Fundamentals of Place-based and Community-led Capital

Next date: Monday, 25 August 2025 | 09:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Four people sitting at a table with laptops and papers talking

The Upper Yarra is moving forward. Local working groups are developing and implementing strategies to grow the economy, care for the environment and support community wellbeing.

This session aims to strengthen those efforts by building our capacity to understand, control and influence local capital. This includes the financial capital (money, funding, finance, income) and other capital assets (land, natural resources, infrastructure, enterprises, services) needed to achieve your goals.

The Fundamentals of Place-based and Community-led Capital workshop will help you build the knowledge, confidence and shared language needed to strengthen and activate capital solutions and systems that work for Upper Yarra, ensuring the region's emerging ideas and plans are backed by the capital foundation they need to succeed.

Whether you're working to establish a community enterprise, secure funding for local initiatives, or strengthen the wellbeing of the Upper Yarra through more inclusive and resilient economic systems, this session will help you take the next step.

What you'll gain

Learn the basics of capital such as money, assets, and resources and how they relate to and impact local economic and community development.
Begin to learn about the key capital functions and capacities with an introduction to generating, accessing, owning, governing, managing, pooling, investing, exchanging, using and redistributing capital.
Explore local capital systems and solutions including the values, mindsets, structures, instruments, institutions and other elements that shape the way capital works in your place.
Gain a foundational understanding of place-based and community-led capital so you understand how it works, how it differs from traditional systems, and why it's essential for building resilient, equitable local economies.
Apply this knowledge to your priorities so you can begin to identify your capital needs and explore the functions, systems and solutions to support them.
Build confidence and collaboration for action. Equip yourself with a shared language, frameworks and tools to take meaningful action in your community.

Who should participate

This session is available to the Upper Yarra community.

It is tailored for a broad audience and provides valuable insights that apply across different sectors including community leaders and members, local business owners, council and government representatives, local academics and others interested in place-based and community-led capital.

How it works

Interactive online sessions: This session will be delivered online using Zoom, allowing you to engage from home.
Co-learning environment: As a participant, you’ll not only learn from the content but also from your peers through collective insights, discussions, and shared experiences.
Broad audience appeal: Designed to benefit anyone involved in community building, economic development, social impact, or other areas of relevance.

What to expect

The Fundamentals of place-based and community-led capital workshop offers:

practical and interactive sessions, with plenty of opportunities to ask questions, discuss and apply what you learn
a blend of theoretical insights, case studies and hands-on activities to ensure you take home actionable knowledge that can be applied in your community or organisation
a certificate of completion upon request to acknowledge your learning.
ongoing connection through the Place-Based Capital Network LinkedIn group, where you can keep the conversation going, exchange insights and stay updated on future opportunities and initiatives.