Repository: community business

Community Ownership: A better form of business 2023

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…

Community Businesses and Climate Action

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) …

The Role of Community Energy in a Just Transition to Net Zero

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.

Five years of Empowering Places: Evaluation report

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…

Young People in Community Business: A legacy report from the #iwill programme

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 …

Durability in the community business 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…

Evaluation of the Next Generation programme for Community Energy – innovation Year 3

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.

Evaluation report: Next Generation peer mentoring scheme

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.

Supports and challenges for community businesses: Lessons learnt from Power to Change’s legacy programme evaluations

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…

Community Pubs – A better form of business 2022

Published: 2022

This research used mixed methods to look at the size, characteristics and performance of the community pub sector in the UK. This is the eighth of such reports, building on what’s known about the sector as it becomes increasingly established. It can be used as an information resource and benchmarking tool for pubs, funders and support organis…

Community Shops – A better form of business 2022

Published: 2022

This comprehensive publication looks at the community shop sector in the UK. It was first published in 2011 and has grown with additional information year on year. The report can now be used as a startup guide for new groups, a benchmarking tool for existing community shops, and is used by funders and support organisations to futureproof servic…

Empowering Places: Impact on the community and wider place

Published: 2022

Empowering Places aims to build more resilient and prosperous communities by building the capacity of local organisations to catalyse and support the growth of new community businesses. It funds locally rooted ‘catalyst’ organisations in six areas of high deprivation. Each catalyst receives up to £1 million (July 2017–December 2022)…