Inventorying Assets of Cultural Sustainability
Sustainable Growth Through Preservation
What’s sustaining your community’s culture, and how is it being incorporated as your community grows? Our Identifying Assets of Cultural Sustainability service helps communities gather the critical data needed to integrate cultural identity into sustainable development. By identifying, documenting, and evaluating both tangible and intangible assets of cultural sustainability, communities can establish a foundaiton for ensuring heritage remains central in an ever-changing world.
Unlike traditional cultural asset management, which focuses primarily on preservation, our service takes a broader approach. We partner with communities to assess not only historical landmarks and cultural traditions but also assets such as social systems, community spaces, and governance policies that help sustain cultural identity. By considering assets that support cultural innovation, adaptation, and resilience, communities can marry cultural identity with growth and development.
Drawing from cultural sustainability theory, we work closely with communities to identify key assets and craft tailored assessment metrics that reflect local values and aspirations. To complement this local data, we map the identified assets to UNESCO’s 2030 Thematic Indicators for Culture, showing how local culture contributes to sustainable development and achieveing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
By the end of this process, you’ll have a clear understanding of what assets are sustaining local culture, how they’re doing so, and how they can play a role in the broader context of sustainable development.
Service Features
Assembling Diverse Stakeholders and Community Members
Our process begins by bringing together a wide range of community stakeholders, including local leaders, residents, cultural organizations, and policymakers.
Identification and Documentation of Cultural Sustainability Assets
Using customizable tools, we work with communities to identify and document both tangible and intangible assets of cultural sustainability, creating a comprehensive inventory that examines their role in sustaining cultural identity.
Community-Defined Assessment Metrics
In collaboration with community members, we develop tailored metrics to assess the health and vitality of assets, ensuring the process aligns with local values and priorities.
Mapping to UNESCO’s 2030 Thematic Indicators for Culture
We map identified assets to UNESCO’s 2030 Thematic Indicators for Culture, aligning local heritage with a globally recognized framework for sustainable development.
Strategic Recommendations for Cultural Sustainability
Based on our assessment, we provide actionable strategies and recommendations for integrating assets of cultural sustainability into broader development plans to strengthen cultural resilience.
Ongoing Monitoring and Adaptation
The tools created during the process can be used by community leaders for routine assessments, ensuring assets remain adaptive, used, and relevant as social, economic, and environmental conditions evolve.
The Process:
→ Assemble Stakeholders and Community Members
→ Inventory Assets
→ Assess for Well-being
→ Link to International Frameworks
→ Monitor Over Time
Local Governments and Municipalities
Seeking to incorporate cultural sustainability into urban planning and sustainable development strategies.
Ideal For
Cultural and Heritage Organizations
Dedicated to the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage for future generations.
Community Groups and Local Leaders
Working to manage and sustain local culture for the long-term growth and cultural sustainability of their community.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiatives
Focused on making a positive cultural impact through sustainable practices.
Why?
Informed Decision-Making
Gain critical data to guide cultural policies and sustainable development.Preservation of Cultural Identity
Safeguard tangible and intangible heritage for future generations.Alignment with Global Standards
Align with UNESCO’s 2030 Thematic Indicators and SDGs to boost international recognition.Strengthening Community Engagement
Empower local residents to take ownership of their cultural heritage.Strategic Resource Allocation
Prioritize the preservation of vital cultural assets with clear data.Support for Policy and Funding
Build stronger cases for grants, funding, and policy initiatives.Fostering Economic Development
Leverage cultural heritage to drive sustainable tourism and local business growth.Resilience and Adaptability
Create a foundation for ongoing cultural vitality through long-term monitoring.
“This process made us think about who we are and what’s important to us. Now we’re ready to act so future generations say ‘Hey, back in the day, these [assets} were at risk but someone stepped in and now they’re thriving.’”
- Micah Gursky, Executive Director Tamaqua Area Partnerships
