ABCD-Training-of-Trainers-Tools-July-2013

2.14. Community Leverage Fund (CLF)
(Source: Oxfam Canada)
Rationale for CLF
The ABCD process encourages and motivates communities to look inwards and mobilize resources
available within the community such as natural, physical and social assets. While many groups have
mobilized their assets and have successfully cultivated community enthusiasm, during the mid-term
ABCD evaluation it was observed that at some point all groups required additional resources from
external actors or agencies to fulfill their goals. This prompted stakeholders to explore initiatives and
tools to scale up community activities that were consistent with ABCD principles. One of the initiatives
explored was a revolving “Community Leverage Fund” (CLF). The CLF would serve as additional financial
capital that ABCD groups could apply for on a competitive basis.
The fund is governed by the following key principles and operational modalities:
• The Community Leverage Fund (CLF) support is aimed at addressing capital shortage of the ABCD
community groups in their endeavor to engage in innovative technological, social or economic
initiatives.
• The CLF support will give priority to most promising innovative community initiatives that:
- link or leverage of resources from government, research or technology institutions or the
private sector;
- have potential for scale up or replication in other communities;
- have potential to greatly benefit the lives of community members;
- demonstrate a high level of community commitment and investment.
• The CLF exclusively targets ABCD groups who are established or will be established to support
revolving fund modalities administered at the district level.
• The CLF is not given freely and 100 % must be returned to the funding administration body to be
revolved to other ABCD groups.
• Existing ABCD groups will be given first priority in accessing a CLF loan. New community groups will
have chance to access to such fund so long us they have passed through the ABCD process and have
started mobilizing their own assets and engaged in economic and social activities.
• Request for CLF should include a 1-2 page opportunity statement explaining:
- what the community will do with the requested money;
- how the request meets the above criteria;
- an outline of the internal community assets that will be invested, and the external investments
that will be leveraged.
• The amount granted to each community group may not be uniform; some may receive larger shares
as it is meant to focus on innovation, scale up and impact.
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