The Scottish Land Commission has published new advice setting out practical actions to widen community ownership of land and assets, aiming to help more places share the benefits.

Titled Next Steps for Community Ownership in Scotland, the advice builds on notable progress so far — more than 500 community organisations now own over 850 assets nationwide, generating jobs, delivering homes and sustaining vital local services — and identifies what is needed to go further.

Key proposals include increasing the Scottish Land Fund and moving to multi-year funding cycles to give communities greater certainty to plan ahead. The Commission also recommends stronger post-acquisition support, deeper collaboration across public bodies and simpler access to legal, planning and technical expertise for groups navigating the ownership process.

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It further argues that Community Wealth Building plans should be used to align local and national support for community assets, ensuring land and buildings deliver lasting public benefit for generations.

Kathie Pollard, Head of Policy at the Scottish Land Commission, said: "Community ownership is already making a real difference across Scotland, creating jobs, supporting housing, restoring nature and helping communities deliver the services and facilities that matter locally.

"This advice sets out how Scottish Government can build on that success. When communities have access to the right funding, capacity and expertise, they can deliver long-term benefits for local people and places.

"The public sector has a key role to play in supporting, simplifying processes and working with communities. Ultimately, we want to see communities empowered to fulfil their ambitions for their place and scale-up community ownership across Scotland."

The advice reiterates calls to expand the Scottish Land Fund on a multi-year basis, enhance after-purchase support, strengthen cross-public-sector coordination and make specialist advice easier to obtain. It also highlights the role of Community Wealth Building plans in coordinating backing for community assets to secure enduring public benefit.