Jargon Buster

C

Capital Gains Tax
A tax paid when you sell an asset that has increased in value. 

Capital Investment
Money invested in an enterprise, or the purchase of fixed assets that are expected to be productive in the future, to help further the business' objectives.

CITR (Community Investment Tax Relief)
A government tax relief scheme encouraging investment for companies or individuals into Community Development Finance Insitutions (see CDFI)

CBS (Community Benefit Society)
Owned by the members, a CBS serves the benefit of the community by ploughing all profits back into the business. Generally,these are neighbourhood focused businesses where anyone can be a member, and are often volunteer led. A CBS raises money through a community share issue that is open to the public. A CBS is the only legal entity that can do a public share offer without heavy regulation. 

CDFI (Community Development Finance Institution)
A financial services company dedicated to delivering responsible and affordable lending.

Community Assets
Assets owned by the community e.g. a renewable energy project, a farm, sport centre, village hall.

CIC (Community Interest Company)
A type of company designed for social enterprises who want to use their assets for the public good. A CIC structure is well suited to growth businesses run by entrepreneurs.

CLT (Community Land Trust)
A non-profit organisation that own and develop land for the benefit of the community.

Community Shares
A withdrawable type of investment in a community-led organisation such as a cooperative or a CBS, allowing the investor to have a share of the organisation.

Cooperative Society
An organisation owned and controlled by its members, who must contribute to the company in some way (customers, workers,etc). There are 3 million co-ops around the world, with 1.2 billion members. 

CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)
An initiative for an organisation to assess and take responsibility for the company’s environmental and social effects.