In its last programme The School for Social Entrepreneurs supported 2,400 community business leaders who touched the lives of 2.1m people. Now there’s an opportunity to help hundreds more tackle the social and environmental issues on their doorstep.
A School for Social Entrepreneurs report shows that its Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Programme develops social enterprises that survive longer and are less reliant on grants.
Traditional funding is often too restricted and can encourage dependence. Grants that focus on boosting traded income can help social enterprises to grow on their own terms and become more sustainable.
ACF, School for Social Entrepreneurs and Access Foundation set up taskforce to boost earned income through grants – billed “the missing piece in the finance jigsaw” – by building on success of match trading.
Social Enterprise UK and Big Society Capital are among nine organisations promoting the Community Enterprise Growth Plan, a “once-in-a-decade opportunity” to accelerate growth of social enterprise in underserved communities.
England social enterprises can get grants of up to £100,000 to help them “get back on their feet”, under Lottery-funded scheme first set up in 2020, and once again delivered by Big Issue Invest, Key Fund, Resonance, SSE and UnLtd.
The extreme pressure of running a social venture can hit hard: a quarter of business leaders surveyed recently said they'd had to take time off as a result. But what are the triggers – and how can social entrepreneurs avoid pushing themselves too far?
Stories are up to 22 times more memorable than facts alone – and in challenging times, it’s particularly important to tell them well, says Sophie Short from Social Enterprise Mark CIC.
Impact measurement is not only challenging – it can also be a distraction from what really matters, argues our columnist, who draws on conversations with some of the women critiquing and reimagining this burgeoning industry.
