Support is available to charities and social enterprises that work with Black and Minoritised communities in England to make the transition to new enterprises or to grow existing ones.
The Enterprise Development Programme is a five-year, £40 million initiative that is funded by Access - The Foundation for Social Investment and managed by a coalition of partners, including Social Investment Business and the Ubele Initiative.
This programme enables charities, voluntary sector organisations, and social enterprises led by and working with Black and Minoritised communities to grow financial resilience and impact by providing a mix of grant and learning support to help get enterprise ideas off the ground.
Applicants who are accepted onto the programme will work collaboratively with Ubele Initiative, a programme partner, to determine what they need to progress their ideas and build the resilience of their organisation.
Individual packages of financial and business support are available for successful applicants. These are likely to include some or all of the following:
- Grants of up to £30,000 to research or test out new ideas, to launch new enterprises or grow existing ones (grants are likely to be subject to agreed milestones or evidence of growing income sources).
- Extensive peer-learning and networking opportunities.
- Training and learning opportunities tailored to needs.
- Extensive peer-learning and networking opportunities.
- Access to a team of pro bono legal experts to provide support with the legal considerations of trading.
- Invitations to conferences on enterprise development and social investment within the wider charitable sector.
Applications will be accepted from legally constituted charities, voluntary sector organisations, or social enterprises which have been operating as a registered company/charity for at least two years, with a clear social mission, and at least 70% of the board of trustees and at least 51% of senior staff from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background.
There is a two-stage application process. There are three opportunities to submit a stage one application in 2022.
The first deadline for Stage 1 applications is 13 June 2022 (12 noon).
How To Apply
There is a two-stage application process.
- Stage 1 application forms ask applicants to explain their organisation's mission, provide details about their leadership and provide a top-line explanation on their proposed trading activity.
- Successful Stage 1 applicants will be invited to complete a Stage 2 application.
The Stage 1 application windows for 2022 are:
- 23 May (10am) to 13 June 2022 (midday).
- 6 September (10am) to 27 September 2022 (midday).
- 14 December (10am) to 14 December 2022 (midday).
Online application forms can be accessed on the Enterprise Development Programme website.