Theory of Social Change

Groundswell believes that wider social movements must be rooted in strong and healthy local communities, organizations and networks in order to be effective.  But while these rooted, community-led efforts are crucial, alone they are not enough to overcome some of the structural challenges marginalized people face and to create economic and political policies that are good for people and the environment.

So based on a strong foundation of local leadership and community-led change, we also support the building of networks, strategic alliances, and social movements working for positive change – both within and across countries.  For example, we support people to create healthy farming and food systems from the bottom up, while connecting them to the wider movements for food sovereignty.
 
The diagram below depicts our theory of social change: