About Us

Development Trusts Association

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

We are aiming for a successful development trust in every community. There are now over 400 development trusts in our 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.

Green Festival, Northumberland

Development Trusts

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!

Our History

The DTA was established in February 1993. The catalyst for forming such an organisation was rooted in the vision of there being "another way", a way of combining community-led action with business expertise and enterprise.

This "vision" was the main discussion at a practitioner meeting on 4th July 1991 at the Westway Development Trust's offices in London. All who attended agreed that an umbrella body for the movement should be formed, a development trusts association. As a result, the DTA was founded by practitioners and remains practitioner led today.

In its early years, the DTA had a number of key supporters from government, business and charitable foundations, among these were the Department for Environment, Kellogs, NatWest, the Baring Foundation and the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, and we remain thankful today for their generous support.

Follow the links on the left for further information about the DTA's Mission and Objectives, regional activities, the board and members of our staff team.