Community Building: What Makes It Work: A Review of Factors Influencing Successful Community Building

by Paul W. Mattessich, Wilder Research Center

This practical guide shows you what really does (and doesn't) contribute to community building success. It reveals 28 keys to help you build community more effectively and efficiently. You won't find another single report that pulls out common lessons from across community building initiatives about what works. You can use this report to find out what community characteristics contribute to successful community building, make sure key processes such as communications and technical assistance are in place, determine if community leaders or organizers have essential qualities such as a relationship of trust and flexibility, and evaluate the likely success of a proposed project or get a struggling effort back on track. Examples, definitions, and a detailed bibliography make this report even more valuable. Wilder Research Center scoured the literature, contacted resource centers, and spoke with community development experts across the country. The result is concrete, understandable research based on real-life experiences. The 28 factors in this report are grouped by: 1) characteristics of the community, 2) characteristics of the community building process, and 3) characteristics of community building organizers. Detailed descriptions and case examples of how each factor plays out are followed by practical questions you can use to assess your work. In addition to the factors, you also get working definitions for community, community building, and many other terms; a list of resources and contacts in the field; an explanation of how the research was done; and a complete bibliography of all the studies used in this report. Now you can save time looking for best-practice information. With this concise report, you've got the tools to help your community building work succeed!

112 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1997

Reviews

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free from the Ford Family Foundation | Some good foundational information, but hopelessly outdated | This is a 2008 reprinting (not update) of a 1997 publication that summarizes the work of research studies done between 1960 and 1996. Some of what it contains probably won't ever age out of usefulness, like the sections on existing identifiable leadership, motivation, and representation. However, the world has fundamentally changed with the advent of social media, and attempting to build community now is a whole new ball game. Communication is managed differently. Linkage to organizations outside the community is different. Turnover is higher, burnout is worse, ability to reach consensus is less likely. I would love to see the work updated to reflect research on successful community building in the past 30 years and how that connects with the conclusions presented here.

[Drick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This manual is great introduction as well as a tool for anyone seeking to do community organizing work. The authors have identified a multitude of factors which can either contribute to or undermine a successful CO effort.

[Earl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful book to have for anyone interested in starting a community building component into their organization- or maybe to re-energize themselves.