Repository
A curated and searchable collection of community-related research reports, case studies and publications
Evidence of the lived experiences of poverty in the UK
Published: 2024
This synthesis report outlines The Young Foundation’s work exploring the nature of poverty and low income in the UK since 2009. It feeds into a thematic review compiled for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation by GMCVO.
Our journey to net zero: Understanding household and community participation in the UK’s transition to a greener future
Published: 2024
Our new report warns the government’s existing net zero transition policies are likely to make the poor poorer, and push struggling communities further into deprivation and exclusion.
This research – which was funded by the Nuffield Foundation and developed with the University of Leeds, University of York and Trinity College Dublin – f…
Community Ownership: A Way Forward for Wales
Published: 2024
This report evidences community needs and evaluates existing policies and legislation in Scotland and England, identifying strengths and weaknesses to provide lessons for future “community rights” in Wales. This research was commissioned and funded by Building Communities Trust (BCT) and undertaken by Plunkett Foundation.
The Civic Journey: introducing the idea
Published: 2023
The Civic Journey is a transformational two-year youth-led programme that was launched in September 2021. Against a backdrop of increasing evidence concerning social polarisation and community fragmentation, the programme focuses on illuminating and unleashing the civic potential of young people to reinvigorate communities, identify innovative …
Lessons in community-led housing
Published: 2023
In 2017 Power to Change launched its Homes in Community Hands programme, to support community led housing (CLH). Focusing on five urban areas across England, the programme has helped plan and develop individual housing projects, develop enabler organisations, and capitalise other investment and funding mechanisms. These three reports summarise …
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 …
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…
Conceptualising socially inclusive environmental policy: a just transition to Net Zero
Published: 2023
The policy area addressing the climate crisis in the UK, ‘Net Zero’, will affect many aspects of people’s everyday life. Given that policy builds from where we are now, which for some (post austerity, and mid cost of living crisis) means in financial crisis, there is work to be done in enabling a socially inclusive Net Zero. In this artic…
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.
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) …
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…
Third Sector Trends in England and Wales 2022: Full suite of reports
Published: 2023
Third Sector Trends has been running since 2008. The study has been surveying the sector every three years since 2010 and as such is the largest survey of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in England and Wales.
In 2022, 6,071 responses were received across England and Wales (an average of ~600 responses in each region). Des…