Nearly half a million pounds has been invested in research to find out how people affected by dementia can influence community development and how their political exclusion can be addressed. The project at the University of Stirling, in collaboration with four other UK and international universities, will look at engagement in community planning and commissioning, as well as tackle social isolation by forging links between networks of people with dementia. It is hoped that the project, awarded funding of £479,862, will provide insights into the reform of community-based services to ensure that they are fit for purpose in the face of future threats and crises.