Introduction
At a time when global political consensus on climate action appears to be weakening, local communities are increasingly stepping in to keep momentum alive. This ECFI webinar explored positive social tipping points – the moments when small efforts accumulate into rapid, self-reinforcing change – and asked what this means for community foundations working locally on climate and societal transformation.
The session aimed to bridge cutting-edge research with the lived realities of local changemakers. This was made possible thanks to the inputs of two researchers deeply embedded in the topic and committed to using their work to drive social change: Dr. Franziska Gaupp, environmental scientist at the University of Osnabrück, and Peter Lefort, who runs the Green Futures Network at the University of Exeter.
What are positive social tipping points?
Franziska Gaupp introduced the concept of social tipping points as shifts in systems that move social systems from one stable state to another through non-linear processes and feedback loops. These shifts are often difficult to reverse and are shaped by reinforcing dynamics such as changing social norms, peer influence and policy change. She illustrated this with examples such as the movement to extend the right to vote to women in the early 20th century, and the rapid adoption of electric vehicles in Norway, where enabling conditions (like subsidies and renewable energy availability) led to accelerating peer effects (“social contagion”) and ultimately established a new social norm
A central idea that she explores in her own research on social tipping points is the role of perceived agency: the belief that we can make a difference. Agency, Franziska argued, is shaped by intrapersonal factors (e.g. personality traits and emotions), the social environment (e.g. information, peer group, social norms) and structural factors, such as laws, infrastructure, power structures and institutions. A high level of perceived agency is more likely to result in citizens taking action for change, for example through personal lifestyle change, activism or civic engagement. The concept of perceived agency resonated throughout the discussion, since community foundations play a central role in nurturing agency in the communities they serve, both through interpersonal factors (shaping, for example, a local culture of giving) and structural factors (providing an easily accessible institutional framework for civic engagement).
Exploring the potential for change from a community perspective
Peter Lefort then guided the participants through a Menti-based interactive exploration of change dynamics in their own community/ local context (see below for the questions used). The participants were asked to share the kinds of change they are working towards locally. These ranged from safer mobility to circular economy transitions, the adoption of renewables and community energy, stronger social cohesion and bridging differences, improved youth engagement and improved neighbourly relations.
The participants were able to describe vividly what these changes would mean in practice and gave examples such as cleaner air, more empathetic relationships across generations, energy security for households and stronger social capital and connection between people. Next, Peter explored the idea of indicators and asked the participants how they would notice change starting to happen. Here, participants imagined more people greeting each other in the street, more substantial conversations beyond small talk, more trees, renewable energy appearing on public buildings and generally an attitude of greater curiosity instead of judgement of other community members. The subsequent questions made it clear, however, that many of the participants still had the sense of facing an uphill struggle rather than being very close to a potential tipping point when it comes to seeing change happen, and described mixed emotions such as determination and hope, but also exhaustion, discouragement and a sense of needing “more tailwind”. When asked what needs to be in place to enable their desired changes, participants especially highlighted trust, as well as a sense of shared goals, physical places for people to gather, positive examples and the voice and engagement of the community. They also reflected on how the system currently responds – often sluggish, resistant, or with ignorance, though sometimes with encouragement but insufficient resources. Finally, the participants considered what kinds of triggers might push their work over the tipping point and cited elections, economic pressure, policy shifts or crises that make old norms impossible to sustain.
Why social tipping point thinking matters for community foundations
The ensuing discussion explored why social tipping point thinking fits so well with the work of community foundations. Because they are multi-issue and often address complex and interdependent community challenges such as the effects of the climate crisis, social inclusion, poverty, and civic participation simultaneously, they actively see how these issues connect in real life. Efforts to improve neighbourhood mobility, for example, are also linked to cleaner air, stronger community ties and safer spaces for young and old people in the community. This holistic, cross-issue view gives community foundations a practical feel for how change in one area can spill over into others and is fundamental to taking a systems change approach.
Community foundations also bring people together. They convene local government, businesses, charities and residents around shared concern and can thereby kickstart and hold space for collaborative processes which are essential for creating the conditions for sustainable change. Even more crucial than fostering these “vertical” relationships is their ability to connect different social groups within the community that might otherwise have relatively few points of connection. Their ability to create “bridging social capital” in the community is contingent upon opportunities for physical encounters and true eye to eye dialogue and is key to ensuring that social change ripples throughout the whole community, not just particular “social bubbles”.
