Highlands and Islands Enterprise
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HIE support and guidance

Community and asset development guidance

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Helping you lead social and economic change

Communities in the Highlands and Islands have a long history of doing things for themselves. They have a huge amount of talent, energy and passion for creating development opportunities. We work to empower and enable local people to take control of their own futures through a range of support and advice.

Through owning and managing land, property and other assets, communities can generate income to advance their own development, creating jobs, providing vital services, building and improving houses, and much more.

Over 534,000 acres (216,102 hectares) of land across the Highlands and Islands are now owned and/or managed by local communities including large estates, forests, shops, petrol stations, industrial units and even lighthouses. Asset-driven projects transform entire communities, and lead to long-term growth.

Have a look at some of the guidance available to help you take projects forward at your own hand. If you'd like to speak with us about taking a project forward, please get in touch. 

Contact us

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Community Benefits guidance

Community benefits are voluntary packages that businesses and developers provide to support communities. These can be financial or in-kind assistance, and both aim to empower communities to devise and deliver projects according to the needs and aspirations of the wider community.

Find out more

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Routes to community ownership guidance

There are a variety of ways your community can be involved in running or owning an asset. Our step-by-steps guides on routes to ownership can help you identify what you need to do.

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Ten steps to community ownership guidance

What do you need to get a community development project off the ground?

Get useful and practical advice in our toolkit. Each of our ten steps contains useful tools and resources to help you along your journey.

Ten steps to community ownership

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100 years of community land ownership

Watch 'Our Land - Building a Future' as it traces the history of the globally recognised community land ownership movement in our region.

 

Strengthening Communities Conference

Useful guides supporting communities

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Find the right support for you

Whether you're developing something new, improving productivity, growing sales, building skills or strengthening your community, we can help you take the next step.

Strengthen your community

Access funding, guidance and support to take forward community projects, develop local assets and deliver lasting benefits for your community.

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Not found what you’re looking for?

If you’re not sure what support is right for you, or can’t find what you need, get in touch with our team and we’ll help point you in the right direction.

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Feedback provided here is anonymous and cannot be replied to. If you have an enquiry and would like us to get back to you, please use our contact us form.

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