Donut Dealmaking in Amsterdam

In the Amsterdam Dealmakers program community initiatives learn the craft of 'dealmaking'. The goal is to foster collaborations that contribute to an inclusive, sustainable, and livable city. 

A deal in this context is a collaboration in which different parties strengthen one another by exchanging, for example, knowledge, commissions, space, resources, or networks — creating value for everyone involved. 

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

Getting paid to make money
What is fairly unique about the Amsterdam Dealmakers program is the fact that, this time, 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.

By 'buying' time, so that people can address their own need for knowledge and develop it themselves while helping to develop it, you ensure that the knowledge and skills they gain actually stick, because it's what they themselves want to learn.

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.

That's what makes this Amsterdam Dealmakers program so unique: it invests in knowledge development with and by the people themselves.

New 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.

Another team is working on further developing BrasaPark: a green urban park where nature, community, and creativity come together. The community is building and maintaining the park. 

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.