Highlands and Islands Enterprise
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HIE support and guidance

Community and asset development

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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 the support available for community and asset development below. If you'd like to speak with us about taking a project forward, please get in touch. 

Contact us

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Scottish Land fund

The Scottish Land Fund is a Scottish Government funded programme delivered in partnership by HIE and the National Lottery Community Fund.

Voluntary or community organisations and public sector organisations across Scotland are eligible to apply for funding of between £5,000 to £1m.

Find out more

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Community Assets Knowledge Exchange programme

The Community Assets Knowledge Exchange programme provides funding to help community organisations take part in training and learning experiences related to owning land or buildings. Grants of up to £2,000 are available.

Find out more

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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Community Right to Buy Fund

With a buoyant and fast-paced property market it's currently more difficult for communities to buy land and buildings. To help reduce barriers in this area, we have financial support available.  

Communities can apply for up to £5,000 towards the costs of investigating ownership, registering an interest and applying to purchase land and/or buildings through our Community Right to Buy Fund.

Community Right to Buy Fund

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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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Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015

The Act helps empower community bodies through the ownership of land and buildings, and by strengthening their voices in decisions about public services. Community bodies can make the following request to us:

  • Asset Transfer Request

  • Participation Request

Community Empowerment Act

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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

Need support?

Have a look at some of our support and funding available to apply for now.

Community development

Our support for communities is flexible. Find out how we can help including funding, asset and land development, specialist advice and more.

Community Right to Buy fund

We have up to £5,000 available to help communities investigate the ownership, register an interest and apply to purchase land and buildings through our Community Right to Buy Fund.

Community Assets Knowledge Exchange Fund

Grants of up to £2,000 are available through the Community Assets Knowledge Exchange programme to support training and learning experiences related to owning land or buildings.

Scottish Land Fund

The Scottish Land Fund provides funding for community organisations across Scotland to own land, buildings and other assets.

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