Community businesses

We back community business from the ground up.

Community businesses are helping communities across England to build stronger local economies and better places to live. 

With the right conditions, community businesses can thrive. But they face the same challenges as other businesses, with growing demand and less funding support.  

We’re here to back community business from the ground up.  

How we’re backing your community business

Working in partnership

We’re bringing partners together to fund and develop projects that demonstrate what works for community business. 

Demonstrating what works

Help us test and learn what works for community business. Get involved in our current and upcoming opportunities for community businesses. 

Resources for you

Through our evidence and our work with partners, you can access a variety of resources to help your community business.

Shaping the conditions that affect your business

We use our experience to bring partners together to do, test and learn what works. We use this activity to inform the policy, practice and behaviour of those that have an impact on community business – policymakers at all levels, funders, social investors and mainstream financial institutions. 

We invest in research and evidence and share it openly so that all communities can learn what works (and what didn’t).  

Get inspired

There’s a growing network of 11,000 inspirational and energetic community businesses up and down the country.  

No matter your size, function or location, there’ll be other community businesses who have faced the same challenges. 

Read their stories and learn more about community businesses.

News and views

Community business is a catalyst for growth and cohesion

Community business is a catalyst for growth and cohesion

Our latest research on the economic contribution of community business illustrates the key role they play in economic growth. But their value goes beyond economic measures, playing a vital role in fostering connection, social value, and resilience in our communities.
Give us a chance and we’ll give you community power

Give us a chance and we’ll give you community power

Next up in our 10th anniversary essay collection, Sacha Bedding, Chief Executive of the Wharton Trust, reflects on their journey to empower local people in Dyke House, Hartlepool, to take action in their community.
Equity and inclusion in community business support

Equity and inclusion in community business support

The Powering Up programme placed equity and inclusion at its heart, recognising the additional barriers faced by minoritised and racialised communities. This blog shares key lessons from our approach, from simplifying access and embedding culturally competent support, to building trust through lived experience and continuously evolving the programme design.
No results found.