Community Enterprise

What Community Enterprise does

Community Enterprise is a Scottish social enterprise consultancy founded in 1987 (originally as Community Enterprise Lothian) that delivers development support to charities, voluntary groups, and trading social enterprises across Scotland. The organisation offers a portfolio of advisory services including business planning, asset transfer and building development, brand strategy, digital solutions, feasibility studies, heritage regeneration, grant funding strategy, impact assessments, local place plans, and research and thinking. Core delivery is anchored on government-funded programmes — notably Accelerate (Scottish Government-funded, delivering 200+ tailored interventions per year) and Just Enterprise — alongside the more recently established national Crisis and Resilience Service. Operations are run from a headquarters in Livingston with an additional Glasgow office housing the Bold Studio creative team and Breeze Digital digital services team, supplemented by a network of freelance associates paid £200-£275 per day.

Revenue is generated through commissioned consultancy work, subsidised programme delivery funded by public sources, and associate day rates, with 100% of profits reinvested into the organisation's mission. The wholly-owned group comprises Community Enterprise Ltd (parent), CEL Trading, BOLD Marketing (creative/branding agency established 2013), and Breeze Digital (digital services), providing integrated strategy-through-execution capability to third-sector clients. Customer mix is concentrated in Scottish community development trusts, heritage organisations, charities, and emerging social entrepreneurs, with notable engagement outcomes including £3M raised for The Fraser Centre, £5M+ for the Scottish Co-operative Discovery Centre, and £350K for the Dornie & District Community Trust community shop.

The technology footprint is intentionally modest: a human-led consultancy platform supported by Podio for client relationship and application management, Microsoft Copilot for limited administrative productivity (text summarisation, data analysis), and a public Social Enterprise Support Map (SESupportMap.scot) resource. AI and proprietary technology are not points of differentiation; the company's competitive position rests on 35+ years of sector relationships, deep integration with Scottish Government funding infrastructure, an experienced team led by CEO Douglas Westwater (also Chair of Social Enterprise Scotland), and a diversified but Scotland-only geographic footprint.

Name

Community Enterprise

Legal name

Community Enterprise Ltd

Website

https://communityenterprise.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Enterprise Consultancy

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO), Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL)

Keywords

• Social enterprise consultancy
• Community development support
• Third sector advisory
• Capacity building services
• Fundraising strategy

Headquarters

HQ city

Livingston

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consultancy Services: Fee-for-service consultancy delivered to social enterprises, charities, and community organisations across Scotland. Services include business planning, brand strategy, digital solutions, feasibility studies, and development support. Revenue generated through commissioned work and programme delivery.
2. Programme Delivery: Delivery of government-funded support programmes including Accelerate (Scottish Government) and Just Enterprise. These programmes provide subsidised support to community organisations, with funding from public sources.
3. Associate Day Rates: Freelance consultancy pool offering services at £200-£275 per day depending on experience and role. Associates contribute to projects including research, strategic planning, financial modelling, and community engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Community Enterprise is a Scottish social enterprise consultancy delivering development support, business planning, capacity building, and strategic advisory services to charities, voluntary groups, and social enterprises. The firm delivers government-funded programmes (Accelerate, Just Enterprise, Crisis and Resilience) and a broad portfolio of advisory services spanning asset transfer, fundraising strategy, brand and digital solutions, feasibility studies, heritage regeneration, impact assessment, and community-led planning. It operates subsidiaries Bold Studio (creative/branding) and Breeze Digital (digital services) to deliver execution alongside strategic advice.

