Finances

Useful sources of financial information to run a social enterprise.

The Finance Hub

The Finance Hub is one of the 6 Hubs offering support and information set up as part of the government's ChangeUp programme, funded by Capacitybuilders to increase capacity in the sector. CAF is the accountable body for the Finance Hub. Funding for the Finance Hub has been confirmed until March 2008. Grants and donations, Loans and equity finance, Managing money and resources. Useful pdf's to download include: Guide to Financial Management, Guide to Fundraising, Guide to Loans, Guide to Procurement, Guide to Sustainable Funding, Guide to Trading.

Other useful information includes: Trading, Social Enterprise, Full Cost Recovery, Legal Structures, Setting up a Constitution.Download at Website: www.financehub.org.uk

Sustainable Funding project

The Sustainable Funding Project encourages and enables voluntary and community organisations to explore and exploit a full range of funding and financing options to develop a sustainable funding mix. This site offers valuable advice, information, toolkits and resources to increase the profitability of your business. Website http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/sfp/?id=2090

Co-operative Assistance Network

The Co-operative Assistance Network's guide, Raising finance for your business is a good introductory guide to sourcing financial support for social enterprise activity. Website: http://www.co-op-assist.co.uk/raisefin.htm

Business Link

Information and tools on managing and raising finance Download at Website: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk

BANKING AND LOANS

Co-operative Sector Specific Funds

The Industrial Common Ownership Fund offer a lending service specifically to co-operatives. They have two standard products. The term loan with loans of up to ten years with regular capital repayments, usually after a "holiday" period and the investment loans where deferred interest payments accumulate over an extended capital repayment holiday. Loans are usually in the range of £5,000 to £50,000 and security is usually in the form of a legal charge over the assets of the business and personal security is not requested. Co-operative & Community Finance usually require start up businesses to secure other investment as well. Co-operative & Community Finance, Brunswick Court, Brunswick Square, Bristol BS2 8PE (T) 020 7251 6181 Website: www.icof.org.uk

Triodos Bank

Triodos Bank is a bank which lends exclusively to the social economy and a high proportion of its customers are co-operatives.

Loans are generally between £20,000 to £2,000,000. with repayment period of one to ten years, twenty five for a commercial mortgage. Security is on the basis of legal charge on non-residential property of the business or wide spread personal guarantees at around the £2,000 2,000 level per guarantor. Triodos Bank, Brunel House, 11 The Promenade, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3NN 0117 973 9339 Website: www.triodos.co.uk

Charity Bank

Charity Bank is both a registered charity and an authorised and regulated bank, established to make affordable loans to Charities, Social Enterprises and Community Organisations, often where commercial lenders are unwilling to lend. Loans of between £5,000 and £500,000 are made from the deposits of individuals, charities and commercial organisations who wish to see their funds supporting the not-for-profit sector.

Loans over £500,000 can be packaged with other lenders. The Bank also offers savings and deposit facilities to those wishing to see their funds used in a socially responsible manner. Website: www.charitybank.org

Big Invest

Big Issue Invest's mission is to fund business solutions that create financial opportunity, inclusion and regeneration by financing and scaling up social enterprises. Website: www.biginvest.co.uk

Bridges Ventures

Bridges Ventures is a privately-owned venture capital company with a social mission. All the funds we raise aim to achieve a social purpose as well as financial returns to investors. Website: www.bridgesventures.com

Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI)

CDFIs are sustainable, independent organisations which provide financial services with two aims: to generate social and financial returns. They supply capital and business support to individuals and organisations whose purpose is to create wealth in disadvantaged communities or under served markets. Website: www.cdfa.org.uk

Co-operative & Community Finance

Co-operative & Community Finance has been providing loan finance for co-operatives, employee owned businesses and social enterprises for 30 years. Website: www.icof.co.uk

Local Investment Fund

Offers loans to social and community enterprises that have been unable to secure income from traditional sources. Website: www.lif.org.uk

