people-powered development

noun phrase
UK /ˈpiːpəl ˈpaʊəd dɪˈvɛləpmənt/
US /ˈpipəl ˈpaʊərd dɪˈvɛləpmənt/

When people work together to make their town or neighborhood better.

The new park was built through people-powered development, with neighbors planting trees and painting benches together.

SYNONYMS

community-led developmentparticipatory developmentgrassroots developmentbottom-up development

RELATED WORDS

community organizingcrowdsourcingvolunteerismlocal empowermentco-design

OTHER MEANINGS

2. A software approach where users help build and improve a product.

The app grew fast thanks to people-powered development, with users suggesting features and fixing bugs.

3. Economic growth driven by the skills and efforts of local residents rather than outside companies.

The village thrived on people-powered development, as residents started small businesses and shared profits.

4. A way of planning projects that puts residents' ideas first at every step.

The city used people-powered development to redesign the square, asking families what they wanted before drawing plans.