Free business support for social enterprises
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Fully funded business support is available to informal groups seeking to set up new social enterprises as well as those already trading.
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Eligibility criteria: |
- Groups of individuals (2 or more) seeking to set up social enterprises
- Voluntary and community groups which want to set up legally separate social enterprises
- Existing social enterprises
- Public, private or voluntary sector employees facing redundancy seeking to set up a new social enterprise
- Public sector employees seeking to externalise their service. (There must be an identified group of employees who would form the social enterprise actively involved in receiving advice from the project)
- Existing businesses or other organisations seeking to convert to a new legally separate social enterprise
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Advice available
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The quantity and type of business advise will be dependent upon the individual needs of the pre start or existing social enterprise. This will vary significantly and will be customised to meet the requirements of each client. Advice may be provided one to one or through group sessions. While there is not an absolute limit on the amount of advice any client receives, workload demands mean that in most cases up to 12 hours of support will be available. |
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To be eligible pre-start individuals must be resident in Coventry & Warwickshire and have the right to work in the UK. Existing social enterprises may be eligible for support if they are small and medium size enterprises and have not received in excess of €200,000 of De Minimis aid in the past 3 years. |
The advice we provide to pre start and existing social enterprises is free at the point of delivery as it is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Advice for pre-start social enterprises
The range of support available through the project will include the following; however support will be customised to meet the specific needs of each pre start client and may not include all areas outlined:
- Business planning
- Business diagnostics
- Marketing plans
- Financial control
- Raising finance
- Design of legal structures
- Company formation
- Finding premises
- Market research
- Trading activities
- Managing employees
- Sales and promotion
- Tendering and contracting
- Legal obligations
- Entering new markets
- Business skills development
Advice for new start and existing social enterprises
In order to help businesses survive and thrive we will provide a range of advice to new start social enterprises. We will also provide advice to help existing social enterprises maintain sustainability, secure growth and create new jobs. In addition to the above areas of advice the following will also be available to trading social enterprises; however advice will be customised to meet the specific needs of each client and may not include all areas outlined:
- Financial Management
- Marketing
- Organisational Health Checks
- Strategic Planning
- Growth and new product/service development
- Community Share Issues for Co-operatives
To check your eligibility and make an appointment with one of our professional business adviserscall 024 7663 3911 or email info@cwcda.co.uk