Projects

The Community Banking Partnership

The research and development expertise that the Community Banking Partnership joint venture partners (National Association of Credit Union Workers, Community Finance Solutions and new economics foundation) bring together is unique and unrivalled in the UK in the field of community development finance. As the Community Banking Partnerships evolve during the next five year period, solutions to new technical and practical challenges will need to be found.

Education in mutuality and tools for decentralisation

This work is critical in engendering a better understanding of how mutual aid theory underpins sustainable community regeneration for the 21st Century. Practical guidance and dissemination is vitally important to the success of the RSN mission. The cross fertilisation of new ideas and approaches that horizontal learning networks can create will be coordinated by RSN through a new programme of educational seminars.

Advice and information services - managerial, technical, evaluative and legal

New Community Banking Partnership projects continue to require guidance and support in registering and establishing legal structures and with setting up company affiliates permissible to the FSA and the Charity Commission. Working closely with NACUW and the Community Development Finance Association, RSN staff provide technical aid and specialist advice to newly established Community Banking Partnerships. An interactive website is under development to provide initial guidance and information and to answer common questions.

Capitalisation - investment and lending services

Experience with community finance development in the USA shows that credit unions specialising in tackling financial exclusion will require increasingly diverse forms of capital as they develop. This specialised form of niche financing is central to support the healthy growth and expansion of Community Banking Partnership organisations.