Research and analysis

Community Ownership Fund evaluation: interim report

This interim report is part of the evaluation of the Community Ownership Fund (COF), a £150 million programme that helped communities buy or renovate local assets across the UK. The evaluation looks at how the fund works, its impact, and whether it offers value for money.

From:
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Published
14 January 2026

Applies to England

Documents

Community Ownership Fund evaluation: interim report

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Details

The interim report presents findings from data collected between March 2024 and March 2025 and was commissioned to assess the process, impact, and Value for Money (VfM) using a mixed-methods design across 11 case studies:

  • Quantitative component: Six case studies include hyper-local surveys, with data compared to counterfactuals from the Community Life Survey using a difference-in-difference approach to estimate causal effects.
  • Qualitative component: All 11 case studies involve ethnographic fieldwork and online workshops to capture stakeholder experiences and contextual factors.
  • Economic component: Each case study undergoes a Value for Money assessment to determine cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

The final report will be published in Spring 2026.

Updates to this page

Published 14 January 2026

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