Grants for social enterprises and CICs
Social enterprises and CICs sit between the charity and commercial worlds, and the funding landscape reflects that. Some traditional charity funders exclude CICs; others actively welcome them. There's also a growing pool of social investment and blended finance you wouldn't see as a pure charity.
Who this is for: Community Interest Companies (CIC), social enterprises, B-Corps and mission-led trading organisations.
What to look for in a funder
- Funders who explicitly accept CICs (not all charity funders do)
- Funders who fund the trading element, not just the social mission
- Social investment alongside grants, blended deals stretch your runway
Application tips
- Be explicit about your asset lock and how surplus is reinvested. Funders care.
- Show the trading model alongside the impact model. Both must be credible.
- Where grants are scarce, look at blended finance, a small grant plus a social loan can unlock work neither would on its own.
Frequently asked questions
Can a CIC apply to charity grants?
Some, but many funders restrict eligibility to registered charities. Always check the criteria before investing time in an application.
Should we register as a charity to access more funding?
Only if the governance model and trading restrictions suit your organisation. The funding pool is larger as a charity, but the operating constraints are tighter.
From finding funding to a completed application
Most platforms stop once you've found a grant. Serin surfaces application questions and guidance inside the platform, so you can move from discovery to a stronger completed application in one workflow.