Community Resilience Framework

Building Resilient Communities – One Organization at a Time

The ICOR Resilient Community Framework asserts that there are five primary systems upon which each community functions no matter its size. Each system contributes to the overall resilience or vulnerability of the community. 

When an individual system is strong it creates capital for the community. When an individual system is weak it makes the community vulnerable. The Community Resilience Framework encourages a “systems” view where each system is part of a larger system that works together. 

A community’s resilience also increases when it has more adaptive capacity and decreases when it is more vulnerable and less able to manage change and endure stress. A community relies on its systems to be strong and flexible, to be able to evolve and adapt when necessary, and to be sufficiently agile to take advantage of opportunity. 

When an individual system operates with spare capacity, has the capacity to rebound quickly and re-establish its functions to avoid long-term disruptions, and encourages constant learning to allow new solutions as conditions change, the whole system benefits. 

The resilience of a community is not static. Adaptive capacity changes over time in response to changes in the community and its level of vulnerability. 

As each community is unique there is no one-size-fits-all solution. A community needs to have a clear vision for how it wants to increase its resilience and set a roadmap for how it can get there.

A Healthy Environmental System

• Protects and restores the natural resource base upon which life depends. 
• Seeks to reduce climate impacts through adaptation and mitigation efforts and increase resource efficiencies.

A resilient community has adequate natural resources to supports its population. There is access to energy, food, and water. 

A resilient community has a healthy ecosystem and habitat. It has a limited amount of pollution in the water, air and land and it has procedures for the reduction of waste, and the recovery, reuse, and recycling of waste materials. A resilient community abides by International laws and standards and enforces these regulations. 

Groups that are part of managing the community’s natural resources and protecting the environment are either provided by the government or are conducted by privately owned companies that deliver services such as electricity, water, gas, waste management, and sanitation services.

A Strong Economic System

• Produces necessary resources 
• Has a diversified economy 
• Has access to financial and physical resources
• Maintains the value of its currency

A Responsible Governance System

• Provides community services 
• Enforces laws humanely 
• Protects its community members 

Manages its finances and meets its budgets under changing conditions. 

All responsible communities have a governance system that is self- governing and self-sustaining. It provides services needed by its community members such as transportation, power/energy. water/wastewater, and communication systems. A responsible governance system also provides for the development and maintenance of the community’s environment and infrastructure. 

The government protects its community members through use of the military and police and has an emergency management capability. It should also have governing bodies, laws and representation and enforce its laws in a humane manner. 

There should be a capacity to deliver within government bodies at all levels. Governance includes managing its finances to ensure funding for all needed activities and meeting budget requirements under changing conditions. Leadership should look to the long term as well as deal with 

short term issues. 

The governance structure should have healthy relations with the governing bodies of other countries and abide by international law and the Geneva Convention.