Phase 2 · Strategy & Planning · From Idea to Executable Plan
CIC & Charity Commercialisation
A CIC or charity that depends entirely on grants is only as secure as the next funding round. Commercialisation is the strategy that builds the earned income to fund the mission regardless of what the funders decide.
CIC and charity commercialisation is the development of the earned income strategy that reduces the organisation's dependence on grant and donation income by identifying, designing, and launching commercial revenue streams that are aligned to the mission, sustainable in the market, and structured to comply with the regulatory requirements that govern how CICs and charities can trade.
The Pain We Solve
You may recognise yourself in one of these.
Three audience scenarios · because the same service produces a different transformation depending on where you are in the business journey.
Scenario 1
The CIC or charity that is increasingly dependent on a small number of grant funders and needs to diversify its income base
Three funders represent eighty percent of the income. The renewal conversations are increasingly difficult. The organisation knows it needs to build earned income but has not yet identified which commercial opportunities are viable, aligned to the mission, or structured appropriately for the organisational form.
Scenario 2
The charity that has a commercial opportunity it wants to pursue but is uncertain whether it is permissible under the Charity Commission's rules
The opportunity is clear and the demand is real. The charity has the capability to deliver it. And the trustees are uncertain whether the commercial activity is permissible within the charity's objects, whether it requires a trading subsidiary, and what the tax implications of getting the structure wrong would be.
Scenario 3
The CIC that has tried to develop commercial revenue but is struggling to price, sell, and deliver at a commercial level while also fulfilling its community benefit purpose
The CIC is delivering community benefit work. It is also trying to sell commercial services. The pricing is too low to be sustainable, the sales capability is underdeveloped, and the commercial and mission activities are competing for the same limited resource without either receiving enough to perform well.
The Impact It Creates
The Moment You Will Feel the Difference.
Earned income strategy designed — commercial opportunities identified and prioritised
Commercial revenue launched — the organisation earning income beyond grants
Regulatory compliance assured — trading structured appropriately for the organisational form
Income diversification reducing dependence on any single funder
What You Receive
The Specific Deliverables.
Tangible outputs · documented, dated, and yours to keep.
- Commercial opportunity assessment — what the organisation can sell and to whom
- Earned income strategy — priority revenue streams and commercial model
- Pricing framework for commercial services
- Trading structure advisory — subsidiary or direct trading
- Commercial launch plan
- Earned income performance measurement framework
The Outcome
Where You Will Be on the Other Side.
The CIC or charity generates meaningful earned income from commercial activities that are aligned to its mission, priced to be sustainable, and structured to comply with the regulatory requirements that govern trading — reducing its dependence on grant funding and building the financial resilience the mission requires.
Primary Focus
Developing the earned income strategy and commercial capability that reduces grant dependence and builds the financial resilience of the CIC or charity.
KPI Measurement
- Earned income as percentage of total income
- Commercial revenue growth year on year
- Grant dependency ratio vs prior year
- Trading structure compliance
- Commercial activity mission alignment score
Investment & ROI
Pricing Engineered Around the Value You Create.
Every engagement is sized against the value we believe we can create with you · the fee is always a fraction of the outcome. Four tiers · so the investment matches your stage of business.
Tier 1
Foundations
£5,000 – £15,000
Right for
Pre-startup, startup, and micro-business founders ready to build on evidence rather than instinct.
Typical Value Created
£100K+ in sharper resource allocation and avoided strategic missteps
Engagement
4 – 8 weeks
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 2
Acceleration
£15,000 – £50,000
Right for
Growing SMEs and established small businesses ready to scale a working model into the next revenue band.
Typical Value Created
£500K – £3M in faster execution and pipeline acceleration
Engagement
8 – 16 weeks
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 3
Transformation
£50,000 – £250,000
Right for
Medium enterprises and scale-stage businesses ready to commit to a multi-quarter, organisation-wide shift.
Typical Value Created
£2M – £20M in strategic value through repositioning, model redesign, and growth-system installation
Engagement
3 – 9 months
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 4
Enterprise
£250,000 – £2M+
Right for
Large enterprises, global operators, and complex organisations ready for a multi-year strategic partnership.
Typical Value Created
£10M+ in major strategic initiatives, capital deployment efficiency, and competitive repositioning
Engagement
12 months and onward
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Why We Price This Way
Every engagement is sized around the value we believe we can create with you. The fee is always a fraction of the outcome · typically 10 – 20% of the expected first-year return.
This is how we make sure pricing aligns with results. The conversation is never “what does this cost?” · it is always “what is this worth to your business?” We answer that together in the first call, transparently, and decide the right tier from there.
If we cannot articulate a credible 5–10× return for your specific situation, we will tell you in the first call. That honesty is part of why our clients trust us with the work that matters most.
Why This Conversation Matters
“The mission that is funded by earned income is more secure, more credible, and more scalable than the one that depends entirely on funders whose priorities change. Commercialisation is not a compromise of the mission — it is the funding model that makes the mission permanent.”
A 90-minute structured strategy session · produces a usable roadmap whether you engage further or not.
More in Phase 2