At Power to Change, we are curious and rigorous; we do, test and learn. This means investing in high quality research, evaluation, and insight, and making our data freely available for others to use. Our evidence base shows that community business works to create thriving places when local people take ownership of spaces that matter and deliver services that communities need. We are committed to demonstrating the impact of community businesses, and sharing learning and insight about what support they need in order to thrive.
Previous research conducted by our Research Institute between 2015-2021, including all reports and datasets, is available on theInstitute for Community Studies Repository.
The Resilient Communities Fund provided emergency support as quickly as possible to community businesses, to support them to implement energy resilience projects to become more resilient to both climate change and the cost-of-living crisis.
Financing the future economy: How community businesses can access the right finance to achieve their ambitions
16th May 2024
This report provides an overview of the finance and funding landscape for community business, outlining the challenges in accessing the right type of finance at the right time, and situating access to finance within the wider policy context.
Leading the Way – Evaluation Report
5th December 2023
The Leading the Way programme aimed to increase the skills, confidence, and networks of community enterprise leaders. This report evaluates it's impact, including on their enteprises and communities.
The role of Community Energy in a Just Transition to Net Zero
4th December 2023
This policy report highlights the support needed from government, local authorities, electricity systems operators, and funders to unlock the potential of Community Energy Businesses (CEBs) in achieving a Net Zero future.
Community Life Survey Hyperlocal Booster Report
20th November 2023
Reporting on Kantar Public’s difference-in-difference analysis of the hyperlocal version of the Community Life Survey.
A manifesto for the age of localisation
28th September 2023
This paper outlines what the next government must do to give community businesses the right powers, resources, and backing.
Getting started with Community Improvement Districts
15th September 2023
This Community Improvements Districts guidance helps communities imagine new possibilities for high streets, and gives readers the tools they need to make those possibilities a reality.
Community business and climate action
1st September 2023
Scoping and analysing community business’ role in the transition to a fairer, greener economy
Five years of Empowering Places: evaluation report
3rd August 2023
Empowering Places was a unique five-year programme designed by Power to Change to explore ways in which ‘locally rooted’ anchor organisations, operating in areas of high deprivation, could be supported to catalyse community businesses...
Annual Report 2022
18th July 2023
Our 2022 annual report reviews the eighth year of Power to Change’s operations. It covers the grants we made and our future plans, alongside a financial review of 2022 and our statutory accounts.
Community Business in England and Wales: new findings from Third Sector Trends
13th July 2023
A new report explores how community businesses compare to other third sector organisations across England and Wales.
Community Improvement Districts pilot programme: Final report
6th July 2023
Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) provide a new approach for community stakeholders to have more say on strategic direction of the high streets alongside local authorities, businesses and other local stakeholders.
Community Business Crowdmatch Evaluation
5th July 2023
This report was written by Clear Impact Consulting and retrospectively evaluates Community Business Crowdmatch, which ran between 2017 and 2022 in partnership with Crowdfunder UK.
What does it take to strengthen the financial capabilities of community businesses?
8th June 2023
Insights and learnings from the Financial Capabilities pilots, delivered by The Women's Organisation and Locality.
Understanding community businesses’ impact measurement needs
31st May 2023
Since 2015, Power to Change has made significant investments in research, evaluation, and data analysis to better understand whether community businesses improve places, and, if so, whether we have supported them to do so.
Community-powered high streets: how community businesses will build town centres fit for the future
10th May 2023
This new Take Back The High Street report by Power to change explores the reasons why high street vacancy rates have increased and set out the policy change needed for community-led regeneration of our high streets.
Exploring barriers to funding and support experienced by marginalised community businesses
26th April 2023
This report, produced by Spark Insights and Locality, and commissioned by Power to Change, explores the experiences of community businesses and organisations led by or supporting people experiencing marginalisation on the barriers and solutions to accessing funding and support.
Community Improvement Districts pilot: what we’ve learnt so far
27th March 2023
The pilot programme for Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) has emerged from a continuing need to revitalise traditional high streets and town centres. We explore our learnings so far.
Work in progress: Levelling up perspectives from the community to the national level
20th March 2023
A new report on 'levelling up' from Power to Change reveals that some progress has been made for communities, but there is little impact being made, leading to public pessimism.
Space for community: strengthening our social infrastructure
25th January 2023
A new report by the British Academy and Power to Change explores how social infrastructure contributes to communities’ wellbeing, helps develop their resilience and tackles deepening geographic inequalities.
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