NCA becomes a member of the Development Trusts Association

Published 16th Jun 2008

The NCA has become a full member of the Develoment Trusts Association. Membership will allow the NCA to access a wealth of advice, guidance and information.

Development Trusts Association
The DTA is a network of community practitioners. They help people set up development trusts, and also help existing trusts learn from each other and work effectively. They also influence government and others at national and local level, to build support and investment for the movement.

They are aiming for a successful development trust in every community. There are now over 400 development trusts in their membership, in both urban and rural areas. While many are still small, others are operating at scale: the combined income is over £240m and development trusts have £430m of assets in community ownership.

Development trusts are community owned and led organisations.

They use self-help, trading for social purpose, and ownership of buildings and land, to bring about long-term social, economic and environmental benefits in their community.

They operate in both urban and rural areas, often in neighbourhoods which have experienced the worst economic decline. They are independent, but work with the public sector, private businesses, and with other community groups.

They are community ‘anchor’ organisations, delivering services and facilities, finding solutions to local problems, and helping other organisations and initiatives succeed.

Development trusts create wealth in communities - and keep it there!