Over the last few years social enterprises have sprung up throughout the country and take many different forms, from food cooperatives, child care services, to village shops.

With serious backing from central government for the development of more social enterprises and the predicted
decline of traditional grant funding, Voluntary and Community Action have got together with its partners in Bedfordshire to introduce social enterprise to local groups.

The benefits are less reliance on grants and traditional funding, opportunities to form partnerships, ability to compete for local authority and other public sector contracts and a chance to develop and sell your organisation’s products and services.

Information

To start things off we have published 'Introduction to Social Enterprise', an information sheet to help those who are completely new to the concept get an understanding of the values associated with the term, as well as for those considering whether or not to become involved. We have also produced a Social Enterprise Resource Sheet describing the range of resources available and support those that want to develop their social enterprise activity.

Research

As part of our work to support the development of social enterprise we undertook research to define and map the characteristics of social enterprise in Bedfordshire. The main report, published in September 2007, Social What? Defining and Mapping the Characteristics of Social Enterprise in Bedfordshire looks at definitions of social enterprise and uniquely defines the characteristics and development needs of emerging and operating social enterprises. In March 2008 we published a supplementary report Social What? Mapping Social Enterprise in Bedfordshire on the findings of detailed work to map existing social enterprises in Bedfordshire.

Training

We have held a series of Social Enterprise Awareness Events over the last year to get organisations thinking about how their activities might fit within the social enterprise agenda. These are being followed up with workshops on Marketing; Business Planning; Procurement; Partnership Working, etc. See our Training pages for more information.

Funding

Futurebuilders England, the government-backed investment fund for the third sector has opened its doors to organisations working across all areas of public service delivery. Offering loans-based investment packages, Futurebuilders provides flexible finance to organisations that are delivering public services or want to start contracting with public bodies, such as local authorities, primary care trusts or learning and skills councils. For more information click here.

Social Enterprise Investment Fund Round two of the SEIF is now open to bidders with £11m capital and £6m revenue funding available to support successful applicants. The Social Enterprise Investment Fund supports the development of social enterprises in health and social care such as women’s refuges, migraine clinics and exercise programmes for the elderly, which take account of and address the needs of a wide range of patients and services users, particularly the most vulnerable and excluded... more info.

Further Support

If you want to know more, want further information or are interested in exploring social enterprise activities, please contact our Funding Adviser on 01525 850559 for further
help. You can also contact:

Business Link - contains useful articles on setting up Social Enterprises in the East of England

Bedfordshire Social Enterprise Network (BedSEN)- aims to be the future voice for social enterprises across the Bedfordshire region, and to encourage the growth of social enterprise across the county.