Our Place: Learning Report on 'Our Place' Funding in Scotland

Introduction

Our Place is a National Lottery initiative. It empowers local people and groups to determine where National Lottery funding is spent in their community.

This report is intended for:

• funders

• policymakers

• community development organisations

• local groups involved in place‑based initiatives

It examines how place‑based working affected:

• participation

• local assets

• relationships

• service development

Findings

The review found that community builders played a crucial role in:

• bringing people together

• supporting new groups

• encouraging wider involvement in decision‑making

Communities reported stronger relationships with local authorities, greater pride, and a renewed sense of possibility.

In general, the Our Place programme:

• increased community participation and ambition

• strengthened the skills local networks and partnerships

• improved confidence among groups delivering projects

It also led to improvements such as enhanced:

• community facilities

• parks

• hubs

• local activities

However, challenges included:

• consultation fatigue

• periods of slow progress

• uneven community representation

• territorial dynamics

• the difficulty of supporting large capital projects without the capacity needed

Skills gaps, delivery pressures and partnership tensions also impacted project timelines.