Expand your knowledge to include less common, more innovative approaches to business ownership and governance.

When it comes to setting up a new organisation, or supporting others to do so, all legal frameworks, whether private, mutualistic, or charitable, are a response to some simple questions: Who should own it? Who should benefit from its value? And who should make the decisions? This Alternative Business Models short course will enable you to understand and recommend the most appropriate models based on how you or those you're supporting answer those questions.

Delivered in partnership with Co-op Culture’s team of experienced advisors, this short course is designed to increase your knowledge of alternative business models to support you in your role to promote progressive economic strategies, if that's Community Wealth Building, Inclusive Economies, or any other framework that is based on increasing the social and economic outcomes of businesses in our economy.

Short course programme

This training is delivered online over three x 3-hour sessions:
‍

Session #1: Introduction to Alternative Business Models

An introduction to alternative business models and how they can be supported. You'll leave with:

• Knowledge of alternative business models proven to work in the UK economy
• An understanding of the similarities to, and differences from, more conventional business models
• A knowledge of the support landscape available to alternative business models
• An understanding of approaches that are effective when supporting groups adopting alternative business models

Session #2 - Deep dive: Governance & Legal Models

Delve into the legal structures and governance used by organisations with alternative business models. You'll leave with:

• A knowledge of the range of governance models used by organisations with alternative business models
• An understanding of the difference between legal form and organisational type
• An understanding of the factors affecting the choice of legal form 

Session #3 - Deep dive: Finance

Explore the novel and innovative finance available to organisations with alternative business models.

• A knowledge of the types and sources of capital are available to businesses in the UK
• A knowledge of the different business finance options available to organisations using alternative business models
• An understanding of how the legal form of an organisation can affect the finance options available
• An understanding around how to chose the best types and sources of finance when using an alternative business model

‍

Who is it for?

• Anyone involved in policy and/or business support who wishes to expand their knowledge to include less common and innovative approaches to business and governance.
• Anyone working for a charitable foundation who has grant programmes and strategies focused on inclusive economies, economic justice, community wealth building, or similar
• Anyone supporting organisations in the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Sector.