Acquiring Community Assets

Research Network

The RSA Research Network on Acquiring Community Assets – the role of social capital in enterprise, energy and sustainable economic development will investigate the issues which arise when ‘communities’ have been given the opportunity to manage and/or purchase resources for ‘development’ purposes. The resources can be anything from land and physical structures, such as a particular building, to institutional resources, such as organisations, joint / community ownership / community commons and community stewardship to safeguard or promote development. The ‘development’ may consist of socio-economic development, sustainable development or for the pursuit of sport and recreational usage.By bringing together academics, policy makers and community practitioners from across Europe to incorporate different approaches and cultures, the network will address:

1. Exploring and evaluating community assets: ownership, management and governance
2. The role of community assets in enterprise, energy and sustainable economic development
3. The importance and generation of resources and social capital
4. The identification of best or good practices in varying European contexts.