Delivered by Co-operatives UK in partnership with The Co-operative Bank
The Hive application guidance – start‑up co‑op businesses
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Application questions – what support you need

Support needs

We offer a taillored support package, which will include some or all of the following:

  • One-to-one direct advice: Delivered by experienced support providers 
  • Peer mentoring: Working with an existing co-op 
  • Bespoke skills training: Delivered to your group by experienced trainers. It will be helpful to indicate what kind of support you require and how these elements will help you to achieve your intended outcomes.
  • Please tick which of the following support needs you require (you can tick more than one)
    • Testing business viability and feasibility
    • Developing business plan, fundraising
    • Identifying the most appropriate ownership model, legal structure
    • Governance arrangements, decision-making
    • Community shares
    • Other (please specify)
  • Briefly explain how this support will help you?
  • Tell us how bespoke skills training will help you. This might involve skills training for your steering group or board around strategic planning, change management, governance, membership, communications, HR or finance etc.
  • Tell us how peer mentoring support will help you.
    • Are you looking to learn from an existing trading co-op in a similar sector, same type of business and/or ownership model? 
    • Are you looking to learn from their experience around their governance arrangements,  member recruitment and engagement, strategic planning

Registration fee

The Hive support will help groups determine the most appropriate ownership model and legal structure for your co-op. However, the cost of incorporation is not covered by The Hive.

Incorporation of co-ops can be undertaken via our online registration tool. Registration costs £150 which includes VAT and the statutory fee.

This fee is subsidised thanks to The Co‑operative Bank, as part of The Hive programme for co-ops. If you use this service, you can also access one year's membership to Co‑operatives UK.  

Hive support

Once your application has been submitted, we aim to notify applicants of the outcome within a maximum two weeks of a monthly panel meeting, which means that the maximum amount of time you will have to wait for a decision following submission is eight weeks. Please mark on your application if your support is urgent.

The Hive expects the delivery of the support to be completed within a period of six months, please be sure to let us know if you anticipate requiring a longer duration.

Please provide us with more information.