Fundraising Alternatives Part 1: A Focus on Community Shares

Then read on to find out more about a fundraising model that could be right for you.

The Co-operative Model

Community Shares are a great way for communities to invest in enterprises and projects serving a community purpose.  This form of fundraising enables investment to come from the very community which a project intends to benefit. Community shareholders, ordinary people, invest in local enterprises to provide goods and services to meet local needs.

What type of projects suit Community Shares? 

Community Shares have been used to finance a huge range of community-owned projects. Some examples include:

• Buying a building for a new community hall.
• Energy projects such as wind or solar power.
• Building a stadium or renovate a leisure facility.
• The purchase of rural and urban shops, pubs and breweries.
• Buying a piece of land for agricultural collectives.

Down to Earth, NI is a unique example of how Community Shares can work.  The organisation aims to be Northern Ireland’s first woodland burial service, find out more on their website.

Setting up Community Share Projects

To put forward this type of share offer, the group/enterprise will need to register as an Industrial & Provident Society such as a Community Benefit Society, and the enterprise must benefit a community in Northern Ireland.

Find out more about Community Shares 

Have a look on the Co-operative Alternatives website or contact Tiziana O’Hara at Cooperative Alternatives; email [email protected] or phone 07858317634.

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