Evaluating the Success Factors for Establishing a Thriving - Scottish ...

Realising the potential
1.28 Over time the organisational ‘infrastructure’ of the Trust has continued to
develop and early groundwork in developing projects has come to fruition.
1.29 Over time the confidence of the Trust in its abilities and its assets has grown.
With this confidence, has emerged a clearer twin-track strategy:
• maximising income from the land-based activities of the Trust; and
• beginning to exploit the potential from renewable energy, through the
Trust’s trading subsidiary.
1.30 This period saw the Trust with the confidence to take on projects of a larger
scale, with some key projects also coming to fruition including:
• the opening of a community recycling centre, managed by the Trust on
• behalf of the local authority, Comhairle na Eilean Siar;
• the first affordable housing development constructed on Harris for more
than a decade, taken forward with Hebrides Housing Partnership; and
• a management agreement with SNH to manage protected land on the
estate, together with establishment of a Ranger Service.
1.31 Each of these projects provided a significant contribution to the social purpose
of the Trust, and bring new income streams and staff capacity.
1.32 The organisational capacity of the Trust has been enhanced significantly with
the introduction of new staff, who are widely regarded as “skilled” and
“committed”. Each has been set the challenge of creating a sustainable trading
income to sustain their own employment beyond the initial term of grant funding
for their post.
1.33 Organisational culture and governance has also had to change. The initial
‘hands-on’ board of the Trust has become a ‘governing’ board, where the
operational work previously taken on by voluntary directors is now undertaken
by staff. A strong collective “can do” culture is widely reported by those
consulted inside and outside of the Trust. This has been created throughout the
organisation, with a flat staff structure put in place, and staff working as equals
and directly accountable to the Trust’s Chairperson. At this point the position of
Chief Executive has not been deemed necessary.
1.34 These growing achievements and capacity have represented to others a sign of
the growing track record of the Trust. On the part of agency partners this
created confidence in the ability of the Trust to deliver further services on their
behalf and has opened further opportunities for collaboration.
1.35 A stronger financial position has been reached, where the Trust has been able
to reinvest its surplus, using this as leverage to attract external project funding.
For every £1 generated by the Trust itself it has been able to attract outside
finance of £3 to initiate new ventures.
74