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Development Trust

General characteristics

A locally-owned, not-for-profit organisation that works towards the social and economic regeneration of an area (usually deprived).

Ownership: a development trust is owned by its members, but as many will be charities their primary duty will be to donors and beneficiaries. Members are not beneficial owners and do not personally have any access to the organisation's income or assets.

Charitable status: many development trusts are charities.

Examples of use

The Development Trusts Association represents a broad range of local development trusts.

Legal forms used

Many are registered as companies limited by guarantee; some have opted to register as societies for the benefit of the community and some are charities. Smaller and embryonic development trusts may be constituted as associations.

Profit distribution

None.

Participation issues

Development trusts can be complex organisations, relating internally to their members - drawn from the local community - and externally to a range of stakeholders, residents, developers, statutory authorities, voluntary organisations, and so on. A successful development trust is thus likely to make use of a wide range of participative techniques in different situations.

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