The Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership Fund
21st March 2025
Thefts from building sites and properties being renovated
21st March 2025Community Shares Booster Fund
The Community Shares Booster Fund is offered through the collaboration of Power to Change and Architectural Heritage Fund, in conjunction with Coops UK, Locality, Plunkett Foundation, and Co-operative and Community Finance.
Below you can see some of the following support available:
- Pre-grant support: A few days support for early-stage activity to get started.
- Development grants of between £2,000 and £15,000, averaging around £8,000, to prepare a community share offer. This support can cover financial planning, governance support, marketing costs and being assessed for the Community Shares Standard Mark.
- Equity match investment ranging from £10,000 to £100,000, although the typical investment is expected to be £20,000 to £50,000. This is an offer of investment to match money raised from the community, providing the minimum share offer target is achieved. Applications for equity match are open to community businesses that are investment ready, including those that have already launched their share offers. [From April 2025 investments will predominantly be made by partner Community Shares ICOF, managed by Co-operative and Community Finance. Applicants should still apply through the Booster Fund portal.]
- Subscription underwriting: If affordability is an issue for community investors, Co-operative and Community Finance (CCF) can offer an interest-free repayable loan to enable people to buy shares through instalments over a maximum of 12 months, with the society receiving the full investment upfront.
- Loan finance: may be available from Co-operative and Community Finance (CCF). This loan finance can be up to £75,000, in most cases as unsecured lending, but could rise to £150,000, especially where there is an option to secure against land or property. CCF can also help broker larger finance deals, as appropriate.