- May 11, 2026
Across the world, communities are developing practical, locally grounded solutions to address the growing impacts of disasters, climate change, and humanitarian challenges. The Community-Led Innovation Partnership (CLIP) was created to recognise, strengthen, and support these innovations by placing communities at the centre of the innovation process.
The CLIP Innovation Catalogue brings together the diverse innovations supported under the project, documenting ideas, approaches, tools, and practices that have emerged from lived realities and local knowledge. From climate adaptation and disaster preparedness to inclusive community systems and locally driven technologies, the catalogue highlights how innovation can be shaped by the priorities, experiences, and capacities of communities themselves.
What is CLIP?
The Community-Led Innovation Partnership (CLIP) is a collaborative initiative that supports locally rooted innovation for disaster resilience and humanitarian action. The project works closely with community organisations, civil society actors, innovators, and local leaders to identify and strengthen solutions that are practical, inclusive, and context-specific.
Rather than treating communities as beneficiaries, CLIP positions them as knowledge holders, problem-solvers, and co-creators of resilience. The partnership creates opportunities for innovators to test ideas, exchange learning, strengthen capacities, and connect with peers across the region.
Why Community-Led Innovation Matters
Communities are often the first to respond to crises and the first to adapt to changing risks. Their experiences offer valuable insights into what works, what is sustainable, and what remains accessible in resource-constrained settings.
Community-led innovation matters because it:
– Builds on local knowledge, relationships, and lived experience
– Creates solutions that are relevant to local contexts and realities
– Encourages ownership and long-term sustainability
– Strengthens inclusion by amplifying voices that are often underrepresented
– Supports collaboration between communities, civil society, researchers, and other stakeholders
– Helps bridge the gap between policy, practice, and grassroots realities
At a time when disasters and climate risks are becoming increasingly complex, local innovation provides an important pathway toward resilience that is adaptive, participatory, and grounded in community priorities.
What We Can Learn From These Innovations
The innovations featured in this catalogue demonstrate that impactful solutions do not always require large-scale systems or advanced technologies. Many emerge from everyday experiences, collective action, and a deep understanding of local challenges.
Together, these innovations show that communities are not only vulnerable to risk but also active agents of change, creativity, and resilience.
Download the CLIP Innovation Catalogue to explore the full range of innovations emerging from communities across the globe.
