Capacitybuilders announces new £6 million Social Enterprise Programme, and Improving Reach grant awards
Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, has announced grant awards totalling £17 million through the Improving Reach Programme. The grants are to help organisations working with excluded communities to flourish through the provision of information, advice and facilities. He also announced the launch of a Capacitybuilders Social Enterprise Programme, with £6 million being invested over the next three years.
Capacitybuilders is a non-departmental public body, funded by the Office of the Third Sector. Capacitybuilders aims to help create a more effective third sector by improving support for third sector organisations. Support includes a wide range of services, for example information, advice and training on a host of topics.
Improving Reach
Speaking at the annual Capacitybuilders conference held in Birmingham, the Minister announced details of over 70 grants from the Improving Reach programme. This investment will increase the capacity and sustainability of smaller third sector organisations specialising in providing advice and facilities to frontline groups working with excluded communities.
Highlighting the work of one of these new recipients - the Tutu Foundation – the Minister outlined how £448,000 investment will enable the Foundation to reach some of England’s most deprived communities, making it possible for 200 frontline organisations to help underprivileged young people.
Social Enterprise Fund
The Minister also announced a £6 million new investment to improve business support services for social enterprises. The money will fund improvements like new mentoring schemes, more accredited advisers and work to develop emerging markets.
The funding, from the Office of the Third Sector, will be distributed over the next three years by Capacitybuilders. Capacitybuilders will work with social enterprise networks in each region and other local partners including Regional Development Agencies to identify the best ways to meet local needs.
The programme will help increase collaboration and sharing of best practice between social enterprise support and the rest of the third sector, through consultation on priorities and the potential for collaborative projects. It builds on the commitments of the Third Sector Review to ensure social enterprise is fully integrated in to Capacitybuilders’ programmes
Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, said:
“This money will help regional business support services give social enterprises what they need to succeed. Support services need to reflect the particular challenges that social enterprises face because they have a social or environmental aim as well as making money.
"Helping social enterprises helps local economies and local communities to thrive so I’m very pleased that Capacitybuilders are leading this programme.”
Chris Pond, chair of Capacitybuilders said:
“This new programme reflects our commitment to ensure social enterprise is supported across our work. It will help set social enterprise support on a journey of improved quality that is long term and sustainable."
Further details of both programmes can be found on the Capacitybuilders website.
