Community Shares
At Fundsurfer, we understand the importance of community and the impact it can have to save community assets.
We can help you launch your community share offer as well as advising on other fundraising options.
Community Share Offers empower local communities and organisations to take control of their own development. From local community owned energy to buildings that the community need to keep and to help thrive.
Fundsurfer and our team has a proven track record of fundraising success and a global network of social investors, supporters and impact funds.
We are the ideal choice for your community share needs. We also have access to a team of licensed community share practitioners who will guide you through the process of creating your community share offer document, ensuring that your proposal meets the highest standards of good practice.
Our platform, Fundsurfer, provides the perfect platform for your community share story and offer to go live with, reaching a wide audience of potential investors.
We also offer matchmaking and introductions to our network of investors, as well as access to equity and debt finance options.
In addition to our community share offerings, we have a dedicated energy team who solely work on providing financing support for renewable energy projects. This team provides local communities with help and guidance, access to funding, and advice and support for community-led energy projects.
We also offer support for local councils, helping them engage with us and work together to source and fund community-scale wind and solar energy projects. Additionally, we have access to match funding and grants, such as the Government's Community Ownership Fund, which can provide a grant of up to £1m towards the capital needed for your project.
At Fundsurfer, we have raised over £30m for UK projects and our long-standing partnerships with leading wind and solar manufacturers will ensure that your project has access to the latest technology and delivery of hardware in a timely manner.
Create a Community Share project now
Fees for community shares
We charge £3000 as a non refundable upfront fee to set up and launch your community share offer. If you need help with funding the costs associated with your community share offer we can help with a grant of up to £15,000 to cover these fees.
We also charge 3-5% of total funds raised through the Fundsurfer platform.
For full details see our Community Share pricing.
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Let's talk about how we can help.
Book in a call here: https://calendly.com/fundsurfer or email info@fundsurfer.com
What are community share offers?
All enterprises need money to start, grow, and be sustainable. However, it can be difficult for local businesses or enterprises to find the capital they need. Community Shares (also known as Withdrawable Share Capital) allow you to invest in an enterprise that aims to benefit your community. You might come across them because you’ve been invited to support a venture, or you might be looking for a different way to invest some spare cash.
- How Community Shares work
- What are the benefits of investing in Community Shares
- What are the risks of investing in Community Shares?
- What to think about before you invest in Community Shares
- Using the Community Shares Standard Mark to assess a Community Share offer
- Accessing the money you’ve invested in Community Shares
- Charges for Community Shares
- Is the money I’ve put into Community Shares protected?
- Do I have to pay tax on Community Shares?
- If things go wrong with Community Shares
- Find out more about Community Shares
How Community Shares work
Since 2012, £200m million has been raised in share capital to support local, member-owned businesses, including shops, pubs, piers, community halls, renewable energy developments, care homes and youth clubs.
If a local organisation or business wants to raise money for an enterprise they think will benefit the community, they can put together a proposal (known as a Share Offer document) and register as a :
- Co-operative society,
- Community benefit society, or
- Charitable community benefit society.
This allows them to issue Community Shares to help raise the money they need.
Community Shares aren’t traded on the stock market – you buy them directly from the society that’s offering them.
When you want to cash in your shares, the society will repay the money you invested (unless it is having financial difficulties).
This might be subject to a notice period and other restrictions, stated in the offer document.
The share offer document contains all of the details of the offer, including the minimum and maximum amounts you can invest.
This short animation explains Community Shares.
What are the benefits of investing in Community Shares
There are three main benefits:
- The main reason for investing in Community Shares is to support the enterprise, and the benefits it brings to you and your community through its products and services. If the venture is successful you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you have played a part in making it work.
- You become a member of a community enterprise, with a democratic say in its social aims and future success.
- You might also be offered a financial return on your investment, together with the scope to cash in your shares at some point in the future.
However, it is important to remember that this is a social investment and not a financial investment.
If the society makes a profit, it might pay you interest on your shares, but the amount of interest a society can pay is restricted.
What are the risks of investing in Community Shares?
Buying any type of shares involves risk. Community Shares can’t go up in value, but they can go down if the society is making losses.
As a shareholder you could lose some or all of the money you invest.
You should only take these risks with money you can afford to lose.
What to think about before you invest in Community Shares
There are some important things you need to think about before you decide to invest in Community Shares:
- Is your money safe?
- Is it a good business idea?
- How much should you invest?
- What will your money be spent on?
- Is it realistic to expect a financial return?
- Can you afford to lose your investment?
- Who else is putting money into the organisation?
- How can you get your money back when you need it?
- Do you support the social purpose of the organisation?
- Do you know and trust the people who are running the project?
- How comprehensive is the Share Offer document? Does it carry the Standard Mark?
The Community Shares Standard Mark is shown only on share offers that have met best practice guidelines, so look out for it when you’re considering investing.
Further guidance can be found in the Investors’ Guide.
Using the Community Shares Standard Mark to assess a Community Share offer
The Community Shares Standard Mark is awarded to Societies whose share offers meet national standards of good practice.
It has been developed by the Community Shares Unit, a government-funded body that promotes community shares.
Specifically the Mark is awarded to share offer applications that are:
- Easy to understand.
- Not misleading or unfair.
- Explain the purpose of the offer.
- Provide all the main facts about the offer.
You can find exactly what should be in a share offer in the Community Shares handbook.
