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Funded by Power to Change and Access – the Foundation for Social Investment. In partnership with Locality

Milestone £200 million invested to transform communities

News item

Published
18th May 2022
Topic
Finance
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More than £200m has been raised through community shares

As investment in community shares in the UK reaches a landmark figure, a new fund is launched to boost more communities through this flexible, innovative form of finance. 

More than £200 million has been invested in UK community businesses in the last decade, using community shares – a unique form of finance. And a major fund has re-launched to generate further investment that will enable more businesses and communities to flourish.  

The Booster Fund is offering business development grants and match funding to community businesses in England that are raising finance through community share offers.  

Community shares are a way for people to pull together and take ownership of local buildings and land, or to develop new projects and services that benefit people in their community. Individuals purchase shares – from as little as £10 – and they receive a financial return as well as a stake in the business.

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Community shares are an accessible way for community businesses and organisations to generate funds, grow local support and raise the profile of their organisation.
– Tim Davies-Pugh, Interim CEO, Power to Change

This innovative form of finance is uniquely available to co-operative and community benefit societies. It provides them with much needed money to start and grow. Because the business can set the terms for payback dates and interest rates, it also makes it a sustainable way to raise finance for businesses. A report published in October 2020 stated that of the businesses that have raised finance through community shares since 2012, 92% are still trading.  

To date, there have been 126,340 investors in community shares, allowing people to take ownership of the services and spaces that matter most to them. It helps empower people at grass roots level, enabling them to have greater control over what happens in their community.   

Leeds Action To Create Homes (LATCH) is one of those organisations. LATCH refurbishes derelict and run-down properties in Leeds to provide supported housing for people in housing need. Their community share offer raised £550,000 – which included match funding from the Community Shares Booster Fund – to enable them to provide more much-needed homes.

“That money will now transform lives,” said LATCH CEO James Hartley. “When the profile of investors came in, there’s a significant amount of people from Leeds. They’ve seen the juxtaposition of empty houses and homeless people. They know we’ll use the money to create positive change. There are 150 investors. They’re the people of LATCH now.” 

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A team of LATCH workers renovating a property
A team of LATCH workers renovating a property
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We’re keen to spread the word and reach groups that are currently less well represented in the community shares market.
– Rose Marley, CEO, Co-operatives UK

The re‑launched Booster Fund now is open to new and existing community businesses in England that want to explore a share offer or are developing one. They can apply for:  

  • A development grant for preparing a community share offer. This is to fund activities to get the business investment ready. This may include work on the business plan, community engagement work, developing the share offer document, promotional campaigns or costs associated with obtaining the Community Shares Standard Mark (an accreditation awarded to offers that meet national standards of good practice).   
  • Match funding for upcoming or current share offers. This is available in the form of equity investment from the Booster Fund. Businesses can apply for an equity match of up to £25,000 for a community share offer. This means that the Booster Fund could potentially match every £1 invested by the community, up to £25,000.    

The Booster Fund is delivered by the Community Shares Unit at Co-operatives UK, in partnership with Locality, Plunkett Foundation and Co-operative and Community Finance. It is funded by Power to Change and the Architectural Heritage Fund.  

Rose Marley, CEO, Co-operatives UK said: “We’re proud to be launching the Community Shares Booster Fund, which will enable more communities to take control of the spaces and services that are important to them. Community ownership via community shares has been one of the biggest democratising forces in our economy of recent years. 

“We’re keen to spread the word and reach groups that are currently less well represented in the community shares market – younger people, minoritised ethnicities and those based in areas of greatest disadvantage. We’re also keen to support proposals that focus on digital inclusion and tackling the climate crisis.”  

Tim Davies-Pugh, Interim CEO, Power to Change, said: “At Power to Change, we know for communities to thrive, local people need to feel consulted and have a sense of self‑determination. Taking ownership of the spaces and places that matter most is an important part of taking back control.

“Community shares are an accessible way for community businesses and organisations to generate funds, grow local support and raise the profile of their organisation, whilst giving local people an equal stake and say in how things are run.

“That’s why we are launching a new Booster Fund, which will support more community businesses to secure the long-term future of their community spaces.” 

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