Indianapolis Community Building Institute

Building skills, sparking action, and strengthening communities - together.

Equipping Leaders to Transform Communities

Since 2006, ICBI has empowered residents and organizations with tools to drive grassroots change. Our community-based training program is grounded in Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) and designed to build skills, foster collaboration, and support meaningful, sustainable action.

Whether you’re a neighborhood leader or part of an organization, ICBI gives you practical tools to lead with confidence and clarity.

Group of diverse adults standing indoors, holding awards, smiling for the camera.

What You’ll Learn

  • Line drawing of a central circle with lines connecting to smaller circles, representing a network or molecule, on a purple background.

    Introduction to ABCD & Asset Mapping

  • Outline drawing of two people climbing a mountain, one at the front holding a flag, within a circular border on a purple background.

    Appreciative Inquiry & Servant Leadership

  • Outline icon of three people holding hands beneath a rectangular banner with a bear paw print, inside a circle on a purple background.

    Facilitation & Group Dynamics

  • Outline illustration of multiple hands playing tug of war on a purple background.

    Collaboration & Engagement

  • Flowchart with icons of a document, clock, and checklist connected by arrows, on a purple background.

    Project Management & Planning

Two Learning Paths

ICBI for Neighborhoods

A group of diverse adults participating in a community meeting or workshop, some seated at tables with notebooks and name tags, others standing or writing on a large sheet of paper, in a room with yellow walls and wooden floors.

Who It’s For: Grassroots leaders, neighborhood associations, and resident-led groups.

What It Includes:

  • Free, cohort-style learning

  • Practical skills in organizing and leadership

  • A funded, community-based project at the end of the training

Why It Matters: Participants leave with new confidence, a network of fellow changemakers, and real-world results that ripple across their neighborhoods.

Applications: Currently closed - Sign up to be notified when the next cohort opens.

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Women sitting around tables with papers and pens in a meeting or workshop setting.

ICBI for Organizations

Who It’s For: Nonprofits, city agencies, and businesses.

What It Includes:

  • Customized training for up to 30 people

  • Topics tailored to your goals and context

  • Focus on building equitable, community-aligned partnerships

Why It Matters: Organizations that center resident needs and voices build stronger programs and create lasting trust in the communities they serve.

Applications: Currently open - Contact us today to get a training scheduled!

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“INRC’s support of our community has helped to propel us further and farther than many thought possible.”

Joe Bowling, Englewood Community Development Corporation

“We deeply value INRC’s commitment to providing high-quality, relevant training that equips organizations like ours with the knowledge and skills needed to create lasting, positive change.”

Jessica Moore, YMCA of Greater Indianapolis