The Community Signature is a diagnostic tool used to measure community capacity in order to improve services and outcomes for communities.  It was developed as part of an extensive BusinessLab research programme and has since been used to support regeneration and development projects across the UK.

The Community Signature engages community groups and residents at all levels,  and identifies how public sector resources can be targeted most effectively, reducing inefficiencies and redundant processes and leveraging the support of others to deliver appropriate services.

Public service providers are increasingly focussed on delivering more effective local public services through better targeting, integration and reduced duplication between partners.  To support this agenda, the Community Signature provides robust data on local needs and priorities, identifying areas of strength and barriers which must be overcome if the communities are to benefit from new forms of service delivery.

Signature data helps local authorities and community partnerships to focus and prioritise what they can deliver and what the community can do for itself. Understanding their own capacity can help empower communities to develop the skills, structures and support they need to make positive changes.

The Community Signature should be used to help service providers, stakeholders and communities understand:

The Community Signature is currently being used by local authorities and third sector organisations across the UK, supporting them to redesign services and partnerships, develop and effective community engagement strategy, leverage budgets and resources and improve multi-stakeholder delivery.

For further information contact signature@businesslab.co.uk