The relationship between money and community power in the Big Local programme

The Big Local programme has provided just over £1m in non-prescriptive funding to 150 historically underfunded communities in England. It differs fundamentally from previous initiatives by avoiding the traditional route of channelling funds through local authorities or other organisations.

The research in this report, conducted by the Stop, Collaborate and Listen (SCL) Agency, examines the relationship between financial resources and community power within Big Local. It explores to what extent the money serves both as a source and an enabler of community power, with power being examined at individual, organisational and sociopolitical levels.

Through this research, we have observed a web of interrelated components that explains how resources can generate and sustain community power. No one component on its own supported the transfer of power. Rather, a systematic and ongoing effort to construct, maintain, and strengthen the web, while continuously cultivating connections between each component, was required.

Understanding what these core components were, how they were supported or restricted, and how they could be further facilitated in the future, will help funders and designers of community-led programmes see the value and opportunities of non-prescriptive funding controlled by communities.

This research presents the risks, challenges and opportunities experienced by Big Local areas when trying to use the money to grow community power. Big Local partnerships have highlighted the importance of supporting the development of community-led infrastructure on which community power can thrive. This involves the consideration and navigation of context and recognising the crucial role that powerholders in local areas play, particularly in relinquishing control for the growth of community power.