Technical Appendix – Employment and skills: The role of community businesses

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…

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.

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.

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 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…

Community Shops – A better form of business 2022

Published: 2022

This comprehensive publication looks at the community shop sector in the UK. It was first published in 2011 and has grown with additional information year on year. The report can now be used as a startup guide for new groups, a benchmarking tool for existing community shops, and is used by funders and support organisations to futureproof servic…

Empowering Places: Impact on the community and wider place

Published: 2022

Empowering Places aims to build more resilient and prosperous communities by building the capacity of local organisations to catalyse and support the growth of new community businesses. It funds locally rooted ‘catalyst’ organisations in six areas of high deprivation. Each catalyst receives up to £1 million (July 2017–December 2022)…

Understanding impact for community businesses – Challenges and good practices for community businesses and funders

Published: 2022

This paper explores what community businesses can do to understand their social impact, reflecting on the challenges and building on some of the good practices identified through three Power to Change-funded programmes (Bright Ideas, Trade Up and the Community Business Fund). This is presented following the three main elements that community bu…