A CLT organisation is set up by a local group of people who get together to DO something to ensure there are more affordable assets for that community.  These could be for housing, workspace, food production or leisure. There are various legal mechanisms which can underpin this. OCLT is an Industrial and Provident Society for the Benefit of the Community.  

There are other legal structures that also enable assets to be locked in.  Some CLTs have been established as Community Interest Companies, Charitable Trusts or Companies Limited by Guarantee in which the assets are protected by explicit legal conditions on their occupancy or use.

The CLT acquires local assets. This can be by a number of means, ideally through donation but often it means the CLT has to raise the money in loans, grants, investments (community investments are becoming increasingly popular) or other means. This aspect of the project is probably the most challenging particularly as land becomes ever more scarce and expensive.

Once it has acquired the land, it works with the local community to manage and utilise the land for the benefit of the local community (link to national website?).