Unity Trust Bank

Unity Trust Bank provides banking and membership services to the trade union, charity, voluntary, credit union and membership organisation sectors. Website: www.unity.uk.com

Breakthrough

CAN Social Investment deploys a range of funding and business support into social enterprises and includes the pioneering Breakthrough programme. We work with corporate partners to leverage capital and strategic support into leading social enterprises. Website: www.can-online.org.uk/pages/social_investment.html

Grants

Awards for All

Awards for All £60m, grants between £300-10,000 To make small grants that make a big difference to people and communities. Projects must extend access to and participation in activities or boost people's skills and creativity with the aim of improving quality of life.

For: Not-for-profits, parish/town councils, schools or health bodies. Spend within 1 year. Contact: www.awardsforall.org.uk for application pack

Changing spaces

Changing spaces - Big Lottery Fund £234m 06-09, grant size is decided by individual award partner. To improve local environments, open spaces and countryside, helping projects that are accessible to all and relevant to people's needs. For: VCF, public, private can apply to be an award partner or deliver a portfolio of projects. Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Community Buildings Prog

Community Buildings Prog £50m 06-09 grants up to £500k - Big Lottery Fund To help communities improve assets such as village halls to aid community cohesion For: VCF and parish councils. Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Community Champions Fund

Community Champions Fund £3m a year to March 08 grants for individuals up to £2k To increase skill levels of ind to enable them to act as community leaders and increase the involvement of communities in regen and learning activities. Targets people with little or no experience of comm. activity and have an idea. Website: www.dfes.gov.uk/communitychampions

Connecting communities plus

Connecting communities plus for BME Website: www.cdf.org.uk

English Heritage

Grant Aid £27m 2006-07 From £250-200k (could be higher) HLF have a joint scheme to repairs places of worship. Conservation of listed bldgs, monuments, parks and gardens, conservation areas. Website: www.english-heritage.org.uk

Community regeneration

Gap Funding - Community regeneration Certain authorities may pay 100% eligible costs to support local communities by enabling them to participate more effectively in local regeneration. For not for profits and VCS. Contact NWDA for details. Website: www.dti.gov.uk

Lloyds TSB

Lloyds TSB £24m in 2006 grants between £500-£20000 Support under funded charities particularly those that help disabled disadvantaged. Website: www.lloydstsbfoundation.org.uk

Local network fund for children and young people

Local network fund for children and young people £40m per yr to Mar 08. Grants between £250-7000. To support VCS to improve outcomes for those up to 19. Tel. 08451130161

The Big Boost

The Big Boost (England)

Individual or groups of young people aged between 11 - 25 with projects ideas to benefit their local community can apply for grants of between £250 and £5,000 through the Young People's Fund: Grants to Individuals. The projects should help young people to contribute to their community or help them to set up small businesses that also improve the economic prosperity of their communities.

It is essential that young people are involved in planning and carrying out projects, particularly if they involve disadvantaged young people. Website: http://www.thebigboost.org.uk/

Strengthening Rural Communities

Strengthening Rural Communities across the North West is a grant programme aiming to actively promote and support community-led initiatives that will improve service provision and increase economic productivity in targeted rural communities within the North West. The programme has two grant funds

- the Community Initiatives Fund and the Community Enterprise Fund. This NWDA funded grant programme is managed by Plunkett in partnership with the North West Rural Community Councils. Further information is available from http://www.ruralcommunityfund.org.uk/

First steps to trading grants

There are small grants to help organisations share good practice and learn how to set up a similar SE, the social franchising model. Organisations can apply for an Only Connect bursary. This is a visit scheme sponsored by Triodos Bank which enables voluntary and community organisations to explore their ideas for generating income by learning from an organisation that has already gone down this track.

