Thematic Paper: Assets & Community Businesses

Community assets – buildings or land which are used for the social interest or wellbeing of the wider community – can be essential to a community business’ service delivery and financial sustainability, and can contribute to greater community empowerment and pride. Power to Change supported community businesses at different stages of their journey with assets through the Bright Ideas, Trade Up and Community Business Fund programmes. This paper brings together learnings across the three programmes to explore the impact that asset ownership can have on community businesses, reviews elements of the programmes that were particularly effective, and identifies ways in which funders can further support community businesses to acquire and manage assets.