New for this autumn’s ABCs of Community Assets with support from This Day Foundation, we’re offering 10 funded learning partnerships to community groups that are in the early stage of the journey.
Your group could be:
- Negotiating a Community Asset Transfer from a local council
- Working with a commercial partner to unlock space
- Attempting to use Community Right to Buy powers
- Campaigning to protect a cultural space
- Raising different types of finance
- Developing a portfolio of assets through a single entity or a consortium of organisations
- Testing new approaches in a particular region where it is has been more difficult/less successful
The programme is designed for groups committed to broad community ownership who have a specific site or asset in their sights. It is not aimed at established community asset organisations.
Online sessions and study visits fees and expenses for our learning partners are covered. Please note that time for participation is not covered.
What do we expect from our learning partners?
- 2 individuals to join each online session (three hours every fortnight)
- Attend at least 1 study visit (travel expenses covered for 1)
- Join a monthly learning sharing session with a member of our team
- Be available for occasional conversations with our funders
- Review and provide feedback on our final learnings report
This end-to-end programme covers all stages of community engagement, developing a business plan, choosing legal structures, raising investment, negotiating leases and freeholds, and all of the sessions are led by experienced course leaders, while also designed for peer-to-peer learning, providing opportunities for participants to meet others, make connections, and share experiences.
How to apply
Complete our online Expression of Interest form no later than 31 July 2026. It asks for some details about your group, a few eligibility questions, and three short answers (100 words each) about who you are, what you're hoping to achieve, and the neighbourhood you're working in. We'll use your answers to select a cohort that reflects a diversity of places, projects and communities.
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