Trust emerged as a central theme. Unlike policy makers or campaign groups who might arrive with strong agendas, community foundations often enjoy long-standing relationships and credibility. Participants noted that people are more willing to experiment when someone they trust is holding the process. Trust also helps new practices spread through social contagion, because people copy behaviour they see as safe and legitimate.
At the same time, Peter and Franziska warned that trust can be fragile. If leaders act too quickly – for instance by pushing policies without dialogue – change efforts can trigger anxiety or backlash. Many community foundations recognise this from their own work: communities may like an idea but resist if they feel unheard or pushed. Sustainable momentum for change has to be earned and cannot be forced.
A second insight came from recognising that tipping points do not always look positive for everyone. Franziska reminded the group that change can unsettle people who feel left behind or threatened. Shifting to renewable energy, for example, may delight some residents but worry others if they fear higher costs or loss of jobs. This links closely to the concept of inclusivity and justice in pushing for the green transition: if community foundations support change, they must also support those who struggle with it.
Timing and readiness became another concrete theme. In the Menti exercise, participants described their current systems as slow, unresponsive or even indifferent. Rather than seeing this as failure, Peter invited them to interpret these signs as stored potential and consider the long-term conditions accumulating beneath the surface. History has shown that sudden, large-scale contextual changes, such as crises, elections or new funding have suddenly made ideas viable that seemed impossible only months earlier. Because no one can predict the exact moment when something tips, participants discussed how foundations can prepare the ground: supporting pilot projects, spotlighting local role models, gathering stories and nurturing spaces where new practices feel normal.
The group also recognised that change rarely moves in one direction. Peter pointed to UK politics, where opposing forces accelerate at the same time. This is felt acutely by many community foundations working on overcoming polarisation and strengthening democratic resilience on the ground: their work to build bridges competes with and is event at risk of being undermined by the forces driving division.
Kathrin observed that community foundations already carry many of the competencies described in tipping point theory: they bridge divides, convene stakeholders and live participatory practices. Community foundations can help trigger local tipping points, but they must do so by cultivating trust, adopting and cultivating true community participation and developing a positive narrative around agency and change, rather than trying to push transformation prematurely or in a top-down manner.
Peter concluded the webinar with practical and actionable recommendations for how to translate this into practice. The Positive Tipping Points Toolkit turns systems-change research into hands-on tools for understanding how small, well-placed actions can trigger large, self-reinforcing positive change. It is useful for community foundations because it helps them identify high-leverage interventions, support collaborative change processes with communities, and plan for long-term, systemic impact rather than short-term fixes.
Resources:
- The Social Tipping Point Toolkit: https://ptptoolkit.notion.site/
- Global Tipping Points Report 2025: https://global-tipping-points.org/
- WWF Report (in German only): Positive soziale Kipppunkte in der Nachhaltigkeitstransformation: https://www.wwf.de/2025/november/kleine-impulse-grosse-wirkung
About the presenters:
- Franziska Gaupp is an environmental scientist at the University of Osnabrück. In her research, she focuses on the role of inner dimensions such as agency in the sustainability transformation. In addition to her academic role, she is trained in various coaching and facilitation approaches and has founded the social transformation consultancy Aweledge.
- Peter Lefort, runs the Green Futures Network at the University of Exeter, helping to apply the latest climate and environmental research into practice for organisations across the world. He has recently co-created the Positive Tipping Points Toolkit, an open-source resource for applying a systems approach to working for transformative change.
Menti exercise:
Menti was used to take the participants through the following questions, intended to cover the different stages of a tipping point process:
- What is one change within your local community (or at a local level) that you are working towards?
- If that change happened, what would be different in your community?
- If the change was starting to happen, what would you notice in your community?
- Think about the change you are working towards. Where are you on the curve right now?
- How does it feel to imagine yourself in that spot on the curve?
- What needs to be in place in your community for your change to be possible?
- How is the current system responding to your work for change?
- What action could cause the system to change suddenly?
