Booster Fund – application guidance
2026 update
Expressions of Interest for development grants are now closed.
Applications for match investment remain open.
Support available through the Booster Fund
Are you an existing community business in England? Looking for help with your community share offer?
Community shares are a great way for communities to pull together and take ownership of local buildings and land, or to develop new projects or services that benefit people in their community.
This guidance will help you decide whether the Booster Fund is right for your community business and your project. Work your way through the Table of Contents for different sections of the guide or download the guidance as a PDF here.
Areas of the guidance to note include:
Application deadlines
Repayable match-equity investment could range from £10,000 to £50,000. This is an 'offer of investment' to match money raised from the community. Applications for equity match are open to community businesses that are investment ready, including those that have already launched their share offers. In order to support the fund long-term we seek a positive rate of return (interest) as soon as possible and a reasonable timescale to return the capital investment. We expect to see the withdrawal of share capital forecasted in documents.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Investments: From April 2025 investments will be made by our partner Community Shares ICOF, managed by Co-operative and Community Finance. All applications still need to be made through the Booster Fund.
Who is behind the Booster Fund?
The Booster Fund is delivered in partnership by Co-operatives UK, Locality, Plunkett Foundation, Community Shares ICOF and Co-operative and Community Finance.