Asset mapping

Asset mapping is a process of identifying existing assets within a community, organisation or network. It complements the "deficit focus" of needs analysis.

Asset mapping of community assets is often done as part of a collaborative community development project which draws on diverse knowledge and perspectives.

Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) which explicitly includes asset mapping as part of this process, identifies community assets in terms of six categories:

• Individuals: Refers to the personal talents, skills, passions, and capacities of people within a community.
• Associations: Informal and formal groups that come together around a common interest, goal, or activity.
• Institutions: Formal organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, that provide services, support, and resources to the community.
• Physical assets: Tangible assets within the community, including land, buildings, infrastructure, and natural resources.
• Exchange: The flow of resources, goods, services, and information within the community.
• Culture/Stories/History: The shared heritage, traditions, narratives, and values that define the community's identity

(Source: Asset-Based Community Development Institute, n.d.)