Asset Mapping Workbook

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Contents

Legal Information…………………………………………… Page 3

Note from Valerie …………………………………………. Page 4

Identifying Our Target………………………………………. Page 5

Asset Mapping………………………………………………. Page 8

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Legal Information

Copyright 2018 Nonprofit Utopia, LLC.

All Rights Reserved. This workbook may
not be reproduced in any form, in whole or
in part, without written permission from
Nonprofit Utopia, LLC.

(Email us at info@nonprofitutopia.com to
request permission.)

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Note from Valerie

I’m Valerie F. Leonard, Founder of Nonprofit Utopia, LLC. I published this workbook to help you flesh
out your thoughts before you start any nonprofit initiative. You will be able to

• Identify and prioritize community issues and how you will address them
• Identify your target and give a rationale for selecting them
• Start to think about how you can help your target
• Identify the community-based assets you will need to develop a community-based initiative.
If you find this workbook to be helpful as you develop strategies to strengthen your organization, please
consider joining the Nonprofit Utopia community at https://nonprofituopia.mn.co.

Valerie F. Leonard

’
Valerie F. Leonard
Founder, Nonprofit Utopia, LLC

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 Identifying Our Target

Directions: Respond to the following questions. Use your answers to help you write a narrative outlining
community issues, your target, and how you will serve them.

1. What are the issues in the community?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

2. Which issues will we prioritize?

1.

2.

3.

3. Who is impacted by our priority issues?

4. How are they impacted?

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5. What will we do to address the issues?

6. Which impacted people will we serve?

7. Why will we serve them?

8. How will we serve them?

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 Narrative

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 Asset Mapping
Asset Mapping is a tool that relies on a core belief of asset-based community development; namely, that
good things exist in communities and that those things can be highlighted and encouraged — these are
assets suited to advancing those communities. Asset Mapping is a means, not an end. (Corporation for
National Community Service, 2018)

There are several categories of community assets, including individuals, local associations, local
organizations. The following definitions are based on the model presented by the Corporation for
National Community Service.

Individuals

When we speak of individuals, we are speaking of residents, and people who live, work, play, worship or
regularly participate in activities in a community. They contribute their skills, time, money, experiences,
capacities, passions, and willingness to advance the community. The strongest asset-based initiatives rely
very heavily upon residents.

Local Associations

These include informal associations in the community primarily run by volunteers, such as athletic clubs,
faith-based groups, and others that can contribute. They are not legal entities.

Organizations

Organizations are formally chartered with the state, and may include local businesses, nonprofits and
corporations. Ideally, the organizations are based in the local community, although it is often necessary to
work with organizations outside the community that have a stake in the success of community -based
initiatives.

Local Institutions

Local institutions are public spaces in the community such as schools, libraries, parks, and government
entities.

Physical Assets

Physical assets in the community include land, buildings, transportation, and facilities that can contribute
to community strengthening.

Economic Assets

Economic assets include what residents produce and consume in the community, in both formal and
informal ways, through local businesses, or bartering and trading relationships, that can contribute.

Stories

Stories carry the memory of a community and can describe the potential of a community based on
previous times as remembered by those who live there.

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 Asset Mapping Exercise
Directions: On the pages that follow, you will find tables to help you identify the people, associations,
organizations, institutions, elected officials and churches that you can approach to assist you with your
initiative. Complete the tables and summarize your answers on the “Circle of Influence” exhibit on page
14. Feel free to write directly on the exhibit. Don’t worry if you can’t get all the information within the
concentric circles. Your detailed information will be on the completed tables.

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 Asset Mapping
Exercise

Individuals
Name Skills/Contributions Their Role/Contributions Our Contact
to the Initiative

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 Organizations
Name Skills/Contributions Their Role/Contributions Our
to the Initiative Contact

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 Institutions
Name Skills/Contributions Their Role/Contributions Contact
to the Initiative

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 Associations (Coalitions, Including Informal Groups and Block Clubs)
Name Skills/Contributions Their Role/Contributions Our
to the Initiative Contact

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 Government Agencies
Name Skills/Contributions Their Role/Contributions Our
to the Initiative Contact

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 Churches
Name Skills/Contributions Their Role/Contributions to the Our
Initiative Contact

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 Elected Officials
Name Skills/Contributions Their Role/Contributions Our
to the Initiative Contact

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 Asset Mapping:
Our Circle of Influence

Institutions

Organizations

People We Know and

Their Skills
Elected
Churches Officials

Associations

Government Agencies

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 Other Assets

Directions: Complete the chart below by listing the other assets your initiative will require and how they
will be used for your initiative.

Asset Category Item/Description How the Asset Will Be

Used by the Initiative

Physical

Economic

Stories

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