Community Interest Companies (CIC)

For a Community Interest Company to be accepted by the CIC Regulator it must have clear aims that fit the criteria laid down for CIC registration. Your aims will be different from anyone else's but these examples will help your thinking. Take a sheet of paper and write down what you intend to do and how it will benefit the community. Then try to summarise your notes into a few crisp statements.

An awareness and fundraising campaign.

a. To promote understanding of …….
b. To advance the care of …...
c. To organise events and activities to generate income for the cause.
d. To facilitate the purchase, development and management of......

A service to help a particular ethnic group.

a) To raise awareness of the ... community needs and aspirations amongst the wider communities in the UK
b) To promote the educational, employment, training, social, civic and cultural needs of the ... community in UK through information, advice and guidance
c) To help the ... community to integrate and fully participate in the host society
d) To promote ... culture and values in the UK
e) To work in partnership with other organisations to seek solutions to the barriers and problems encountered by the ... community in the UK
f) To inform, educate, advise, connect and help maintain the unique culture and values of the ... community in United Kingdom
g) To help the ... community retain their identity while enabling them to integrate and contribute to the UK society
h) To advise ... Families in need about the benefits of education and training in the UK
i) To promote social inclusion and social integration among the ... community
j) To help members of the ... community find employment
k) To disseminate and promote sound representation of the ... community in the UK
l) To promote positive examples of the achievements of ... community members
m) To discourage segregation and self-marginalisation of ... community in the UK

A sports centre for a village

a. To provide a sports centre for use by the whole of the ... community.
b. To promote sports and healthy living for the village of ...

A support service for voluntary organisations and their staff.

To provide support to voluntary organisations and their full or part-time staff and, in particular -

(a) to improve the support available to employees, unpaid volunteers and employers.
(b) to deliver training in employment policies, practices and procedures.
(c) to offer a consultancy and training service that improves strategic planning and funding to support development of good employment practice.
(d) to provide information, advice and guidance for people who work in the voluntary sector.

A fundraising venture for a disability group

a. To raise funds on behalf of people who are severely disabled by......
b. To seek to improve the quality of life and independence of such beneficiaries
c. To use appropriate means to publicise and promote the cause
d. To organise appropriate fundraising events and activities

A conservation project

a. To encourage and provide support for the conservation of ... and their habitats.

b. To encourage and provide education, training and the dissemination of information about ... and their habitats.

c. To encourage and promote scientific research relating to ... conservation.

d. To encourage, support and engage in fundraising for the furtherance of the above aims.

Employment support for disabled workers

a. To provide disabled workers as temporary or contract staff to organisations wanting to assist disabled people to enter or re-enter the employment market.
b. To liaise between employer partners and disabled job-seekers to facilitate sustainable employment for the disabled person
c. To provide support for job-seekers’ disability needs.
d. To develop continuing personal development plans for disabled job-seekers in conjunction with employer partners.
e. To facilitate job sustainability for disabled workers via direct employment by the employer following a probation period as contract staff or continued employment by XXXX where the organisation prefers to work with non-direct staff.
d. To provide the above services within the XXX region and later extending to other parts of the United Kingdom.
e. To contribute funds to disability organisations within the communities where the company operates.

A preschool group

a. to support healthy child development through play and recreation.
b. to target services towards (but not exclusively towards) areas identified as deprived.
c. the XXXX area.
d. to review extension of services to other regions as appropriate.
e. to adhere strictly to the terms of The Children Act 2004

A church-base youth group

a) To serve the community of XXX by pursuing aims consistent with Christian moral and spiritual values
b) To create a safe and comfortable space in which the youth of the town can meet and out of which support services can be delivered
c) To promote a positive youth counter-culture that values each individual within the context of a strong and supportive community.
d) To encourage the youth of XXXX to contribute their untapped potential to the benefit of the town.

These examples provide a tiny selection of the diversity that is covered by Social Enterprise groups. There are countless ways that people help each other and the community. But, in an increasingly litigious society, many are seeking to protect their good work by obtaining limited liability through a CIC registration.

Forming a Community Interest Company

Information and ordering procedures for registering your CIC.

Company limited by guarantee

A traditional trustee format for not-for-profit organisations

Charity limited by guarantee

Limited liability company using a constitution approved for charities

Private limited company

Standard limited companies for normal business activities

How will you benefit the Community?

In addition to listing your AIMS or OBJECTS you must indicate in a couple of brief sentences how your Community Interest Company will benefit the Community. Make some notes and talk to us about it.

For lists of existing Community Interest Companies and for more information visit the CIC Regulator's website

Ordered Management will help you

We specialise in this business, so don't be discouraged if you find it hard to put the words together. Tell us in plain English what you intend to do and we'll help you create the wording for your Aims etc.