Co-operatives UK is the national membership organisation for co-operatives of all kinds. As the apex body of the UK co-operative movement it has a diverse and growing membership of over 500 co-operative and mutual enterprises in all sectors of the economy, federations (which in turn have their own membership base) that represent distinct co-operative sectors, and organisations that specialise in the start up and development of new co-operative and mutual enterprises. 1 in 5 of the UK population is a member of a co-operative.
It provides information and support on a wide variety of topics relating to the operational duties of IPSs, including those of secretaries and directors. It has a number of model rules for bodies wishing to register as IPSs, including community investment models.
The Development Trusts Association (DTA) is the leading network of community enterprise practitioners. We help people set up development trusts and helps existing trusts to learn from each other and to work effectively. Development trusts are community organisations using self-help, enterprise, and asset ownership, to find local solutions and transform their community for good. The DTA also influences government and others at national and local level, to build support and investment for the movement. There are now over 450 development trusts in DTA membership, in both urban and rural areas. While many are still small, others are operating at scale: the combined turnover is £260m and development trusts have £490m of assets in community ownership.
The Government recognises the importance of developing a strong evidence base on key issues facing enterprises undertaking community share issues.
This new two year action research project will create a more robust evidence base on the potential for community share and bonds issues to increase community empowerment, grow social enterprises and support wider Government objectives. It will support 10 enterprises raising equity in this way.
The work is funded by the Office for Civil Society Social Enterprise Action Learning Fund and will be led by the Department for Communities and Local Government, and delivered by the Development Trusts Association and in partnership with Co-operativesUK and the Social Return on Investment Network.
Recent estimates suggest there are at least 55,000 social enterprises in the UK, contributing £8.4 billion to the UK's GDP and employing at least 650,000 people (2005 Small Business Survey - BERR). The Office of the Third Sector is supporting other government departments to undertake action research to develop their understanding of the role social enterprise can play in helping meet their strategic objectives.
The Community Shares action research project was suggested by Communities and Local Government to build a robust evidence base on how community share and bond issues can increase community empowerment, grow social enterprises and stimulate funding from non-governmental sources.
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/
The Expert Reference Group
The Expert Reference Group is made up of experts and specialists within the Community investment sector and they aim to provide guidance and advice for the project. The members are listed below.
Baker Brown Associates is a research, development and training consultancy serving the social economy. Currently, its work focuses on equity investment in the third sector, and the training and professional development of social enterprise advisers. Its principal consultant, Jim Brown, is the lead consultant to the Community Shares programme. He has written extensively on community investment, as the commissioning editor of Co-operative Capital and author of Community Investment using IPS legislation, as well as in articles for the Guardian newspaper, the Social Enterprise Journal, Co-operative Studies and the Soil Association.
For more information see www.bakerbrown.co.uk
Social Return on Investment (SROI) is a framework for measuring and accounting for a broader concept of value; it seeks to reduce inequality and environmental degradation and improve wellbeing by incorporating social, environmental and economic costs and benefits.
SROI measures change in ways that are relevant to the people or organisations that experience or contribute to it. It tells the story of how change is being created by measuring social, environmental and economic outcomes and uses monetary values to represent them.
To find out more, please visit www.thesroinetwork.org
Co-operative & Community Finance (C&CF) - the lender for social purpose - provides sympathetic loan finance to help people take control of their economic lives and create social benefit.It exclusively serves the co-operative and social enterprise sector, and over 36 years it has supported hundreds of businesses ranging from small community-run enterprises to large award-winning organisations. C&CF specialises in providing loan finance for community co-operatives, and has financially supported many across England. It is also a partner of the Village CORE Programme, which to date has helped to set up around 60 community co-operatives that have successfully purchased their local shops through share issues. www.co-opandcommunityfinance.coop
Co-operative and Mutual Solutions Ltd (CMS) is a worker co-operative consultancy (Industrial and Provident Society) which specialises in business advice, consultancy and training to co-operatives and other forms of social enterprise. CMS provides wide ranging legal, financial and marketing advice to new start, trading co-operatives and groups of people facing a succession situation (community and employee buyouts). We have built up considerable expertise in the area of community share issues. Over the last 10 years, CMS has assisted more than 10 community share issues including shops, pubs and breweries. We can assist with initial feasibility, owner negotiation, financial modelling and business planning, designing the appropriate legal structure and offer document. www.cms.coop
Energy4All was formed in 2002 by Baywind Energy Co-op to help communities develop renewable energy schemes, normally through the launch of local share issues. The company is owned by the co-ops it creates and is by far the most successful community-based enterprise in this sector, with a national team and programme of initiatives. Although it is actively exploring other models, and despite the relatively high costs, Energy4All has to date specialised in offers which issue a prospectus and are subject to FSA regulation. Results vindicate this, with over £13m of community equity raised, supplemented by £7m of bank borrowing. Returns to co-op members have typically been 6%-10% p.a. http://www.energy4all.co.uk/energy_home.asp
Wessex Community Assets Ltd (WCA) is an Industrial and Provident Society which offers support to community led organisations to use community investment as a means of establishing locally owned assets and enterprises.
It has two sets of model rules registered with the FSA, one for community assets and one for enterprise investment, and has acted as a sponsor for IPSs such as Torrs Hydro New Mills Ltd. It is also currently funded to give help and advice to four projects in the South West looking to incorporate and raise capital in the areas of community retail, land for food growing, energy and workspace. WCA is part of the Wessex Reinvestment Trust group, which also offer Business Loans for small and social enterprises, and Home Improvement Loans for owner occupiers on low incomes.
http://www.wessexca.co.uk/
Key Fund Yorkshire is a social enterprise that provides investment support to other social enterprises working in disadvantaged communities across Yorkshire and the Humber. The Key Fund offers an innovative mix of flexible grant/loan packages and equity investment for social enterpreneurs, voluntary and community organisations and existing social enterprises. By providing lead-in investment finance, the Key Fund is continuing in its mission to break down barriers to accessing finance; enabling people and communities to reach their full potential. The fund has attempted to continually develop innovative products to respond to client needs. In particular a number of different styles of equity investment have been developed and trialled.
www.keyfundyorks.org.uk
