John McKnight [1931 – 2024]
The International Association for Community Development wishes to acknowledge the profound impact and enduring legacy of John McKnight, visionary leader and co-founder of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute, who has recently passed away. We also take this opportunity to honour the memory of his late colleague, Jody Kretzmann, as we reflect on their collective contributions to the field of community development.
Together John and Jody were recipients of the IACD Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021, this award is presented to individuals who have provided an outstanding contribution to international community development throughout their career.
John McKnight's journey in community development began in the 1960s as a neighbourhood organizer in Chicago. His experiences in grassroots activism laid the foundation for his future work in recognizing the inherent strengths of communities. In 1969, he co-founded an urban research centre at Northwestern University, where he would later collaborate with Jody Kretzmann to develop the ABCD approach.
John and Jody's seminal work, "Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community's Assets," published in 1993, became a cornerstone in the field of community development. This book, affectionately known as the "Green Book," and for some practitioners their “ABCD Bible” has sold over 125,000 copies and has been cited in more than 80 other publications, testament to its far-reaching impact.
The ABCD methodology, which John and Jody pioneered, represented a radical departure from traditional needs-based approaches. Instead of focusing on deficits, ABCD emphasises the existing strengths and capacities within communities. This asset-based approach has since been adopted by practitioners in over 22 countries, sparking a global movement.
John's work extended beyond academia. He was a prolific writer, authoring books such as "The Careless Society: Community and its Counterfeits" and co-authoring "The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighbourhoods". His ideas have influenced not only community development practitioners but also policymakers, educators, and people worldwide.
As co-director of the ABCD Institute, John continued to inspire and educate well into his later years. His commitment to encouraging communities to explore “What makes them strong” and fostering community-led development has left an enduring legacy.
John McKnight will be remembered for his unwavering belief in the power of people and local communities. His work challenged the notion that outside experts were necessary for community improvement, instead advocating for the recognition and mobilisation of local assets.
The International Association for Community Development mourns the loss of this remarkable thinker and practitioner. John's vision of communities as "diverse and capable webs of gifts and assets" continues to inspire and guide the work of thousands of community development practitioners globally. His legacy, along with that of Jody Kretzmann, will continue to shape the field of community development for generations to come.
John McKnight's passing is a loss to the field of community development, and his and Jody’s work will live on through people who believe in the power of people to create positive change. His life's work serves as a testament to the transformative potential of recognising and harnessing the strengths that exist within every community.
We pass our condolences to John’s wife Marsha, his family and the broader ABCD family.
Photo courtesy of Dee Brooks, Jeder Institute, Australia