Community organisations controlling assets

What kinds of community organisations own or manage assets such as land and buildings? What are the benefits they offer and the challenges they face? IVAR research, commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and published in 2011, explored these questions.

The research revealed the diversity in the field. Prior to the research there had been an increasing policy interest in this field although the history of community ownership and management of assets goes back much further. The report argues that if the field is to continue to thrive the challenges they face need to be addressed. These include appropriate assets, the skills and time to make an asset work and adequate financial and business planning.

This research would be useful to voluntary and community organisation’s considering asset ownership and management.