does any one know of any grants i can apply for to start a co-operative ?

[newchoices]

looking to start 2 ( COOP ) - Co-operative companys and looking for grants does any one know of any ?

[Billmccallum]

looking to start 2 ( COOP ) - Co-operative companys and looking for grants does any one know of any ?

What type of businesses? What locations? How many people involved?

I have been involved in developing co-operatives in the past and can offer some insight. The answers to the above questions will be deciding factors in what grants are available.

[KidsBeeHappy]

There are defintely more available for this than other businesses. Will depend though on the purpose of the business. If it's to sustain an essential local service, then the local councils are very supportive here. Lots of villages have taken over the local village shops etc through this medium and the local councils tend to give pratical as well as financial help. Rural sustainability grants etc.

[newchoices]

we are looking at a coop estate agency

to supply affordable house land and letting sales also for office lettings and manufactoring warehouses bit like a consultancy but in the high street there are alot of estate agents around and they charge silly fees and i have talked to alot of people that the customer service is not all that great and its all about money for them i jsut want to build a customer friendly company and create jobs also

we will be based in eastbourne but will do areas of hastings and brighton from our eastbourne office to we are not looking at building a chain just a community friendly company

i am the ony person at the moment involved but looking to get more people involved but im not about employing alot of directors that just want money but want to hire the right team ?

can you let me know what you think and if any grants can be got at to start the company ?

[Billmccallum]

we are looking at a coop estate agency

to supply affordable house land and letting sales also for office lettings and manufactoring warehouses bit like a consultancy but in the high street there are alot of estate agents around and they charge silly fees and i have talked to alot of people that the customer service is not all that great and its all about money for them i jsut want to build a customer friendly company and create jobs also

we will be based in eastbourne but will do areas of hastings and brighton from our eastbourne office to we are not looking at building a chain just a community friendly company

i am the ony person at the moment involved but looking to get more people involved but im not about employing alot of directors that just want money but want to hire the right team ?

can you let me know what you think and if any grants can be got at to start the company ?

The important aspect of a co-operative is that all the employees own the business, so there needs to be more than one person.

"A co-operative is a people-centred organisation, jointly owned and democratically controlled by its members. Trade is a fundamental human activity, and co-operatives are trading enterprises, providing goods and services, and generating profits. Those profits are not taken by outside shareholders as with investor-owned businesses, but are under the control of the members, who decide democratically how they should be used."

The idea of an estate agency co-op sounds good, but can it compete in the world of property? You would need to have a persuasive business case to make the customer choose the co-op over the established EA's.

Having said all that, if the structure of the co-operative was designed that the profits could be shared with the community, there may well be good grant support for the right model.

I know you say you don't want a chain, but the developmental process would indicate that you would get better outcomes from a larger organisation rather than a smaller one (lower cost for advertising & printing , web presence, etc).

I would be interested in getting involved with a Dorset branch.....

[newchoices]

Yeah not sure id let all employees have a input as that would be cayos may give them shares in the company and a small say how the profits used but profits are only made on how much they make from lettings etc so everyone would need to work hard im waiting on the co-operative group to get back to me about this idea to see what they think about it and if they would lend the money to start it

wouldnt let any dicktate my salary if i started the company and owned the concept id take a meduim salary from it as id be working every day as well as running the company i love helping people and charitys etc but there comes a point to it.

or a co-operative recruitment company ( recruitment is my back ground )

is there any grants available ?

[Billmccallum]

Yeah not sure id let all employees have a input as that would be cayos may give them shares in the company and a small say how the profits used but profits are only made on how much they make from lettings etc so everyone would need to work hard im waiting on the co-operative group to get back to me about this idea to see what they think about it and if they would lend the money to start it

wouldnt let any dicktate my salary if i started the company and owned the concept id take a meduim salary from it as id be working every day as well as running the company i love helping people and charitys etc but there comes a point to it.

or a co-operative recruitment company ( recruitment is my back ground )

is there any grants available ?

What you describe is a private company with employees having a share incentive scheme, NOT a co-operative, the co-operative grant programme will not fund the business you describe.

[newchoices]

a coop sounds great with estate agents but wouldnt it get or be cayos if everyone has a imput into how its run and you say about every one owns it well how would that be if they ahve not put money into it id still like to try create it but not sure how and wouldnt it be cayos how do other coops survive like this ?

[newchoices]

how much is the coop grant as no point if it dont mount to a bit of money as you need to emply people to start with then create profits and need to pay for a sho lease computers etc what does the grant cover ?

[energycymru]

Can somebody please HELP!! I a new to business forum and I want to start my own thread/post adn don't know how!! Please advise!

[Billmccallum]

a coop sounds great with estate agents but wouldnt it get or be cayos if everyone has a imput into how its run and you say about every one owns it well how would that be if they ahve not put money into it id still like to try create it but not sure how and wouldnt it be cayos how do other coops survive like this ?

Co-operatives are run and managed like any other business, with a Board of Directors, only in this case, everyone is a direcor (in a way).

The Directors would authorise individuals to take management roles e.g. Managing Director, Finance Director, Sales Director, etc.

These executive directors (The Executive Team) would effectively decide who does what in the business on a daily basis.

If the employees don't like what the executive team are doing they can vote them out of office at the AGM (or EGM if needed).

I have to say that you have not "created" the idea, Estate Agents and Co-operatives have been around a fairly long time and estate agent co-operatives do exist around the world (Australia and Canada).

If you want to run a business where you control things, then do it, but don't try to package it as a co-operative.