A report from Social Finance has revealed new findings about the current state and scope of the community business sector. The report finds that there are around 4,500 community businesses in England and Wales, with a combined income of £800m a year and assets of £1 billion. These community businesses employ around 24,000 staff and engage nearly 120,000 volunteers.
community business market analysis
Published: January 2015 | Document ID: 8
Published: 2023
‘A Better Form of Business’ is a series of research reports on community-owned businesses that have been completed annually by the Plunkett Foundation since 2011. The reports offer evidence on the needs and health of the community business sector, trends in growth and services, and the important social, economic and environmental impact tha…
Published: 2023
This policy report highlights the support needed from government, local authorities, electricity systems operators, and funders to unlock the potential of Community Energy Businesses (CEBs) in achieving a Net Zero future.
Published: 2023
Over the past six years, Power to Change has become one of the largest funders of community climate action in England, with over £25m of funding and investment supporting climate action in more than 450 community businesses.
To ensure Power to Change’s work is underpinned by robust evidence, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) …
Published: 2023
This report is the legacy of the #iwill project, funded by the Dulverton Trust in partnership with the #iwill Fund (a joint investment between The National Lottery Community Fund and Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport), and delivered by the Plunkett Foundation from 2022 to 2023 – to help community businesses engage, involve and …
Published: 2023
Empowering Places was designed by Power to Change as an experiment to explore what happens when local anchor organisations are supported to catalyse community businesses in deprived communities in England.
This evaluation report is the final in a series of six reports and several short
ethnographic films. The interim reports took a formative a…
Published: 2023
This report was prepared by CAG Consultants on behalf of Power to Change as part of the evaluation of the Next Generation programme. It provides an evaluation of the peer mentoring scheme that was implemented as part of the Next Generation programme, with a view to informing future peer mentoring initiatives in the community energy sector.
Published: 2023
Durability – concerning the conditions and qualities community businesses might possess to enable their long-term operation in a community – is thought to play an important role in the success and sustainability of the community business sector. This report summarises findings from a desk-based review of 18 publications commissioned by Powe…
Published: 2023
Year 3 report and summary findings about the innovation strand of the Next Generation programme for community energy businesses, by Power to Change. The report covers the processes used and impacts, as well as sharing learning from the programme for the benefit of community groups, policy makers and other community energy stakeholders.
Published: 2022
This report summarises findings from a desk-based review of 17 publications commissioned by Power to Change, to share findings on the support and challenges that are faced by community businesses. Looking across Power to Change’s grant and support programmes such as the Bright Ideas, Trade Up and Community Business Fund programmes, the report…
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