Institute for Sustainable Communities

Driving innovative sustainability and climate solutions by transforming communities, cities, and factories.

The Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) focuses on fostering local solutions to global challenges, particularly those threatening sustainability. Their work highlights the critical role of factories and cities in driving widespread change. As an international non-profit, ISC supports communities by developing, testing, and sharing cost-effective, equitable climate solutions for those most affected by the climate crisis.

What sets ISC apart is their bottom-up approach, ensuring solutions are community-driven rather than externally imposed. By sharing global best practices, providing technical training, and enhancing the capacity of local organisations, ISC promotes innovative, sustainable change that empowers frontline communities.

Latest news and articles

Finance in Flux: a new reading of the resilience and adaptation finance landscape

A new joint paper from the Global Resilience Partnership and RAKSHA Intelligence Futures, published as the Global Partnerships Conference opens in London, argues that the binding constraint on resilience and adaptation finance now sits in the gap between knowing and acting.

Call for proposals for innovations across the Global South now open

We are launching an Innovation Challenge call to support bold, locally led solutions that strengthen resilience, protect ecosystems, and create sustainable opportunities for communities.

Protecting shea trees: Securing women’s livelihoods

Learn how protecting shea trees sustains livelihoods, strengthens rights, and empowers women

Advancing women’s rights to strengthen shea enterprises

In northern Ghana, digital mapping and access to finance are helping women shea producers like Adisah Zakaria turn invisible work into recognised assets, unlocking income, efficiency, and opportunity.

Bridging the gap: Scaling climate-resilient agriculture

Bridge funding helps transform RAIN innovations into scalable solutions that drive resilience and sustainable growth