Reports, white papers, and policy memos on current policy issues related to community business.
Briefing: The civic high street
Our civic high street briefing offers recommendations for how government can deliver a transformative High Street Strategy, using policy and investment to drive civic high street regeneration and create good places for communities to live, work and connect.
From the ground up: Community business and Britain’s next decade
For the past decade, Power to Change has seen community business grow steadily into a movement that spans the country. This essay collection advances a vision of Britain’s future where power and resources are in local hands and community business at the heart of facing down the nation’s challenges.
Returning power to the people: What community empowerment can do for the public and for politics
At a time when the government faces enormous pressure to mount a response to the sense of discontent and decline that the public is feeling, giving communities more local control is emerging as a solution that is both effective and popular. This research demonstrates the need to put communities at the heart of the political debate to unlock a path to national renewal.
Lessons in local growth
‘Lessons in local growth’ highlights how strategic authorities can harness the power of the social economy to drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth. The report takes learnings from partnerships with the West Midlands Combined Authority, North East Combined Authority, and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to set out ten practical lessons to growing regional social economies.
Introducing the Shuttered Front: Revisiting the high street warning lights
Support for Reform UK is rising where high streets are in decline. This may result in an electoral battle for the ‘Shuttered Front’, 39 constituencies predominantly in the Midlands and Northern England.
Closing the void: Can we reconnect politics with associational life?
This research shows that our democracy is in poor health but people who are involved in associational organisations – from book clubs to community businesses to working men’s clubs – are more likely to have trust in democratic institutions than those who are not. This report sets out concrete recommendations to government and political parties to renew our democracy through grassroots civil society, closing the void between citizens and democratic institutions.
Department stories: How communities are reimagining a national institution
Once a destination for generations of shoppers, department stores are on the decline. But community businesses are repurposing vacant department stores and town centre shopping spaces, driving new footfall to their town centres through vibrant offers that meet the needs of their community.
Fixing the foundations: A communities strategy for Britain
This paper explores community cohesion, empowerment and growth in response to the riots across the UK this summer. The recommendations put communities in the lead, reflecting the importance of places to meet and the need for support from all levels of government.
Roots of renewal: Empowering communities, transforming Britain
This manifesto sets out how the new Government can help to create the conditions for community business to thrive.
Getting it right: Introducing and implementing a Community Right to Buy
This report offers detailed guidance for the Government on how to implement a Community Right to Buy. It is based on almost 10 years of knowledge working with communities and in-depth interviews with community leaders, politicians, civil servants and others.
Financing the future economy: How community businesses can access the right finance to achieve their ambitions
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.
The role of community energy in a just transition to net zero
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.
Five years of Empowering Places: Evaluation report
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...
Community-powered high streets: How community businesses will build town centres fit for the future
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.
Work in progress: Levelling up perspectives from the community to the national level
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.
Empower communities, don’t just tinker with Westminster
Power to Change responds to the Labour Party’s Report of the Commission on the UK’s Future.
Take back the high street: Why now is the time for a High Street Buyout Fund
This paper puts forward the concept of a High Street Buyout Fund – an agile fund which will purchase high street buildings and transfer these into community management and ownership.
Backing our neighbourhoods
This paper examines the role that community organisations can play in the government’s levelling up agenda.
Policy Briefing: Creating better places through community business
