Aims/priorities: The programme aims to support early stage community businesses across England by helping them to:
- Grow a stronger, more sustainable community business or project.
- Recover and rebuild income from trading and sales.
- Benefit from time to reflect and map out next steps.
- Improve leadership and business skills.
- Build a local support network of other people running similar organisations.
Who can apply? Community businesses in England are eligible to apply, including:
- Charitable Incorporated Organisations.
- Community Benefit Societies.
- Community Interest Companies Limited by Guarantee.
- Community Interest Companies Limited by Shares.
- Companies Limited by Guarantee.
- Companies Limited by Shares.
- Co-operative Societies.
- Charitable Trusts.
- Charitable Unincorporated Associations.
In general, the programme is for early stage businesses in England, ideally less than four years old, that are working towards these criteria:
- Locally rooted – i.e. existing to benefit the local neighbourhood, village or town.
- Accountable to the local community – i.e. consulting and communicating with local people about what they do.
- Trading for the benefit of the local community – i.e. wanting to increase their income from trading, with profits being re-invested to benefit the local community.
- Making a broad community impact – i.e. engaging different groups of people from the local area.
There is particular interest in supporting community businesses which are:
- Led by a board or team who are mostly from a racialised and minoritised community.
- Led by a board or team who are mostly young people (aged 16-35).
- Located in and giving support to very deprived or disadvantaged local communities.
Grant amount: The following are available:
- A free learning programme, to help community businesses build their income, confidence, resilience and impact.
- Match trading grant of up to £5,000. The first £1,000 will be awarded up front. The remaining four instalments of up to £1,000 will be given over the year matched against the participant's increased trading.
- Community business peer mentor.
- An opportunity to meet regularly with other people running similar organisations with an eye to helping each other out
Application process: The online application form and guidance notes can be accessed by registering on the SSE website.
Applicants may want to attend one of the free online Application Information Sessions which will provide full details of eligibility and how to apply:
- Wednesday 17 May at 10am
- Tuesday 6 June at 6pm
- Tuesday 20 June at 2pm
Deadline: Monday 26 June 2023, 12 noon.
Contact information: Tel: 020 7089 9120 Email: CBTU@sse.org.uk
Website: The Community Business Trade Up Programme The School for Social Entrepreneurs