Joining the dots: A new look for Community Enterprise

This week we're launching a new look for Community Enterprise. The logo has changed. The website has changed. The colours and design have changed. But the reason we exist hasn't.

For almost 40 years we've had the privilege of working alongside communities, charities, social enterprises, public bodies, Scottish Government and partnerships across Scotland and now internationally. During that time, we've helped thousands of people turn ideas into action, whether that's taking over a local asset, saving an important heritage building, launching a new social enterprise, developing services, securing investment or bringing communities together around a shared vision. 

One of the things I love most about our work is that no two projects are ever the same. Every community has its own story. Every organisation is different. Some of the most inspiring projects we've supported have come from places or people that others underestimated. We've worked in small rural villages, large urban communities, island communities, neighbourhoods facing significant challenges and with ambitious organisations tackling complex issues. What connects them all is a determination to make things better.

That's always been what Community Enterprise is about.

Our previous brand reflected that diversity through lots of different shapes and colours. It celebrated the fact that communities and ideas aren't all the same and that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. 

What has changed is the world around us. Today, communities and organisations are navigating increasing complexity. Funding landscapes are shifting, policy environments are evolving, and the need to be innovative and entrepreneurial has never been greater. Projects increasingly involve multiple partners, stakeholders and competing priorities. At the same time, the gap between a great local idea and the resources needed to make it happen feels wider than ever.

And that's where the idea behind our new brand comes from. At its heart is a simple concept: joining the dots.

When I look back at nearly four decades of Community Enterprise's work, that's what we've worked hard to do.

We endeavour to help people navigate complexity and find a route forward. We help communities connect vision with action. We help organisations connect ambition with sustainability. We help grassroots enterprises connect with funders, decision makers and opportunities that can sometimes feel out of reach. We do this by bringing the expertise, experience and practical support needed to move things forward. But we also bring time, commitment and a willingness to go the extra mile. We don't just advise from the sidelines. We like to work alongside people to turn plans into reality, helping build relationships, ideas and opportunities along the way.

Our new visual identity, developed with our brilliant team at Bold Studio captures something we've always believed: that lasting change rarely happens because of one individual organisation working alone. It happens when the right people come together around a shared purpose and find ways to make things happen. That approach extends to how we work with others. Strong partnerships are fundamental to what we do. Whether collaborating with specialist partners, local authorities, the Scottish Government, funders, national bodies or community leaders.

The new website makes it easier than ever to get to know us, understand the breadth of support we offer and connect with us. The site also brings to life our ways of working, our commitment to collaboration and, importantly, the impact of the projects we have the pleasure of supporting.

Although things look different, the message is clear: we're still the same Community Enterprise. The same values, the same commitment and the same focus on creating positive and sustainable change. As we enter this next chapter, we’ll continue to bring the trusted support and expertise that have shaped our work for nearly 40 years, while staying open to new connections, new approaches and new opportunities to join the dots.