Bringing community priorities into municipal planning is an important step towards scaling locally led adaptation. This brief examines GCA’s work with Practical Action and Narayanganj City Corporation in Bangladesh to inform an Asian Development Bank-supported urban development project. Through People’s Adaptation Plans in 16 informal settlements and Women’s Adaptation Labs in five settlements, the initiative helped residents identify their needs and engage directly with city authorities. The approach combined local knowledge with climate risk assessments to inform future investments in infrastructure and basic services.

The experience offers practical lessons for connecting community-led planning with municipal decision-making. Committed local officials, skilled facilitation and sustained support for community participation are essential to ensuring that residents’ priorities influence investment decisions. The brief also examines the challenges of maintaining trust when planning processes take years to deliver tangible benefits. It recommends pairing participatory planning with demonstration investments and longer-term support for local leadership, particularly among women in informal settlements.