Funding support and co‑op development
As part of our our mission is to grow the co-operative economy, we work with partners and funders to deliver co-op support programmes. We help new co-ops to set up through The Hive; provide sector specific support for tech and platform co-ops through UnFound; promote and support worker owned co-ops through the Ownership Hub and help communities raise funds through community shares. We also work closely with local authorities to understand and develop local and regional co-op development strategies.
Featured content
Apply for support – existing co‑ops
Content by The Hive
Co‑ops that have been trading for two years or more – or those experiencing trading difficulties – can apply to The Hive for tailored support. Our expert advice will help you to sustain jobs, grow your membership, income or improve your…
Content by The Hive
Community Shares Booster Programme – England
Content by Community Shares Booster Fund
We can support your community share offers in England with development grants and matched investment. There are three pathways of support to choose from.
Content by Community Shares Booster Fund
Start a platform co-op
Content by Unfound
UnFound is for founders looking for a different way to set-up and run a platform business. It brings together entrepreneurs that would like to develop their digital business in a more collaborative and equitable way.
Content by Unfound
Start a worker co-op
Content by Ownership Hub
The Ownership Hub is a joint project between Co-operatives UK and the Employee Ownership Association. Working with regional partners we raise awareness of worker co-operatives and employee ownership (EO) and support people to explore options and…
Content by Ownership Hub
Work in partnership
Through partnership working with local government, business networks and community organisations we help transform local economies and communities. It's all about local wealth building, co-op development and community engagement.
Empowering places
Content by Empowering Places
Empowering Places is a programme which aims to demonstrate the role that concentrated clusters of community businesses can play in creating better places and reducing inequality in local areas. Funded by Power to Change, the programme is delivered by…
Content by Empowering Places
Blog posts
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Policy Blog #20: A New Hope
At the rate we’re going, co-ops will be a powerful democratising force in the economy around the year 2120. But we can't wait 100 years. To spread the benefits of economic democracy quickly and at…
1 month ago
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Platform Co-ops Now! an online course
Content by Unfound
Co‑operatives UK is supporting UK participants as a local partner for the second edition of the Platform Co‑ops Now! course.
3 months ago
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Tips to help a successful Hive application
Content by The Hive
Read this informative Q&A with Co-operatives UK’s Co‑operative Development Manager Petra Morris, for advice on putting in a good application to The Hive – and answers to some of the common…
1 year ago
Resources
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Empowering Places Interim Report
Content by Empowering Places
Empowering Places aims to build more resilient communities by supporting community businesses to provide benefits and opportunities for local people.
2 months ago
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Employee and worker ownership recovery strategy paper
Read our policy paper setting out why city regions should include measures to support the creation of employee and worker owned businesses.
7 months ago
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Ownership Hub prospectus
Content by Ownership Hub
The Ownership Hub raises awareness of the benefits of employee and worker ownership at a national level.
11 months ago
Implementing the Greater Manchester Co-operative Commission final report
In this paper Co-operatives UK makes proposals for how Greater Manchester Co-operative Commission’s recommendations might be implemented.
11 months ago
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VIDEO: Community economic development
Community Economic Development (CED) gives people the opportunity to meaningfully shape the economy where they live. It enables those living, working and doing business in an area to work together to…
1 year ago
You may also be interested in
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About Boosting Community Business London
Content by Boosting Community Business London
Are you based in Greater London? Are you looking to set up a community business, or are you a new or existing community business looking for help developing a community share offer?’
3 days ago
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Our analysis of the Spending Review 2020
The extent to which new funding announced in the 2020 Spending Review ends up boosting co-op development, largely depends on how much freedom local leaders and communities will have to direct…
1 month ago
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Co-operative architects putting equality into action: McCaren Design
Content by The Hive
After operating as a limited company for nearly two decades, Plymouth based architecture firm McCaren Design became an employee ownership trust on 1 June 2020.
2 months ago
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About Empowering Places
Content by Empowering Places
Empowering Places is a programme which demonstrates the role that concentrated clusters of community businesses can play in creating better places and reducing inequality in local areas. Funded…
2 months ago
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About peer mentoring
Content by The Hive
As part of The Hive support, co‑ops get the chance to meet and learn from other co‑ops that have had similar experiences, made mistakes and learned along the way.
2 months ago