When Money Comes Up Short: Implementing Resource Coordination Systems to Redefine Planning for Economic Development

<p class="ds-markdown-paragraph">Urban planning traditionally treats money as the primary tool for economic development. But what happens when formal currency is scarce? This study examines Commitment Pooling, a blockchain-based Resource Coordination System implemented by Grassroots Economics in Kenya, where members trade promises (commitments) rather than just currency. <p class="ds-markdown-paragraph">Seventeen active Commitment Pools were analyzed using a novel methodological combination: Elinor Ostrom's Social-Ecological Systems Framework paired with Qualitative Comparative Analysis. Five second-tier variables were evaluated as potential determinants of pool success. These included: Leadership, Number of Units, Economic Value, Productivity of Systems, and Predictability of System.&nbsp; <p class="ds-markdown-paragraph">Findings reveal Leadership as the dominant factor for successful pool management. Among pools scoring above the health threshold (considered healthy CPs), 7 out of 9 demonstrated strong Leadership; among unsuccessful pools (8), only 1 did. Institutionally-backed pools (universities, businesses) succeeded even with low Productivity of Systems, while community-oriented pools required different configurations. <p class="ds-markdown-paragraph">A Pool Health Measuring Tool was developed assigning Leadership 60% weight, with remaining conditions serving complementary roles. The methodological pairing of SES and QCA proved successful and warrants further application in planning research. For practitioners, the tool offers a flexible framework. However, success ultimately depends on stewards' contextual knowledge and adaptive management capacity. Commitment Pooling shows promise for communities facing liquidity constraints, though blockchain complexity remains a barrier to broader replication.