This paper focuses on the analysis of programs, projects and activities of five Romanian women’s rights NGOs that are actively involved in the promotion of gender equality, women’s social and economic development, and also in actions regarding the social inclusion and economic development of other groups of vulnerable population. They are successfully undertaking a bottom-up approach of community development by acting at the local, regional and even national levels, both by creating public-private partnerships and also alone. These NGOs are also successfully applying the social economy principles and practices for social and economic development. The bottom-up approach for community development is perceived as being a more efficient method compared with the traditional top-down approach which often fails to address context-related problems, resulting in the marginalization of some problematic local and even regional groups of population.