Aims/priorities: The programme aims to support early stage community businesses across England by helping them to develop skills to:
- Generate income to be invested in their community through trading.
- Create a resilient, growing community business.
- Adapt to changes in external environments.
- Develop emotional resourcefulness.
- Build and benefit from new networks.
- Positively impact their community.
Who can apply? Applications will be accepted from leaders of an early stage community business. This could be a charity, a Community Interest Company (CIC), a company, community benefit society or other group, which is led by and working for a local community in England.
Eligible organisations must be committed to and working towards being a community business. A community business is run by and for a local community for a social or environmental purpose. Its profits are reinvested for the benefit of that community.
Applicants must be aiming to be:
- Locally rooted. It should be based within a defined geographical area (e.g. a village or town, or a ward, or borough).
- Accountable to the local community. It must demonstrate that the local community is involved in planning and supporting the community business, as well as simply using its services.
- Trading for the benefit of the local community. It must be trading or planning to trade with profits reinvested in the community or to support activity in the community.
- Making a broad community impact. It must either be working with a broad section of the community or have a specific focus on a particular group, e.g. people from minoritized ethnicities or disabled people, in the local community.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be based in England.
- Plan on starting or growing the income it makes from trading.
- Be established within the last five years.
- Have an income of less than £100,000 per year.
It is expected that groups are likely to currently have few or no paid staff.
Organisations led by and for Black and racially minoritised communities, deaf and disabled people, women, LGBTQ+ communities, and those in economically disadvantaged areas are particularly encouraged to apply.
Grant amount: This free learning and development programme offers:
- Match trading grant of up to £4,000. The first £800 will be awarded up front. The remaining four instalments of up to £800 will be given over the year matched against the participant's increased trading.
- Ready-made network.
- Expert insights.
- Peer-to-peer learning.
- A community of 3,000+ SSE fellows.
Grants are calculated according to the organisation's increase in trading income over a year, compared to the previous year. The amount awarded will be matched pound-for-pound based on the increased trading income, up to the maximum of £4,000.
Application process: The closing date for applications is 29 April 2026 (12:00).
The programme will run from 1 October 2026 to 31 October 2027, and successful applicants must commit to 11 learning days spread over the 12 months.
The online application form and guidance notes can be accessed by registering an interest on the SSE website Trading for Good: Community Business | School for Social Entrepreneurs
Deadline: 29 April 2026 (noon)
Contact information: Email: tradingforgood@sse.org.uk
Website: Trading for Good: Community Business The School for Social Entrepreneurs