How Can We Better Fund Community-Based Social Services at the Neighborhood Level? – A Look Back at the Major Meeting on December 3
On December 3, 2025, another major meeting of the Espace Quartiers was held, bringing together citizens, transition leaders, representatives of organizations, and individuals involved in community support to reflect on a crucial strategic question: How can we design, structure, and mobilize funding mechanisms tailored to local transitions? Check out a comprehensive recap of an event full of sharing, information, and learning.
*This event follows up on a previous alliance-wide event dedicated to broader funding for the transition. Check out the blog to learn more!
What you’ll find in the Praxis notebook:
Background and Overview of Funding An introductory note provides an overview of the issues, institutional challenges, and current realities surrounding the financing of local transition initiatives. This includes an analysis of existing funding sources and commonly encountered obstacles.
Summaries of the Thematic Workshops Several workshops were held during the meeting, and the main topics explored included:
Pooled Fund – Ideas and Reflections on Shared Funds to Support Neighborhood-Level Transition Projects.
Advocacy – Strategies for raising awareness and mobilizing policymakers and institutional funders.
Donor Practices – Lessons Learned on Improving Practices to Provide More Flexible and Consistent Support for Local Initiatives.
Resilience Indicators – Identifying Criteria and Indicators Useful for Assessing the Impact of Funding on the Resilience of Living Environments.
Testimonials and Real-World Examples The handbook also includes testimonials, such as that of a Montreal-based small business currently undergoing a transition, which shares its practical experiences with various financing approaches.
