bfunded | Preparation | bfunded - Social Enterprise

bfunded - Social Enterprise - Preparation

Help and advice on what to do before applying for funds.

Setting up your organisation

What is a social enterprise?

The definition of a social enterprise is "a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners."

A social enterprise then, is first and foremost a business. This means that it will be involved in some form of trading activity, selling goods or delivering a service. However the business will have been set up primarily to meet a social objective, for example helping to tackle homelessness, providing training, care services or supported employment.

To see the breadth of activity social enterprise covers go to the Social Enterprise Coalition website at http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/Default.aspx

Social enterprises' legal structure can include:

A Community Interest Company
A company limited by guarantee
An industrial and provident society
A company limited by shares.

Some social enterprises are also registered charities.

Where can I get help setting up?

WYSELINK

If you want help to set up your social enterprise, or even to explore whether social enterprise is right for you, West Yorkshire Social Enterprise Link (WYSELINK) offers various support packages, which may include some grant funding to get you started.
WYSELINK aims to support:

Social enterprises that are already in business
New start-up social enterprises
Existing social organisations who wish to start selling products or services in addition to receiving grants.

The West Yorkshire Social Enterprise Link provide:

A team of social enterprise advisers for each district delivering tailored business support
Procurement support via a specialist adviser
Business development grants
Learning grants
Support for specialist clusters
Social reporting
Specialist support for social enterprises from the BME sector.

Contact WYSELINK on Tel: 0845 833 6000, Fax: 0113 383 7700 Email: info@wyselink.co.uk Website: www.wyselink.co.uk

WYSELINK also run events on topics such as legal structures, see their website for details: www.wyselink.co.uk/events.htm

Business Link

Business Link West Yorkshire (BLWY) have some useful factsheets on their website about setting up a social enterprise, http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?topicId=1077475650&r.l1=1073858805&r.l3=1073865730&r.t=RESOURCES&site=23&r.i=1073789616&r.l2=1073859131&r.s=e

Business Link West Yorkshire is part of the West Yorkshire Enterprise Partnership Limited. They help businesses to set up and encourage and support small businesses to grow. Services range from quick advice on business matters to in-depth consultancy. They have a team of business advisers with specialist knowledge to help with issues such as Information Technology, Human Resources and Marketing.

Bradford Kickstart

In addition there are many enterprise advisers working under the Kickstart banner who can also give business start-up advice. To find the adviser in your area or field of interest, contact Bradford Kickstart on 0800 953 9503 (freephone), email: info@bradfordkickstart.com web: www.bradfordkickstart.com

Bradford Kickstart is a scheme run by Bradford Council, and supported by organisations and service providers from across the Bradford District, that aims to help local people set up small businesses during the next ten years - encouraging growth, prosperity and employment in Bradford District.

The scheme offers a wide range of support, via experienced business counsellors, to people who are thinking of working for themselves, and to young businesses in Bradford District that are hoping to grow and develop.

Support from Bradford Kickstart includes:

Support and advice from an experienced business counsellor
A free professionally-produced website plus software to get you started
Wide range of training, qualifications and courses
Protect your benefits while you test your business idea
Marketing, branding and promotion assistance
Financial advice and help getting a loan or a grant
Start-up grants directly from Bradford Kickstart
Book-keeping advice, system set-up and training
Specialist support if you are disabled and want to work from home
Legal advice on all issues faced by business start-ups
Assistance finding the right employees who can help your business grow
Help to get another job if your business doesn't work out this time.

You may also be able to access support from one of the VCS infrastructure organisations in the District.

The Bradford Infrastructure Support Organisations Network (BISON)

The BISON partnership provide joined up, high quality, responsive support services to voluntary and community organisations. The partners bring together generalist, locally based support organisations and specialist support organisations. Working together has enabled partners to share resources, develop referral systems and raise awareness of the support that is available for VCS in the District.

The BISON partners are (in alphabetical order):