Crisis support that helps sustain community organisations
Our Crisis Support Service evaluation shows the difference timely, specialist support can make to development trusts facing serious difficulty and what their experiences can teach the wider community sector.
When a development trust faces a crisis, the stakes extend beyond the organisation itself. Community buildings, local services, jobs and years of volunteer effort can all be at risk.
DTAS developed the Crisis Support Service to help members navigate these challenges. Working alongside their existing Member Support Advisor, the service brings together financial analysis, practical action planning, specialist advice and support for boards to take the decisions needed for recovery.
Making a difference to our members
Between January 2024 and March 2026, the service received referrals from 39 development trusts. Of these, 28 required full crisis intervention, while 11 were supported through Core Member Support.
Of the 28 organisations receiving crisis intervention:
- 20 stabilised, with recovery plans embedded and a return to Core Member Support.
- 3 continued operating after closing a subsidiary.
- 3 remain in ongoing crisis support.
- 2 wound up or exited DTAS membership.
Together, the first two outcomes represent 23 organisations, or 82% of those receiving crisis intervention, that stabilised or continued operating following subsidiary closure.
The service also awarded £25,466.60 across 18 grants to 10 organisations, helping members access specialist advice and support they could not otherwise afford.
Recovery often involved difficult decisions, including reducing activities, redundancies and rebuilding financial systems. The service provided a structure for making those decisions, sharing responsibility and moving forward.
Learning that matters across the sector
The evaluation also highlights pressures with implications beyond individual members. Among the 39 organisations referred, 18 owned assets whose running costs had never been covered by income from lets or grants.
This is one of the most significant findings from the Crisis Support Service: some community asset transfers have been completed on the basis of income assumptions that were never realistic. The organisations now holding those assets have been managing an unsustainable financial position, sometimes for years, before reaching crisis point. This is a sector-wide issue, not an individual failing.
Casework also identified recurring challenges around financial information, governance, staffing and communication.
These findings raise important questions for funders, policymakers and organisations supporting community ownership: how can we ensure that community assets are financially sustainable and that specialist help is available before difficulties become critical?
The experience of the Crisis Support Service demonstrates the value of sustained support built on trusted relationships and shaped according to individual needs and challenges. It also provides practical learning to inform earlier intervention and better support across the sector.
Supporting recovery beyond the immediate crisis
For members ready to take the next step, the link with the Recovery and Resilience Programme provides a route towards longer-term capacity building.
Supporting a development trust through crisis helps sustain the community’s ability to own assets and respond to local needs. That is why crisis support matters to our members and the wider sector. We are grateful to Foundation Scotland, Acorns to Trees and The National Lottery for their support.
