Finding Project Ideas
Great resources to find an inspiring project
Before you get started
Take a look at our Digital Learning Guides to get the most out of the project you propose. Learn about the methodologies that reduce the time you spending planning and executing the project to your optimize impact. We suggest Theory of Change and Design Thinking.
If you want to create a stronger foundation for your current and future projects, we suggest taking a look at establishing a Citizen’s Assembly and Neighbourhood House. At Imagine Cities, we only work with organizations who have been established under a governing structure. The reason is because it provides you with the foundation needed for long term change.
You don’t need a large group
You don’t need large groups of people to improve your neighbourhood. The more the better, but it’s not necessary. At Imagine Cities, it started with our founder and eventually grew to 5 volunteers. Over time, we learned from lots of mistakes and have grown to over 35 volunteers who actively participate.
If residents are not joining your group, you should ask yourself if you’re trying to solve the right problem for your neighbourhood (this is not about you, it’s about your neighbourhood). Start with conversations and learn before creating a project.
Our Resources
We have a number of resources that can support you in finding impactful projects to work on:
- Search Engine: our search engine not only has research on the problems facing neighbourhoods, but also solutions that have been implemented to solve those problems. Under the search categories, you can choose our Year in Review which is some of our best pieces of research and solutions.
- Digital Learning Guides: if you go through our learning guides, we share a number of different case studies. These case studies are examples of projects that have been implemented.
- The Lab: if you search under projects, you can see the different projects our community partners have worked on. If you look under the Community, you can go to the websites of our neighbourhood organizations and see what they do.
External Resources
There are also some incredible external resources that we’re big fans of.
- Better Block: Based in the Dallas, this organization educates, equips, and empowers communities to reshape their built environments. The platform is spreading to many other cities in the US.
- 100In1Day: This organization inspires residents to activate 100 innovative, thought-provoking ideas into interventions to transform their city all on one day. If you scroll to the bottom, they have a list of different projects that have been implemented.
- Project for Public Spaces: PPS has a passion for designing and building public spaces that people enjoy. Take a look at the projects in on their platform and be inspired.
Other Resources
- Our user guide homepage.
- User Guide for Neighbourhood Organizations.
- User Guide for Community Partners.
- Resources to develop your project.
