A Community Interest Company, or CIC, is a type of limited company with a community purpose at its heart. It has been a legal structure in the UK since 2005 and there are now over 30,000 of them registered across the country. The reason so many people choose a CIC is that it sits right in the sweet spot between a charity and a limited company. Like a charity it can apply for grant funding — proper grants, the big ones, National Lottery, Arts Council, Heritage Fund, the lot. B

If you are thinking about setting up a Community Interest Company in 2026, you are in the right place. After 14 years of running CICs and helping over 1,000 community organisations get set up and funded across the UK, here is exactly what I would do — and what has changed this year that you need to know about. What Is a CIC and Is It Still Worth It in 2026? Absolutely yes. A CIC sits in between a charity and a limited company, and that is exactly what makes it so powerful. Li

I have over 14 years of experience applying for grants — not just for my own CICs but through CIC Tribe, where I have helped over 1,000 community organisations secure more than £50 million in funding. So when I say I know what is hot and what is not right now, I mean it. These are my favourite grants. The ones I get excited about. The ones I see people winning every single day. And the opportunities here are massive — genuinely life changing, not just for your career and your

Some food for thought as we wrap up our festive break and begin to think about going back to work mode next week! If your anything like me you will be thinking how lovely it was to relax this last couple of weeks, but also how you love your CIC work and can’t wait to get back to it. Added to this, is that niggling thought… ‘if only I had the money to work when I want and on projects I love without the stress, burnout and hassle that come with juggling my main job and doing al