Community-Driven Change

Putting people in the driver's seat of their change

What is Community-Driven Change?

Community-driven change is a development approach where communities lead and own the process of identifying, designing, and implementing solutions to the challenges they face. 

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The evolution of community's role in community-driven change. Graphic

The Change We Aim to Unlock

Through this initiative, we aim to enable more sustainable and inclusive social development through greater understanding and, where relevant, the adoption of community-driven change models by NGOs and funders globally.

As a result of this exercise, we aspire to create the following shifts:

  • An increase in relevant organizations embedding more community-driven practices in their work and theory of change models.
  • A shift in funder mindsets towards community-driven, grassroots, and proximate organizations working with and in the communities they serve.
  • Growing awareness and knowledge sharing on community-driven change globally, building on what already exists.

We also hope these initiatives will lead to an increase in the voice and representation of marginalized communities (e.g., by race, caste, and gender) in their development processes.

Reports and Toolkits

How to Assess Community-Driven Change: Four Guiding Principles

Creating measurement, evaluation, and learning frameworks for locally led or community-led development programmes can be challenging. These four practices can make it simpler.

Community-Driven Change: Demonstrating Impact in Africa and India

Community-driven change can lead to more lasting and equitable impact—it challenges funders and NGOs to reimagine how they work by shifting power and decision-making to the people they serve.

Powered by the People: Community-Driven Change in Urban Informal Settlements

Four case studies illuminate mindsets and pathways towards enduring change, providing funders and NGOs with insights to develop their own community-led approaches. 

Community-Driven Change Assessment Toolkit

Guidance on what to measure when assessing progress on community-driven change (CDC). This toolkit aims to help funders and nonprofits develop a shared language around measuring CDC.

Case Studies

Nine case studies of communities across Kenya, South Africa, and India engaging in community-driven change. 

Children in Need Institute (CINI)

Spreading awareness of child and adolescent rights in India.

Legado

Supporting communities in conservation efforts in Kenya.

Lwala Community Alliance

Reducing maternal mortality and HIV risk in Kenya.

Saamuhika Shakti

Enabling waste pickers to lead secure and dignified lives in India.

Self-Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action (SRIJAN)

Supporting sustainable development efforts through community collectives.

Society for Public Education Cultural Training and Rural Action (SPECTRA)

Increasing awareness of rights and social welfare systems.

Swades Foundation

Empowering rural India through village development committees.

Ubunye Foundation

Supporting sustainable development through community-led governance in South Africa.

Woza Moya

Placing community voices and needs at the forefront in South Africa.

This database consists of community-driven organisations across Kenya, South Africa, and India identified through the research Bridgespan conducted for our community-driven change report. These organisations engage with communities as partners or owners in the programming. 

Use the Database

"What Social Change Looks Like When Communities Decide for Themselves," (AVPN, August 2022)

"Marching Towards Gender Equity, One Community-Driven Initiative at a Time," (HERSTORY, January 26, 2023)

"How Can We Reimagine Development Programmes in a Post-Aid World?," (Alliance, November 2025)

"Measuring What Matters to the Community," (IDR, November 4, 2025)

"When Peers Work Together to Drive Social Change," (SSIR, June 24, 2020)

Webinars and Videos

The Power of Community Ownership: How Local Leadership Drives Lasting Impact

We delve into what becomes better when communities are at the center of efforts to drive social change.

Community-Driven Change: Reimagining Health Systems

In the second session of our virtual series on community-driven change, we explore how community ownership can redefine what’s possible in health systems.

Our Advisors and Anchor Partners

Community-Driven Change initiative is supported by our anchor funders, the Investment Fund Foundation, Global Alliance for Communities, H&M Foundation, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, Swades Foundation, Target Foundation, Humanity United, Hilton Foundation, and Veddis Foundation. We are also guided by a group of inspiring NGO leaders from SRIJAN, Child in Need Institute, CORO, YUVA, Swayam Shikshan Prayog, Gram Vikas, PRADAN, Saamuhika Shakti, SPECTRA, Spark Microgrants, SHOFCO, CAMFED, Legado, Lwala, Trevor Noah Foundation, Ubunye Foundation, Warande Advisory Centre, and Woza Moya. 

Our Team

We would also like to thank our colleagues Gail Perreault and Rohit Menezes for their guidance and thoughtfulness on this work. 

Contact Us

If you are interested in collaborating with Bridgespan's CDC Team or would like to learn more about our initiative, please fill out the form below and someone will reply shortly.