CommunitiesBut

CommunitiesBut is a term used in discussions of community development and collaborative design to describe the practical balancing of communal aims with constraints and trade-offs. It does not refer to a single, formal organization or standardized approach, but rather to a way of framing decisions in which the goals of communities are acknowledged alongside limiting factors.

The phrase draws attention to the “but” that accompanies many community decisions, such as “we want to expand services, but budget limits apply” or “we want inclusive events, but scheduling conflicts arise.” In this sense, CommunitiesBut functions as a linguistic and analytical tool to reveal tensions that shape outcomes rather than presenting aspirations as unproblematic.

In practice, CommunitiesBut is used as a heuristic in planning, participatory design, and governance discussions to surface competing priorities and to document the rationale behind choices. It encourages organizers and participants to articulate constraints, deliberate trade-offs, and the conditions under which certain options become viable.

Applications include urban planning meetings, nonprofit program design, and digital platforms that crowdsource local knowledge. By making trade-offs explicit, the approach can promote transparency and collaborative problem-solving, helping stakeholders understand why certain proposals proceed while others are adjusted or deferred.

Critics note that the term is informal and may oversimplify complexity, while proponents argue that it helps maintain realistic expectations and fosters constructive dialogue. As of now, there is no single governing body or official standard associated with CommunitiesBut.