voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
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Firstport - Community Enterprise Fund
Created: 04/06/2025
News/Events Category: Funding and Finance
This item will show under the following categories: Social Enterprise
The Community Enterprise Fund is a funding programme that helps community organisations to start trading or set up social enterprises in Scotland. It offers grants of up to £5,000, to be spent over six months. Funding comes from the Scottish Government’s Social Entrepreneurs Fund (SEF).
The Community Enterprise Fund is for you if your group wants to begin trading activities or set up a social enterprise so you can generate income, become more financially resilient, reduce reliance on grant funding and be better equipped to support your community.
Your community group is ready to apply for a CE award if it can demonstrate:
- A strong business model- showing how the idea will generate income, so it does not rely on grants in the long term.
- A clear social impact – demonstrating that your group has identified a social or environmental issue they want to tackle.
- A determined and motivated team – SEF focuses on the people involved in the idea, so we want you to tell us about the skills, knowledge, and passion within their team for the issue they are tackling and how these will help to make the idea a success.
Your proposal must:
- Be or plan to be a social enterprise – i.e. an asset-locked organisation where all profits will be reinvested into the business and its social aims (no private individuals or bodies can benefit from the assets or uncapped dividends of the business)
- Be in the early stages of development – i.e. the ‘start-up’ phase and not yet regularly trading
- Request eligible costs associated with starting up a social enterprise
- Cover a 6-month period, with a timetable for spending the funds by the end of that period
- Detail how the enterprise will become financially sustainable through trading as opposed to grant income.
- Provide direct, measurable social impact to individuals, communities, and/or the environment
- If the proposed social enterprise requires premises before it can start trading, demonstrate that you have found suitable premises and obtained an agreement in principle from the owner/landlord.
The grant can be used for most start-up and development costs -- see website for details.
Who can apply?
Constituted third sector or community groups. Your organisation must:
- Be based in Scotland
- Operate primarily for the benefit of people or communities within Scotland
- Not be involved in activities concerned with political campaigning or the advancement of religion
- Not yet be trading on a regular basis
How to apply
Complete an online application form along with supporting documents (see fund guidance).
You will hear about the outcome within 12-14 weeks.
Apply at any time.
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