About

The national network for neighbourhood improvement is a learning network for local government and the wider public sector that supports policy and practice towards neighbourhood working and community-led regeneration. It was set up and incubated by Local Trust in 2024 and is now hosted by Capacity.

Transforming neighbourhoods together

3ni is a new social value partnership, bringing together policy and practice to transform neighbourhoods across the country. By creating a space for collaboration and innovation, we’re working with local government and the wider public sector to drive meaningful, lasting change where it’s needed most.

At 3ni, we believe that real transformation starts from the ground up. Through our national network for neighbourhood improvement, we’re sharing and shaping the best and next practices that help rebuild disadvantaged communities. Our research, events, and activities are designed to support local government and public sector partners in learning what works—and, more importantly, putting it into action.

 

Our approach

Our approach focuses on what makes places thrive: strong local connections, empowered communities, and the social infrastructure that underpins long-term regeneration. With access to the latest evidence, data, and a suite of strategy and practice tools, we help partners understand and enable community-led change — turning insight into impact.

It builds on the learnings from local government pioneers, evidence from past regeneration programmes, and the recent experience of the Big Local programme: a first-of-its-kind initiative that puts power, resources and decision-making into the hands of local communities to enable them to transform and improve their lives and areas.

3ni is aimed at people working in local government and other public sector agencies in areas such as regeneration; community or economic development; neighbourhood management; community safety, health and wellbeing; policy, research and strategy; public health and social care, or in area-based service delivery.

  • Dan has provided invaluable support as a key strategic partner and expert advisor to Stoke-on-Trent City Council in the initiation, design and implementation of our Strengthening Communities programme.

    Targeted investment to building community capacity and social capital in the city’s doubly disadvantaged neighbourhoods is key pillar of our ambitious City Prospectus: Future 100, and Dan has helped us in developing a new long-term approach to supporting local people to devise and deliver their own plans for their neighbourhoods.

    Dan brings a robust analytical and evidence-based approach to his work, that is geared towards making a tangible and sustainable impact in those communities and neighbourhoods most in need of attention and resourcing.

    Jon Rouse, CBE, Chief Executive of Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Our partners

3ni is a partnership between Capacity and Local Trust, two organisations committed to rethinking how public services and community regeneration work. Together, Capacity and Local Trust bring a solid mix of practical expertise and grassroots empowerment—helping public services and communities rethink, rebuild, and regenerate from the ground up.

Capacity is a community interest company based in Liverpool City Region and working with local people and organisations to bring positive change to communities across the country.

Working at the intersection of design and delivery, our work is built on a deep understanding of local communities, public services, social issues and creating real change that people can see and feel. We make public services people services.

Local Trust believe in putting more power, resources and decision-making into the hands of local communities, to enable them to transform and improve their lives and the places in which they live. Through initiatives like Big Local, our work is about demonstrating the value of long-term, resident-led funding and using our learning to influence how policy makers, funders, and others engage with communities and place.