Repository
A curated and searchable collection of community-related research reports, case studies and publications
Communities doing it for themselves: Celebrating a decade of the Community Shares Unit
Published: 2023
It has been a decade since the Community Shares Unit launched in 2012 with over £210 million raised using this unique form of finance. This report aims to provide a detailed and inspiring update on the community shares market while celebrating key milestones, innovations and learnings over the last ten years.
Community perceptions of social infrastructure
Published: 2023
‘Social infrastructure’ is a phrase often used by policymakers and academics to refer to those spaces – both physical and digital – that people use to come together. In its 2021 report, Backing our Neighbourhoods, Power to Change, the independent trust that strengthens communities through community business, made the case for a more coh…
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.
Only Reconnect
Published: 2023
A report of the ‘Reconnection Summit’ that took place in October 2022. The summit was organised by the Institute for Community Studies andTPXImpact, in partnership with Engage Britain and its ‘Grassroots Advisory Network (a group of community activists and leaders from across the UK who act as advisors on the work of Engage Britain and identify…
Policy spotlight 1: How social infrastructure improves outcomes
Published: 2023
A report on the importance of neighbourhood-level social infrastructure in building strong, cohesive and prosperous communities.
You can find more reports written or commissioned by Local Trust here.
Social infrastructure: international comparative review
Published: 2023
The British Academy report, ‘Shaping the COVID Decade’, included a call to “strengthen and expand [the] community-led social infrastructure that underpins the vital services and support structures needed to enhance local resilience, particularly in the most deprived areas” (the British Academy, 2021a, p. 34). In response, the British Academy fu…
Working with community groups: Why and how to do it
Published: 2022
Guidance for public agencies about working with community groups, based on research exploring relationships between Big Local areas and different public sector agencies.
You can find more reports written or commissioned by Local Trust here.
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 Assets
Published: 2022
The Welsh Parliament (Senedd Cymru) Local Government and Housing Committee undertook an inquiry into community assets, with a specific focus on barriers and opportunities for communities to acquire built assets for community use. The Committee explored how the statutory and policy framework encourages and supports the development of c…
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…