Development Trusts

Development Trusts are independent community-based, owned and managed organisations who are actively engaged in the economic, environmental and social regeneration of a defined area or community. They are self-sufficient or aiming for self sufficiency, and not for private profit. The key aim of a development trust is to develop effective links between those who live and work in their target areas and partners in the public and private sectors.

Advantages

Can bring long term, more sustainable benefits to an area.
Provides a useful bridge between local people's knowledge, skills and aspirations and other service providers.
Community-run and managed organisations are more trusted by local residents.
The trust's activities should act as a means of developing local people through training, volunteering and employment opportunities.
Combines the energy and knowledge of community activity with ethical business practice.

Disadvantages

They take time to establish, and are a significant undertaking for a community.
This is not a short term, project approach to community engagement. Sustaining and growing a development trust's funding base is an ever-present issue.

When to use

In a well-established, mature community context which is commited to high level, impact activity.
When there is real, sustainable support from other public and private sector agencies and a committment to making the trust work.

Development trusts are an established mechanism for trying to encourage grass-roots-led community regeneration. The Development Trust Association has lots of advice and guidance about establishing a development trust.

Salford has two development trusts: the Broughton Trust and the Seedley and Langworthy Trust.