If you have any idea for trading but are unsure of how to go about it, this scheme offers you the opportunity to learn from an organisation that has gone down this track. We can pay your expenses to visit another organisation (up to £100) and pay the host organisation £150 as a consultation fee for their time spent with you. All we ask in return is that you write a report of the visit so we can allow others to learn from your experience". First Steps to Trading http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/sfp/inpractice/?id=2105

Esmee Fairbairn Foundation

Esmee Fairbairn Foundation is one of the largest independent grantmaking foundations in the UK. We make grants to organisations which aim to improve the quality of life for people and communities in the UK, both now and in the future. We like to consider work which others may find hard to fund, perhaps because it breaks new ground, appears too risky, requires core funding, or needs a more unusual form of financial help such as a loan. Website:http://www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk

Clore Duffield Foundation

The Foundation is a grant-giving organisation which concentrates its support on education, the arts, museum and gallery education, cultural leadership training, health and social welfare, whilst placing a particular emphasis on supporting children, young people and society's more vulnerable individuals. Website: http://www.cloreduffield.org.uk

Futurebuilders Investment Plan 2007 - 08

Futurebuilders, which is the government investment fund to help develop capacity within the voluntary and community sector to deliver better public services through a mixture of loans, grants and investments, has announced its fourth Investment Plan for the period up to the 31st March 2008. Website: http://www.futurebuilders-england.org.uk

The Be Cause Awards (UK)

UnLtd, the charity which supports social entrepreneurs has announced that it has launched a new award scheme in partnership with Bebo, a social networking website. The "Be Cause Awards" is a new scheme to inspire people to make a difference in their community. Using the Be Cause toolkit, applicants can put together a robust plan for a social action or social enterprise project and then enter it for a monthly Be Cause Award. If your idea meets Be Cause criteria, applicants can be in the running for a £1,000 award to help get a project off the ground. Website: http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MID=367137231&MemberId=3963962534

UnLtd

UnLtd support individuals who want to develop their own social enterprise ideas and who want to make a positive change in their communities. UnLtd supports social entrepreneurs - people with vision, drive, commitment and passion who want to change the world for the better. We do this by providing a complete package of funding and support to help individuals make their ideas a reality. Website: http://www.unltd.org.uk/

ProFunding

Offers up-to-date news and information to all those involved in raising finance for social economy organisations. Website: http://www.fundinginformation.org.uk/ProfundingHome.html

FREE ONLINE SEARCHES SITES

Website: http://www.j4b.co.uk J4B provide searchable databases of funding for business as well as the voluntary and community sector

GRANTnet is a free to use funding search site provided by the market-leading grants database, GRANTfinder This site contains the most comprehensive and up-to-date database of grants, loans and other initiatives operating in the UK. Currently it holds details on over 4,000 initiatives, including European Commission grants, UK Government grants, local government grants and grants provided by corporate sponsors and charitable trusts. Website: http://www.grantnet.com/index.php

You can use this online service to search for funding from various Government departments and Regional Government Offices. Website: http://www.governmentfunding.org.uk/

You can use this online service to search for funding from all the Lottery Good Causes. Website: http://www.lotteryfunding.org.uk/

GRANTfinder (also available on CD-Rom) It is a leading source in the UK of accurate and comprehensive information on the full range of UK and EU financial support provision, including grants, subsidies, loans, venture funding and other incentives, available to all types of business, from the sole trader to the multinational company; to voluntary and community groups; to charities and charitable arms; to each and every aspect and every level of the public sector. Website: www.grantfinder.co.uk

Off line Searchable Databases FunderFinder sells software including a searchable database of ongoing funding from Trusts and Foundations. Contact them to find out if there is an agency offering public access to this database in your area. They also offer some free downloadable software to help with applications to funders. Look at website for further information. Website: www.funderfinder.org.uk

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Trust Funding

Directory of Social Change's www.trustfunding.org.uk website details all trusts included within DSC and CAF publications and is updated regularly throughout the year. Website: www.trustfunding.org.uk

Company Giving

Directory of Social Change's website details all companies included within DSC and CAF publications and is updated regularly throughout the year. Website http://www.companygiving.org.uk