Product overview

Community Enterprise operates as a multi-service consultancy for social enterprises, charities, and community groups across Scotland, offering a portfolio of advisory services organized around business development, capacity building, and digital transformation. The core offering centers on the Accelerate programme (a Scottish Government-funded acceleration service) supplemented by specialized advisory services including Asset Transfer, Brand Strategy, Crisis and Resilience, Digital Solutions, Feasibility Studies, and Impact Evaluations. The organization also includes two subsidiary brands—Bold Studio (creative/design agency) and Breeze Digital (digital services agency)—which deliver specific technical outputs as part of the broader consultancy engagement. This structure positions Community Enterprise as a unified consultancy platform offering both strategic advisory services and execution through its specialized subsidiary teams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accelerate Programme Scottish Government-funded programme that supports non-trading community groups and social enterprises to develop and launch revenue-generating ideas, providing tailored consultancy and capacity-building support across Scotland.
• Asset Transfer and Building Development Expert guidance on transferring public assets into community ownership, including feasibility studies, business planning, and navigation of funding processes such as the Scottish Land Fund.
• Brand Strategy and Marketing Strategic brand development and marketing support delivered through Bold Studio, including visual identity, campaigns, animation, and websites for social and environmental organizations.
• Business Plans and Sustainability Planning Development of robust business plans and financial strategies to help community organizations achieve sustainability and long-term viability.
• Crisis and Resilience Service National Recovery and Resilience service coordinated across Scotland's third sector ecosystem, helping organizations facing financial instability, leadership transitions, or strategic uncertainty.
• Digital Solutions Digital transformation support delivered through Breeze Digital, helping organizations implement technical solutions for processes and service delivery, including website management and digital presence.
• Feasibility Studies and Community Consultation Research and consultation services to help communities assess viability of projects and engage stakeholders in planning processes.
• Grant Funding Strategy and Fundraising Strategic support for identifying funding opportunities and developing applications for grants, community shares, and public investment.
• Heritage Regeneration Projects Specialist support for regenerating heritage buildings and assets, including options appraisals, capital fundraising, and community engagement.
• Impact Assessments and Evaluations Independent evaluation of organizational impact using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to help clients articulate outcomes and learnings.
• Local Place Plans and Community Action Plans Facilitation and documentation of community-led planning processes to help local areas identify priorities and develop actionable plans.
• Research and Thinking Community-based action research and analytical services that support evidence-based decision-making and knowledge sharing across the sector.
• Social Enterprise Support Map Online resource (SESupportMap.scot) that maps support services available to social enterprises across Scotland, including the Recovery and Resilience service directory.
• Bold Studio Award-winning social enterprise design studio producing rebrands, campaigns, animation, and websites for organizations with social and environmental aims.
• Breeze Digital Digital team providing technical solutions to support organizational processes and service delivery, including website development and digital marketing support for third sector clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of clients scored satisfaction 8-9/10 over 10 years of evaluations
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Scottish GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary funder and strategic partner delivering government-funded support programmes including Accelerate and Crisis and Resilience Service. Scottish Government provides core funding for programmes supporting social enterprises and third sector organisations across Scotland.
• Social Enterprise ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational membership body representing social enterprises in Scotland. Community Enterprise CEO Douglas Westwater serves as Chair of Social Enterprise Scotland, creating deep strategic alignment.
• SenscotcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational support agency for social entrepreneurs in Scotland. Long-standing partnership in the social enterprise support infrastructure, with historical connections through staff and associates.
• Community Land ScotlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of community landowners in Scotland, supporting communities to acquire and manage land for community benefit.
• DTAS (Development Trust Association Scotland)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational body supporting and representing development trusts across Scotland, sharing knowledge and best practices in community ownership.
• Bold StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary creative studio delivering rebranding, campaigns, animation and websites. Part of Community Enterprise Group providing integrated support services to clients.
• Breeze DigitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary digital services team providing website development and digital solutions. Part of Community Enterprise Group offering integrated digital support to community organisations.
• Climate Confident Scotland / SCVOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive partner in Climate Confident Scotland project delivered by SCVO on behalf of Third Sector Net Zero Steering Group, helping organisations understand and address climate impact.
• Social Audit NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork providing social audit and impact measurement frameworks and training for social enterprises and third sector organisations.
• Unlocking PotentialminorOthersPlatform partner for impact assessment work, bringing relationship and network analysis capabilities to community impact evaluations.
• Architect-led Design TeamsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerClose working relationships with approximately 6 design teams with different specialisms including heritage, rural, community, and energy efficiency projects.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Locality: UK-wide federation for community organisations and community-owned enterprises that delivers training, advice and peer learning to community groups — closely mirrors Community Enterprise's capacity-building, asset transfer and business planning services across a larger geography.
• Senscot: Scottish social enterprise support agency that provides advice, networking and development support to social entrepreneurs — operates in the same Scottish social enterprise ecosystem and is named as a partner of Community Enterprise.
• Plunkett Foundation: UK charity helping communities set up and run community-owned enterprises, including community shops and pubs — directly comparable given Community Enterprise's work on community shop business plans and community asset transfers in Scotland.
• DTAS (Development Trusts Association Scotland): Scotland's national body supporting development trusts with training, resources and advocacy — a direct peer in Scotland serving the same community development trust customer base with overlapping advisory services.

Broad incumbents

• SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations): Scotland's national umbrella body for charities and voluntary organisations, providing training, policy work, funding advice and member support — overlaps significantly with Community Enterprise's capacity-building, funding-strategy and governance support services.
• Big Issue Invest: Social investment arm of the Big Issue providing loans, grants and impact advisory services to social enterprises and charities in the UK — comparable as a social-enterprise-focused funding/advisory intermediary operating in adjacent geographies.
• Power to Change: An independent UK trust that funds, researches and advocates for community businesses, providing grants and capacity-building support to community organisations — directly comparable to the funding-strategy and development-support work Community Enterprise delivers for Scottish social enterprises.
• Social Enterprise Scotland: National membership and representative body for Scottish social enterprises, providing member services, policy and events — comparable in mission and customer base, with the additional connection that Community Enterprise's CEO is Chair.

Regional players

• Foundation Scotland: Scottish charity providing grants, philanthropy advice and donor fund management — overlaps with Community Enterprise's funding-strategy, community shares and heritage-fundraising support work for community organisations.

Emerging players

• Rocket Science UK: UK consultancy that delivers research, evaluation and social-value advisory services to public and third-sector clients — comparable as a specialist social-sector management consultancy, though larger and with a stronger policy-research orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/commenterprise
• Xx.com/CommEnterprise

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community Enterprise