bfunded - Social Enterprise - Helping Agencies

The following is a list of organisations that provide support to social enterprises and businesses in Bradford District and can assist with setting up, business development, finance and funding, and much more.

Business Link Yorkshire

If you want help to set up your social enterprise, or even to explore whether social enterprise is right for you, Business Link Yorkshire has a dedicated support and advice package tailored to meeting the needs of pre-start and start up social enterprises.

Business Link Yorkshire has a team of experienced social enterprise advisers that are
based throughout the region and have extensive knowledge of local markets. There is also a social enterprise workshop programme, where you can learn about the key issues that will support the development of your enterprise and acquire important skills which can be applied to your business. Subjects range from an introduction to the social enterprise business model to winning contracts and producing a set of social accounts.

In certain cases, Business Link may make a contribution to the cost of that specialist expertise through a Business Development Voucher. This financial support could range from a few hundred to several thousand pounds depending on the identified needs, opportunities and growth potential.

Mentoring is also available to social enterprises with growth potential from social entrepreneurs, leaders and managers of successful social enterprises. Support is delivered through regular one to one meetings and on an ongoing basis via e-mail and the telephone as required.

Contact the Social Enterprise Advisers on 08456 048 048, web: www.businesslinkyorkshire.co.uk and click on Social Enterprise

Enterprising Bradford

The Enterprising Bradford programme is a Bradford Council initiative, part-financed by the European Union, which primarily works with third sector organisations in the 10% most deprived areas of the District, to help and encourage them to become more self sufficient and ready to tender for contracts. Your organisation may be able to access pre-start up support from a range of services available to social enterprises and third sector organisations wishing to become more enterprising.

Services include:

Social Enterprise Knowledge Growth Network - provides social enterprises with the opportunity to link into the successful knowledge transfer networks to discuss topics, swap ideas, experience and develop opportunities. Contact o.whitehouse@bradford.ac.uk
bfunded Partnership - developing a local operational fitness toolkit. The toolkit will be made available to organisations that are developing their business ideas and will offer practical advice on the various issues that need to be considered. Contact anthony@bradfordcvs.org.uk bfunded also has two funding advisors who work with third sector organisations that are wishing to become more enterprising. Contact Chris Light, chris@bradfordcvs.org.uk or Sarah Moss, sarah@keighleyvs.org
Business Growth – providing intensive support to business start-ups and SME’s to win and expand markets through supply chains, trade and procurement. Contact Sajid.Hussain@AccentGroup.org
Procurement - provides targeted support to social enterprises seeking tender opportunities across West Yorkshire for both public and private sector. The scheme also works to encourage Housing Associations and other public sector organisations to employ principles of good procurement at all stages of the process. Contact avtar.bhatt@accentgroup.org
Business Brokers – promotes a mentoring scheme linking established local employers to third sector organisations looking to become more entrepreneurial providing benefit to both organisations. An Environment Officer can provide environmental advice and support to start up and established social enterprises and community businesses and also undertake environmental reviews if required. Contact anthony.waddington@bradfordchamber.co.uk
Employer Facing Jobs Brokerage - working in outlying estates, specifically Holmewood, Ravenscliffe, Fagley, Thorpe Edge, Keighley and Allerton. Advisers will encourage employers to develop best practice in relation to recruitment and to consider the employment of local residents. This may include supporting them through the recruitment process, developing staff skills and identifying how to achieve effective management development. Delivery may be in the form of workshops on a range of relevant topics. Contact helen.gibson@incommunities.co.uk
Jobs@ - provides a customised service to new & existing employers in the Bradford district providing a range of professional services comprising workshops and information events on the areas of Employability, Skills, Management Development, Business Development, Legislation and Recruitment. Contact claire.power@bradford.gov.uk
Professional Services – a menu of services has been developed in response to the needs of third sector organisations. Organisations will have a budget to apply for services that includes advice on legal organisational structures, marketing and finances. Contact anita.bolland@newlandsenterprise.org
Intensive support to 3rd sector Organisations aiming to become Social Enterprises or community businesses - aims to create and support community enterprises across the Bradford District SOAs via community partners refer and promote the programme to increase enterprise activity in targeted areas amongst under-represented groups. Contact Linda@sesc.info
Local Enterprise Facilitation Programmes – using the BizFizz methodology to provide business support to people in communities experiencing economic disadvantage, and challenge the mis-conception that there is a lack of entrepreneurs and enterprising ideas in these communities. The Coach focuses on helping people overcome barriers, whatever they may be, to pursuing their business passion. Contact Natalia.Fernandez@neweconomics.org
Business Forums – aims to provide additional support to existing forums and new established ones. Where possible we will try to encourage businesses to join existing forums and attend regularly introducing them to existing businesses which can support them and explain the benefits. Contact hamid.shah@accentgroup.org

Bfunded

bfunded advisors work across the Bradford district to provide funding and
marketing information, advice and assistance to social enterprises and other third sector organisations. They are also able to give one-to-one support:

Help with finance and development in the 10% most deprived areas of the District: Chris Light is based at Bradford CVS, tel: 01274 722772, email: chris@bradfordcvs.org.uk

Help with marketing and promotion in the 10% most deprived areas of the District: Sarah Moss is based at Keighley & Ilkley Voluntary and Community Action, tel: 01535 665258, email: sarah@keighleyvs.org

Help with funding advice: Michele Hudson runs funding advice surgeries from Bradford CVS on Mondays and Tuesdays. Telephone 01274 722772 to book an appointment.

Help with funding advice: Lynn Leadbeatter is based at Keighley & Ilkley Voluntary and Community Action, tel: 01535 665258, email: lynn@keighleyvs.org (for groups in Keighley, Shipley, Bingley and Ilkley).

Bradford Kickstart

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 - encouraging growth, prosperity and employment in Bradford District.

Support from Bradford Kickstart includes:

Intensive support from an experienced business counsellor
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
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
Test-trading in The Store, Keighley, and at the Oastler Market Hall

Contact Bradford Kickstart on 0800 953 9503 (freephone), email: info@bradfordkickstart.com web: www.bradfordkickstart.com

VOSOs

Voluntary Organisations Support Officers within Bradford CVS, Shipley & Bingley VS and Keighley & Ilkley Voluntary and Community Action, can offer support with development planning.
Contact: Bradford CVS, tel: 01274 722772; Shipley & Bingley VS, tel: 01274 781222; Keighley & Ilkley Voluntary and Community Action, tel: 01535 665258.

WYCAS

You may be able to access training and support from West Yorkshire Community Accounting Service, www.wycas.org.uk

WYCAS is a small charitable company operating mainly though not exclusively in West Yorkshire. Their overall aim is to develop the ability of voluntary and community sector organisations with charitable aims to manage their money more efficiently and effectively, enabling those organisations to better attain the objectives that they were set up to achieve.

WYCAS runs a variety of courses relating to the financial management of voluntary organisations including full cost recovery, budgeting and cashflow forecasting.

They also have an Advice Line, tel: 0113 270 6269

CVS Training

Training courses are available from CVS Training in funding and fundraising skills, what makes a good application, commissioning and procurement.

Further details at: http://www.bradfordcvs.org.uk/training.htm