"community" - can the community to benefit be based outside the UK?

[Tracey Wills]

Hi all,

My partner is part of a local organisation in Devon with links to a rural village community in Zimbabwe. They are wanting to raise awareness and funds to support a tree planting project there, empowering the community to remain as a community.

My question is: Can the community that ultimately benefits from a CIC be based outside of the UK? Would all 'directors' or 'members' need to be domiciled in the UK?

Thanks !

[Charlie Cattell]

According to the official CIC guidance documents: "A community for CIC purposes can embrace either the population as a whole or a definable sector or group of people either in the UK or elsewhere." Like any limited company, while the CIC itself must be domiciled in the UK (i.e. it muat have a registered office address there), the directors may be based anywhere in the world.

[Tracey Wills]

Thank you Charlie - very helpful.