The ECONOMY™ Framework · Free community guide
Build your community’s economic plan, one step at a time.
ECONOMY™ is a free, fully guided, seven-step process that helps your whole community create a wholistic community and economic development plan that is not only words, but translates to action.
Free to use. Built by Angela Adsit, MBA, PMP, Tahltan Nation, from her work leading Indigenous economic development corporations.
Why ECONOMY™
Start right where you are.
The best resources you have right now are what and who you have right now. ECONOMY™ starts there, with your people, your land, and your strengths, and builds outward.
We need to move beyond just making money. We need to learn how to be prosperous, too. This process is designed to help your community do both.
Strengths-based
Begin with the gifts, talents, places and businesses your community already has, not with what it lacks.
Community-led
Every voice belongs at the table: leadership, members, Elders, youth and staff. Participation builds buy-in.
Wholistic
Economic, human, natural, physical, social and cultural capital are planned together, as one system.
Built for action
A plan without legs goes nowhere. The final step turns your plan into yearly operations with clear owners.
The process
Seven steps. One plan your community owns.
Work through the steps in order. Each one builds on the last, and each ends with something your community keeps.
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Step 1
Existing
What and who do we already have?
Identify and map your community assets: people, places, services and businesses. Then audit your territory: who is operating there, and did they consult you?
You’ll finish with: a community asset map and territory audit.
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Step 2
Coming
What is headed our way?
Track new projects, industry activity and government opportunities in your territory before they arrive, so your community is prepared, not surprised.
You’ll finish with: an opportunity tracker tied to your territory map.
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Step 3
Other Opportunities
What else is possible?
Assess your community’s needs together, find the root causes behind them, and agree on which priorities and opportunities to pursue first.
You’ll finish with: a prioritized list of needs and opportunities.
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Step 4
No-go Zones
What must be protected?
With your Elders and knowledge keepers, identify sacred, ceremonial and harvesting places, and land that needs repair before it can be used.
You’ll finish with: protected areas recorded on your own map, held by your community.
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Step 5
Organize
How does it all fit together?
Sort everything you’ve gathered into six capital areas: economic, human, natural, physical, social and cultural. Then start with what you can do right now.
You’ll finish with: organized priorities and early wins.
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Step 6
Mitigate Risks
What could stop us?
Strengthen governance and plan ahead for political, regulatory and land-based risks, and decide which good risks are worth taking.
You’ll finish with: a risk mitigation plan.
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Step 7
Yearly Plans
How do we make it real?
Operationalize your plan with ACTION: Alignment, Commitment, Tasks, Interdependence, Ownership and Non-negotiables.
You’ll finish with: a yearly plan with clear owners.
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Then: define prosperity
True prosperity is total well-being, and your community defines what that means. Define it. Develop the plan. Do it.
Fully guided
Every step walks you through it.
You don’t need special training to begin. Each step follows the same four-part rhythm, so your planning group always knows what comes next.
01
Learn
A short, plain-language explanation of the step and why it matters.
02
Gather
A community activity, with instructions for running it in your band office or community centre.
03
Decide
Guiding questions to discuss together and reach agreement before you move on.
04
Record
A downloadable worksheet that captures your decisions and becomes part of your plan.
Who it’s for
For the whole community, not just the EDC.
- Chief and Council, setting direction and governance.
- Economic development corporations and staff, leading the work day to day.
- Elders and knowledge keepers, guiding what must be protected.
- Community members and youth, whose gifts and voices shape the plan.
Your information stays with your community.
Worksheets are downloaded and completed by your community. ICDPRO does not collect or store your answers, maps or plans.
This approach is guided by the First Nations principles of OCAP®: ownership, control, access and possession.
OCAP® is a registered trademark of the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC).
Would it be helpful to work with someone?
The process is free and designed for communities to use on their own. If you’d like support, ICDPRO’s team can facilitate any step, or the whole journey, with your community.