Donut Dealmaking in Amsterdam

The goal of the Amsterdam Dealmakers program is to foster collaborations between community organizations and their partners, thus contributing to an inclusive, sustainable, and livable city. Community initiatives help many people, try to save Mother Earth and… are almost always struggling for their own survival. The craft of 'Donut dealmaking' is thus essential for community initiatives: they themselves learn how to organise their own sustainable growth and financial stability.

What is a Donut Deal?
A deal in this context is a collaboration in which different parties strengthen one another by exchanging, for example, knowledge, commissions, money, space, resources, or networks — creating value for everyone involved. 
The term was coined by Anne Stijkel and others in 2022 (watch the video if you want to find out more about those early deals) 

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Survival mode
Many neighborhood initiatives have good ideas for their area, but get stuck on complicated regulations, grant requirements, or lack of funding. Often programs are offered to them by organisations or governments to enhance their capabilities. 

But… they have to do this in their scarce free time and often have to pay to acquire knowledge or skills. Precisely this is what they lack: time and money. 

In four city districts, local residents and initiatives work together in Dealmaker teams. With financial support from the municipality, they learn how to set up collaborations and strike deals that benefit both their initiative and the neighborhood.

What makes this Amsterdam Dealmakers program unique: it invests in knowledge development with and by the people themselves.

Design your own learning tools
What is fairly unique about the Amsterdam Dealmakers program is the fact that people from community initiatives don't have to acquire knowledge or skills in their free time — instead, they get paid to help develop this themselves.

There are actually quite a few programs that aim to help develop knowledge or skills among community initiatives or social entrepreneurs, but these always require an investment from the initiatives themselves, in time, in money, or both. Those programs start from the assumption that these community initiatives have a deficit — a lack of knowledge and skills — while in reality, the problem is often a lack of time and/or money, or a combination of both.

The program supports community initiatives so they can address their own need for knowledge and develop the skills they need themselves . They do so within their own team and by regular peer consultation among the three teams. The program manager organizes cooperation with knowledge institutions, entrepreneurs, media colleges, NGO’s, artists and local and national government. 

The programs on offer are often well-tailored, well thought out for the initiatives, and frequently developed together with the initiatives — but they still always require an extra investment, while the unrest caused by lack of money and lack of time often makes long-term thinking and acquiring knowledge difficult for community initiatives.

Dealmakers example: steps and collaborations

One of the teams is developing a textile network that connects local makers with paid commissions. In June a Textile Meet & Match was organized where local makers and clients came together. During the event, the first steps were taken toward "Donut Deals": collaborations that create social, ecological, and economic value.

The room was filled with makers eager to develop their skills further as seamstresses, repairers, or embroidery experts. Designers, studio owners, and textile educators exchanged business cards and numbers with the makers.

Embracing the community

Another team is working on developing BrasaPark: a green urban park where nature, community, and creativity come together. The community is building and maintaining the park. Brasa is Surinamese for hugging. The name pays respect to a former politician Roy Ristie.

In recent months, work has begun on developing a teahouse. With support from the Dealmaker Team entrepreneur Ching Ling Hsiao is taking the first steps toward this unique meeting place for the neighborhood: a Chinese Tea Home.

The dealmaker team in the North part of Amsterdam — part of community initiative Mama Louise — focuses on food, circularity, and fair distribution of prosperity. They collaborate with local initiatives such as Helen's Free Foodmarket, MultiCultura, and Multi-Cosina. 

Here too, new collaborations are emerging. Food entrepreneur Elendrea Cachola worked with a student to develop a circular bicycle crate for her catering business, making it easier to transport food surpluses. A fine example of how dealmaking leads to practical solutions and new connections.

Building the city together

Through the Amsterdam Dealmakers program, local initiatives gain more opportunities to truly advance their ideas. Residents often know best what their neighborhood needs. By bringing together residents, initiatives, entrepreneurs, students, and the municipality, solutions emerge that build strong, sustainable, and engaged neighborhoods in Amsterdam.

Written by Nina de Graaf (Amsterdam municipality) and Nies Medema (social innovator)