This report sets out some of the ways in which people in some areas of Britain, hard-hit by unemployment and deprivation, are forming new alliances to tackle their problems. These new alliances or – community business ventures’ stem from various origins, and take a variety of forms, but share some common characteristics. They aim to create permanent jobs and become self-sufficient in the long-term; they often have other community benefits; they are not-for-profit; and they are usually community-controlled. The report suggests that, given further support, community business ventures could develop into a valuable ‘third arm’ of enterprise, comparable with non-profit housing associations, which operate alongside the public and private sectors.