Funding for social enterprises, matched to your structure
Your legal structure decides which money you can take. Seghu's funding assessment scores 13 funding routes, from grants and Gift Aid to social investment loans and community shares, against your structure and stage. It shows your readiness gaps, then matches you to UK funders using fixed scoring rules.
- 13 funding routes scored for you
- Matched against 144 UK funders
- Fixed scoring rules, not AI
Not every funder can fund every structure
Grant makers, social investors and banks each have their own rules about who they fund. Some only fund charities, some need to buy shares, and some look hard at whether you can repay. Applying without knowing where you fit wastes time on both sides.
- Gift Aid is only open to registered charities and CASCs.
- Equity investment needs a structure that can issue shares.
- Community shares are only available to community benefit societies and co-operatives.
What the funding tools do
13 funding routes, scored for you
Grants, donations, Gift Aid, service contracts, loans, social investment loans, convertible loans, capped equity, venture equity, community shares, community bonds, member capital and revenue share.
Routes your structure rules out
Where a route is closed to your structure, you see why, for example that a CIC cannot claim Gift Aid.
Funding readiness gaps
The assessment flags gaps that could hold an application back, so you know what to work on before you approach a funder.
Funder Matching
A ranked shortlist of UK funders, each with a fit score, the reasons it matched and things to watch out for.
Investment readiness packs
Guided loan pack and convertible loan pack wizards help you prepare the documents lenders and investors ask for.
How it works
- 01
Complete the funding assessment
Five short steps cover how much you need, your income, the return you can offer, your governance and any community capital.
- 02
See your funding routes
Every route is scored for your structure and stage, with the routes your structure rules out explained and your readiness gaps listed.
- 03
Get matched to funders
Funder Matching ranks UK funders by fit and explains each match, with guidance on how to approach them.
Funding readiness for new and existing organisations
If you are still forming your organisation, plan your funding alongside your structure. If you are already registered, check whether the structure you have can reach the funding you want.
Forming a new organisation
Plan your funding alongside your structure, before you register.
- Funding routes for the structure you are choosing
- Readiness gaps to close early
- Funders matched to your plans
Already incorporated
Check whether the structure you already have can reach the funding you want, and what to do if it cannot.
- A Structure Review verdict on your funding fit
- Funding routes for your existing structure
- Funders matched to your organisation as it is today
What you get
- Scores for 13 funding routes, matched to your structure and stage
- A clear note of any route your structure rules out, and why
- Your funding readiness gaps
- A ranked shortlist of UK funders with fit scores
- Match reasons, watch-outs and approach guidance for each funder
- A funder report you can download as a PDF
- Guided loan pack and convertible loan pack wizards
Funder Matching
Funder Matching compares your answers with profiles of 144 UK funders, including foundations, government programmes, social investors, ethical and high street banks, and impact investors. It removes funders you structurally cannot approach, scores the rest across eight weighted factors such as structure, funding type, stage, risk, impact and region, then keeps the shortlist varied. No AI is involved, and even the explanations are built by our own code from your scores.
- A ranked shortlist of up to 20 funders, each with a fit score out of 100
- Why each funder matched, and watch-outs to prepare for
- Guidance on how to approach each funder
- A funder report you can download as a PDF
Frequently asked questions
What funding is available for social enterprises in the UK?
Social enterprises can draw on grants, donations, contracts and trading income, loans and social investment, and, for some structures, equity or community shares. Which of these you can use depends heavily on your legal structure and stage. Seghu's funding assessment scores 13 routes so you can see which fit you.
What does investment-ready mean?
Investment-ready means having the right legal structure, governance, financial documentation and funding strategy in place, so funders and investors can engage with you confidently. The funding assessment shows the readiness gaps to work on before you apply.
How does Funder Matching work?
It first filters out funders that cannot support your structure, location, stage or funding amount. It then scores the rest across eight weighted factors and applies spread rules so the list is not all one type of funder. It is a fixed calculation run on your own answers, and you need to complete the funding assessment for your chosen structure first.
Can a CIC get grants and investment?
Yes. A CIC can apply to many grant funders and can take loans and social investment, and a CIC limited by shares can take equity with capped dividends. A CIC cannot claim Gift Aid, which is only open to registered charities and CASCs, and a CIC limited by guarantee cannot issue shares.
Will Seghu get us funded?
No one can promise that, and we do not. Seghu helps you understand which routes and funders fit, and what to work on before you apply. The decision to fund always sits with the funder.
How much do the funding tools cost?
The free Explore plan includes a funding routes overview. The Funding Stack plus Funder Report is £79 and the Convertible Loan Pack is £199, and both can be bought alongside any structure or on their own. Every incorporation document pack also includes your funding pack.
Keep exploring
- Structure AssessmentCIC or charity? CIO, CBS or co-op? Seghu's structure assessment ranks the 8 main UK social enterprise structures against your mission and funding plans.
- IncorporationGuided incorporation wizards for CICs, CIOs, charitable companies, community benefit societies, co-ops and CASCs. Build your formation documents step by step.
- GovernanceUnderstand who regulates your CIC, charity or society, what you file each year and your key duties. Generate your governance and filing documents with Seghu.
Find the funding your structure can reach
Score your funding routes, see your readiness gaps and get a ranked list of UK funders that fit.
Start your journey