leads to personal burnout and inability to continue. With the support of local governments, private foundations and other organisations, CLIs can blossom and have increased impact.

Is your organisation in the position to financially support CLIs? Through funding from the Robert Bosch Foundation, ICLEI Europe gave small grants and facilitated peer learning for nine CLIs across Europe. Read on to uncover the eight key lessons we have gathered through this process.

We hope that local governments, private foundations, and all others who are offering similar support to CLIs can take these insights into their own work.

How funders can support community-led initiatives