Design the right structure for your community asset
10am – 1pm
|
14
May
2025
When taking on a community asset, you'll need to establish a legal entity to own or manage it. Although the variety of legal structures available to UK communities can seem intimidating, choosing the right legal form should follow from the answers to a set of straightforward questions: Who should own the asset? Who should make the decisions? And who should benefit from its economic and social value?
It's important in the early stages – or when you're reviewing your structure – to understand how different legal forms will have their own features, such as restrictions on the distribution of profits, a range of tax treatments, and legal clauses, such as asset locks. In this workshop, we'll explore how these features have implications in terms of access to specific types of funding, who can be involved in your governance, and whether there's any limitations on your trading activities.
We offer sessions on a sliding scale. Please select the 'organisation' rate if you are funded by an organisation to attend this session.
- An overview of different legal structures available, and which are most popular amongst those running community assets
- An introduction to the Ownership Model Canvas, a visual tool that can support your group to explore the key decisions
- Examples of why communities have chosen certain legal forms, and an exploration of how their structures work
Participants will also get a free copy of the ABCs of the New Economy guide in the post.
- A clear understanding of the legal structure options and their implications for your community asset
- A completed Ownership Model Canvas tailored to your asset's needs
- Resources and contacts to help you take the right steps towards incorporation
- Connections with fellow community entrepreneurs and practitioners
- Community leaders exploring how to formalize the ownership of an asset
- Individuals or groups taking on an asset transfer or managing community spaces
- Anyone seeking to better understand the intersection of legal frameworks and community empowerment
Stir to Action's team will be facilitating the learning sessions, and will be joined by Mark Simmonds of Co-op Culture, and Lenny Watson of Sister Midnight.
Refunds
Refunds will only be made if a written refund request is received no less than four weeks before the session starts. Send your written request via email to workshops@stirtoaction.com. If you cancel your booking less than four weeks before the session starts, no refund will be made other than in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the organisers. No refund will be made for non-attendance.
Cancellations
In the event we have to cancel the session before it starts, we will endeavour to inform all participants at least two weeks before the it is due to start, although please be aware that this is not always possible. In such an event, all session fees paid to date will be reimbursed in full. We are unable to reimburse any other costs that may be incurred (i.e. travel, accommodation).
In the event that we have to change session dates before the start of the session, participants may request a full refund if the new date is not convenient.
Should you have any questions regarding these terms and conditions, please contact the Stir to Action team via workshops@stirtoaction.com.