You can also check that the community share offer is genuine, and means that the share offer has been reviewed and meets national standards of good practice.
Accessing the money you’ve invested in Community Shares
Most societies will repay your shares on demand, but others need prior notice – sometimes several months in advance of your withdrawal.
They might also limit how much you can withdraw in any one year.
It’s important to read the terms and conditions for withdrawal in the share offer document.
Charges for Community Shares
There might be charges such as annual membership fees or an administration charge if you make a withdrawal.
Check with the scheme to ensure you fully understand the charges that might apply.
Is the money I’ve put into Community Shares protected?
The money you put into withdraw-able share capital is not protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
If the society collapses, you could lose all the money you’ve invested.
Do I have to pay tax on Community Shares?
Societies don’t deduct tax before paying out interest.
So if you get interest payments, you must declare the income and pay any tax owed.
If things go wrong with Community Shares
While Co-ops and Community Benefit Societies are registered by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), withdrawable share capital itself is not regulated.
So if there’s a problem, you can’t make a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service or get your money back from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme – you’ll need to sort out the problem directly with the society.
Advertisements for community share offers are also outside the FCA’s scope, so they might not provide all the risk information you need to make an informed choice.
If you have concerns about a share offer bearing the Community Shares Standards Mark, you can Contact the Community Shares Unit which will investigate your concerns.
Find out more about Community Share
Definition from http://communityshares.org.uk/find-out-more/what-are-community-shares
https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/withdrawable-share-capital
Why choose Fundsurfer?
We have helped hundreds of clients with fundraising across crowdfunding, debt and equity investment.
-We have built a world-class network of social investors, supporters and impact funds.
-We will provide you with access to a licensed community share practitioner who can help you create your community share offer document.
-Proven track record in fundraising for community groups, charities, social enterprises and non-profits.
-Go live with your story and share offer on the Fundsurfer platform
Introducing Fundsurfer Power!
Our new financing support for renewable energy projects.
Fundsurfer Power is our community energy development and financing initiative. The need for change has never been higher due to sky high energy bills and inflations. We offer local communities free resources, access to funding as well as advice and support for community led energy projects.
Let’s talk about how we can help
Community Share Offers are an effective and democratic way for communities to secure the assets they need. They are designed so that members of a community can put their money to work in order to purchase or finance any income-generating asset that is needed by the community. To find out more, click here.
Local Support
We are helping Community Centres, Schools and councils to engage with us, to work together to source and fund community scale wind and solar energy projects.
We also have access to additional match funding and grants, for example the Government’s new Community Ownership Fund can provide a grant of up to £250,000 towards the capital needed for your particular project. This is then matched through running a community share offer, which must be completed successfully within 12 months of being awarded the grant.
Reach Fund grants
Fundsurfer is also a Reach Fund Access Point, helping you to apply for a non- repayable grant of up to £15,000 for CICs and charities. The Reach Fund grant assists exclusively in terms of supporting organisations to become investment ready; this can include support towards launching and promoting a community share offer or crowdfunding campaign.
We have access to dedicated licensed community share practitioners (CSPs) who can help you draft all documents required to launch your community share offer. A CSP can also help you secure The Community Shares Standard Mark, which is awarded to community share offers that meet national standards of good practice which will help you with closing investment.
The fragility of our energy economy is clearer than it has ever been, and with energy prices currently at an all time high, local communities have a unique opportunity to work together and build, own and benefit from energy generation in their local area.
We have a broad network of private, public and institutional investors. We know what they need to see to be able to invest. We can introduce your project to investors looking to invest into resident led energy projects which can benefit local communities.
We have long standing partnerships with leading wind and solar manufacturers, who can supply your project with the latest solar panels, wind turbines and other related hardware and infrastructure development required.
If you want to get started or discuss a potential community share offer or crowdfunding project, contact our team to arrange a free consultation to discuss how we can help you secure funding.
Create a Community Share project now
Contact us — info@fundsurfer.com
Helpful links
Fundsurfer Community Shares — https://www.fundsurfer.com/funding-options/community-shares
Locality — https://locality.org.uk/
Plunkett Foundation — https://plunkett.co.uk/
Power to Change - https://www.powertochange.org.uk/
Social Investment Business- https://www.sibgroup.org.uk/
Coop Community Booster — https://www.uk.coop/support-your-co-op/community-shares/support/booster-fund
Reach Fund - https://access-socialinvestment.org.uk/enterprise-development/the-reach-fund/
Community Shares Company — https://communityshares.co.uk/
Social Investment Tax Relief - https://www.getsitr.org.uk/
Resonance — Simple Guide to Community Shares https://resonance.ltd.uk/images/uploads/media/Simple_guide_to_community_shares.pdf
Top 226 Small Business Grants & Funding Programmes In The UK — https://entrepreneurhandbook.co.uk/grants-loans/
Disclaimer
All Community Members should note that because fundsurfer.com does not facilitate any offers regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, that it is not regulated or authorised by that body. Community Members will not have recourse to the protections offered by the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
The fact that an offer is listed on the site does not mean that fundsurfer.com is endorsing or recommend it. It is for Community Members to assess whether they have enough information to make a judgment on the offer. If you are unsure about whether a particular offer on this website is right for you, you may wish to seek advice from a financial adviser.
Also please review Fundsurfers terms and conditions of use.
