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How we work
Community Evolution provides funding and support that enable communities to work together. By receiving training or buying necessary equipment, they can grow businesses collectively planned, developed, owned and managed by the community itself.
Our approach
We create a customized, facilitated process. It combines three key aspects:
- Community mobilization
- Capacity building
- Financial assistance
This approach helps empower the communities.
Every partnership will count on a local facilitator who will listen, motivate, connect and coach our partners to increase the possibility of success. A facilitator brings community members together and supports them while they carry out their plans.
Financial assistance is provided through seed funding (grants or loans) to allow for training and education, technical assistance and/or assets such as infrastructure and equipment.
A Local Facilitator
Facilitation is the practice of providing leadership without taking control. Our facilitators collaborate with our partners in a way to encourage them to find answers to complex issues, even if they’re not necessarily a subject matter expert.
Our facilitators may assist with community organizing and competence, leadership development, project management and coaching, and social capital. They’re always available to provide guidance, but don’t make decisions on behalf of our partners.
That means that our partners can count on the facilitators for support at all times, but they are the ones taking responsibility and leading all tasks and actions related to the projects.
Our values
Community-centred
We start from the community.
Empowering
Our role is to be empowering, that is, to support co-operative enterprises and their member-owners in realizing their own goals.
Collaborative
We work in collaboration with local communities and partner organizations.
Entrepreneurial
We are committed to strengthening an entrepreneurial culture within our organization as well as the community enterprises we serve.
Inclusive
We embrace participatory and inclusive decision-making — working with all, for all — ensuring that everyone has a chance to exercise meaningful control in their lives and communities.
Our 3-year goals
Empowered communities
By working collaboratively with communities, we will support them to develop and grow resilient community-led enterprises creating social value.
Demonstrated results
By using data to make strategic decisions and measure results, we will demonstrate value and continuously improve our program.
A robust organization
By improving our internal processes, investing in our team and cultivating our partnerships, we will be more effective, efficient and resilient.
Sustained impact
By raising awareness of our vision and telling our story, we will engage a variety of donors to diversify our funding.
Sustainable Development Goals
How you can help
There are several ways to help us support community enterprises in Bolivia, Ecuador and Canada.