Who we work with

For regional and local authorities

We work with regional and local authorities to grow our social economy.

Power to Change has supported the growth and development of community business since 2015. We value the role that local and regional government plays in growing the sector regionally. 

We work in partnership with regional and combined authorities to understand the unique needs of their local social economy and community businesses.  

We’ve worked with community businesses to shape the development of social investment funds and growth strategies in places like Liverpool City Region, Bristol, the North of Tyne and the West Midlands. And we bring in the wider social sector to identify regional priorities for investment and support. 

Looking to grow the social economy in your combined authority? Get in touch with our Portfolio Manager, Natalie White.

Email Natalie

Current partnerships

West Midlands Combined Authority

We’re working with West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to support their goal to double the size of the social economy in 10 years, through implementing their social economy strategy.

We co-fund the role of Social Economy Strategic Lead, as well as match-funding WMCA to involve grassroots community businesses and minoritised communities in making it happen.

Our work in the West Midlands

North East Combined Authority

Our partnership in the North East began in 2022 the North of Tyne Combined, which was absorbed into North East Combined Authority in May 2024.We are continuing to work with the Combined Authority to understand the needs of their social economy and develop a strategy or fund to invest and grow the sector.

Our call for evidence has led us to jointly develop a report, now informing the development of a Social Economy Accelerator in the North East.

Our work in the North East

Our impact so far

adult hugging a child

Investing in Liverpool City Region

Kindred is a community interest company (CIC), owned locally and collectively, reinvesting money, space and learning into Liverpool City Region’s socially-trading economy. The social investment vehicle was created out of our partnership with Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Learn more
a group dances outside the Trinity Building in Bristol, as part of Born to Protest - a hip-hop dance theatre show by choreographer Joseph Toonga

Investing in Bristol

In 2018, Power to Change joined forces with Bristol and Bath Regional Capital, Big Society Capital, and Bristol City Council to create and co-fund a first-of-its-kind blended fund for Bristol. Now established, Bristol City Funds is a place-based, locally led £10m fund which aims to catalyse sustainable and transformational change in the city.

Learn more

Investing in local networks

We designed Empowering Places to explore how locally rooted anchor organisations, operating in areas of high deprivation, could be the catalysts for new community business. 

Over five years, we gathered learnings and evidence to model how local authorities, networks and community businesses can work together to grow the social economy, building prosperous places and opportunities for local people. 

About Empowering Places
More stories of community business

News and views

New research explores solutions for building resilient communities and tackling geographic inequalities

New research explores solutions for building resilient communities and tackling geographic inequalities

News
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.
Accelerating the Social Economy in the North East

Accelerating the Social Economy in the North East

Our thinking
North of Tyne Combined Authority and Power to Change are working together to invest in and grow the region’s social economy, responding directly to the sector’s evidenced needs for finance and support. But what could this support look like?
Empowering Places: reflecting on five years of place-based investment

Empowering Places: reflecting on five years of place-based investment

Our thinking
The Empowering Places programme supported and seeded community businesses in underserved areas of England using a relational approach, leadership and reputation, unrestricted grants, and flexible yet targeted support over a five-year period. This blog reflects on the learnings from the programme.
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