Putting communities in the spotlight 
Expanding your activities
Although your group may have been set up with a specific purpose in mind, you might want to build on this by developing new ideas and trying out other activities. The resources and further links in this section will give you infomation on delivering services, taking control of local assets and becoming a social enterprise.
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Asset Transfer Routemap |
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Community Action for a Sustainable Scotland |
Community Action for a Sustainable Scotland (CASS) is a set of 7 guides for community organisations covering environmental issues. Some of the topics, such as making your building more environmentally sustainable and greening your office, could even save your group money in the long run. |
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Community Buildings Checker |
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Community Development Finance Institutions |
Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) are social enterprises that can support your group to develop its own enterprise by providing loans that would otherwise not be available. Use the Finding Finance website, provided by the Community Development Finance Association, to find local examples. |
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Community Growing Resource Pack |
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Community Ownership In Scotland: A Baseline Study |
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Community Ownership Support Service |
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Community Shares |
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More |
Eight Step Guide to a Community Land Buyout |
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More |
Energising Community Halls |
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Just Enterprise |
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Highlands and Islands Entrerprise |
HIE's focus is on combining economic and community development so it should be a vital source of support for groups in the Highlands and Islands who want to develop their social enterprise activity. A good place to start is HIE's Strengthening Communities team, which works with local groups and social enterprises, helping them to grow. |
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Public Asset Transfer: Empowering Communities |
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The New Barn-Raising |
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Town Centre Toolkit |
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More |
Senscot |
Senscot is a national network connecting social enterprises and social entrepreneurs in Scotland. |
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SENs |
SENs is the name Senscot (see above) gives to its work with Social Enterprise Networks (SENs) in Scotland. There are now more than 20 SENs operating across Scotland – 5 thematic and 15 geographically based - connecting over 460 social enterprises.
They provide opportunities ranging from peer support to being part ofa collective voice. The SENs website provides links to all of them |
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The Woodland Trust |
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Developed by the Community Ownership Support Service (see below), this attractive resource takes you through the steps you need to follow to take over the running of local assets such as land and buildings.
A resource, developed by Locality in England, for community groups who want to check the viability of their idea for a community building project.
A comprehensive introduction to setting up, developing and sustaining a community-managed farm, garden or related community growing space. Developed by the Federation of Community Farms and Community Gardens.
Community shares allow you to raise money for a social enterprise through selling 'withdrawable shares' to the wider community.
Provides a useful overview of how to go about 
This guide to community energy can help your community building save money and look at what renewables might be suitable for your site. This guide is the result of a year-long CCF funded project by REAP based in Keith, Moray.
This Development Trust Association Scotland (DTAS) report looks at current practice across Scotland in relation to asset transfer
A toolkit created in the U.S. for those looking to run community assets. Different context but Scottish community groups still might find some secions relevant.
The Town Centre Toolkit contains ideas and examples of how people and organisations can make their town centre more attractive, more active, and more accessible.
It provides a bulletin, holds meetings and helps to promote and develop the social enterprise sector.
The Woodland Trust website contains various resources that can help your community group to promote enjoyment and use of woodland. Resources include
