Development Trusts Association Scotland often referred to as DTAS is a Scottish charitable incorporated organisation that represents the interests of development trusts. Founded in 2003 with a main office in Edinburgh, membership of DTAS currently sits at over 300. Development trusts Development trusts are organisations that are: * owned and managed by the local community * involved in the sustainable regeneration of a community *independent and not for private profit, but seek to work in partnership with other private, voluntary and public sector organisations * aim to reduce dependency on grant support by generating income through enterprise and the ownership of assets. The development trust movement began in England in the 1990s where the activities are run by "Locality" and DTAS has the other sister organisations of DTA Wales and DTA Northern Ireland. Activities As well as its core membership support function, DTAS runs the Community Ownership Support Service (COSS) which seeks to support community groups and organisations who are looking to take on land, buildings and other physical assets from local authorities and other public sector bodies. DTAS also delivers the Community Shares Scotland programme. DTAS is part of the Scottish Community Alliance.