Organizing

Community Capacity Building Manual

Community Capacity Building is the name of the process used in the Global Sisters small groups in Action Planning at the Convocation. ICUUW has documented the process and training for facilitators in a Community Capacity Building Manual.

The UUPCC “discovered” these tools in a chance meeting with Professor Richard Ford in 2003.  Dr. Ford had been using participatory planning tools for many years in his consulting work in community development. In 2003, UUPCC had just spent three years to develop a set of fairness and awareness economic guidelines for churches.  We knew that the charity model of the “rich” church giving to the “poor” churches was a not a model we wanted to encourage.  We also knew that it did not work for Americans to look around on a 3-day visit and decide what needed to be done to “fix” some aspect of their partner church’s life.

The Community Capacity Building process and tools are a natural way to be in authentic relationship with our partner churches. The local community takes the lead in defining its own strengths and weaknesses, identifying and prioritizing problems and finding the necessary leadership.  The U.S. partner pays the cost of the facilitators and meeting process then takes the role of observer, cheerleader and eventually partner in action plans designed by the community. Sometimes the US congregation helps fund projects, write grants or contact other potential donors.

UUPCC supports the use of this process with partners in Transylvania, India and the Philippines. We have noticed that Americans are learning the tools along with their partners and are beginning to use them in their own communities. Many people at the Convocation have asked for additional information about the process and for workshops to learn the process.

One-day workshops on the process were held in the fall of 2009 in the areas of Boston, Tulsa and Houston. This one-day workshop is ideal for churches or district gatherings of 12 or more people. If you would like to schedule a workshop in your city/district/region or, call or write us at 781-275-1710 or write to Cathy Cordes.

Congregation-Based Community Organizing

• UU Congregations and Community Based Organizing
• UUA Grants for CBCO

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