Strengthening Communities: Strategies for Supporting Places That Have Missed Out on Funding

Introduction

This research shows how to create lasting change and deliver funding in communities that have disproportionately faced deprivation and decline and are at risk of missing out on funding.

It highlights how longer-term investment that offers more than just money can build capacity and connections.

It shares 10 examples, focusing on the particular context of each place, showing the importance of local knowledge.

The research aims to inform funders, community organisations and policymakers supporting community-led change.

Findings

The research looked at different local approaches to place-based funding. The case studies show a range of different approaches to building social infrastructure, including:

• increasing the capability and capacity of local charities and networks

• empowering communities to identify and address their priorities

• helping people to access funding opportunities

It found that:

• one-off regeneration projects and top-down investments are rarely effective in addressing issues around long-term under-funding

• communities need more than just money; they need support to build connections and opportunities, work to strengthen local capacity and skills, and the means to do deeply rooted, cross-community work

• getting resource to communities demands patience and a willingness to let communities learn to take the lead

• investing time in building local connections helps funders and decision makers to target support, remove barriers, and unleash local potential

• transparency is essential - not all approaches deliver long-term success