The Participatory Investing Toolkit, created by Common Future in partnership with the World Education Services: Mariam Assefa Fund, serves as a practical guide for funders looking to shift power in philanthropy by centering community voice, autonomy, and ownership in investment decisions. Drawing on lessons from the Action Lab—where funders, advisors, and communities co-developed and tested participatory models—the toolkit provides mechanisms to help institutions dismantle inequitable systems and reimagine how capital is allocated. Much like the Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group (CSG) works to equip leaders with asset-based strategies for inclusive rural development, the toolkit underscores how equitable, trust-based approaches can reshape philanthropy to build a more representative economy where all people have a stake.
PARTICIPATORY INVESTING TOOLKIT
