One of the main aims of our funding has been to support communities to identify and promote what is important to them. Many of our research and evaluation projects have focused on or considered such themes as community involvement or empowerment, cohesion and social capital.
The following links tell you more about specific research and evaluation studies we have undertaken in this area.
- Fair Share has explored ways of giving areas that had received comparatively less Lottery funding opportunities to build their skills and confidence. Big Local (run by the Local Trust) builds on the successes of and learning from the Fair Share Trust.
- Transforming Your Space involved communities in identifying and making practical improvements to their local environment.
- The Scottish Land Fund has allowed highland and island communities to take charge of land and buildings and so to turn around long-term economic and social decline. Growing Community Assets has built on this, extending the approach to urban areas.
- We ran Community Assets on behalf of the Office for Civil Society in England. The programme supported the transfer of assets from local authorities to third-sector organisations.
- We have since led a wide range of asset and capital programmes and studies.
- Village SOS explored some of the challenges involved in stimulating economies in rural communities.
- In Start with People, Demos considered strengths of and possibilities for community-led action.
Read an overview of our learning about community involvement.
Please contact us if you’d like any further information.