ABOUT

Future Portland is a collaboration between three successful and experienced island-based organisations – b-side, Island Community Action (ICA) and The Portland Association (TPA).

We formed as a Community Benefit Society (CBS) in response to our individual and collaborative research and consultations, which led to the realisation that we share a vision and desire to support Portland’s community in having a stronger voice and more influence over what happens to and on our island. 

Our key ambitions include: 

  • Working collaboratively to drive and support a dynamic and innovative vision and future for Portland
  • Helping to mobilise and encourage community action, ambition and aspiration
  • Improving the lives, opportunities, and experiences available to Portland residents
  • Showcasing and protecting Portland’s unique heritage, culture, and history, including its natural and built environments.

As a CBS, Future Portland is a membership-led organisation, with all members getting a say and a vote on our most important decisions. Members also have the opportunity to invest in projects that benefit Portland and its community, and, depending on the project, may receive special perks, such as discounts and member-only events.

Find out more about the benefits of membership and how to join here.

OUR VISION: To create a positive future for Portland, its people and places.

OUR MISSION: To improve life on Portland through collaborative, community-driven enterprises that empower positive change, provide life-enriching opportunities for local people, prioritise and protect the island’s natural and cultural heritage, and secure a sustainable island for future generations.

Future Portland projects:

  • Promote, preserve, and reflect the island’s unique environment, culture, heritage, and history, supporting improved mental, physical, and social wellbeing and contributing to long-term regeneration, improved infrastructure, and increased opportunities for local people
  • Are community-owned and driven, with any surplus profits being re-invested into the community for the benefit of local people and organisations
  • Operate collaboratively, sharing knowledge, expertise and maximising reach, impact and sustainability.

OUR VALUES:

  • COLLABORATION – We believe in the power of positive partnerships, working with our community to widen engagement, leverage increased funding and cocreate innovative, impactful and sustainable solutions to our island’s key challenges.
  • EMPOWERMENT – We are committed to uplifting our community by providing the tools, resources, and support needed to inspire and enable active participation in shaping the decisions and actions that affect their lives.
  • EQUALITY & EQUITY – We are dedicated to ensuring fairness and respect for all by creating activities and initiatives that are diverse, inclusive and responsive to the unique needs of our community and its residents.
  • EXCELLENCE – We will pursue the highest quality in everything we do, striving for continuous improvement, remaining receptive to our community’s evolving needs and mandates, and delivering maximum impact and value for money.
  • INNOVATION – We will embrace creativity and forward-thinking approaches, remaining open to new and progressive ideas and perspectives that deliver positive, transformative change to our island and its community.
  • INTEGRITY – We are committed to building trust with our community, upholding the highest standards of honesty and accountability in our actions (by conducting all our activities with respect, impartiality, and transparency), and meeting all legal and public obligations.

OUR PRIORITIES:

  • COLLABORATION & CO-CREATION – To work collaboratively with our community and its organisations to develop mutually beneficial initiatives, share knowledge and best practices, empower proactive engagement, and maximise our collective impact and sustainability.
  • CULTURAL HERITAGE – To safeguard, reinvigorate, and improve our island’s most significant and valued buildings and cultural assets for the benefit of residents, visitors and future generations.
  • ECONOMIC REGENERATION – To deliver a network of space and communitybased activities and initiatives across Portland, all of which contribute to long-term regeneration, improved infrastructure, and greater opportunities and life chances for local people.
  • NATURAL HERITAGE – To protect and enhance our natural environment, protected landscapes, and biodiversity for the benefit of residents, visitors and future generations.
  • PEOPLE & COMMUNITY – To create opportunities and activities that increase life chances, improve health and wellbeing and empower residents to participate in community life and decision-making to achieve their full potential.
  • SUSTAINABILITY & SAFEGUARDING THE FUTURE – To promote and implement sustainable practices (ensuring our work is designed with future generations in mind) and to reinvest the profits generated through Future Portland’s activities back into the community.

If you have any additional questions about Future Portland, including its operation, aspirations and projects, please check out our FAQs page.