£2.4m boost for social enterprise start-ups

A £2.4m plan has been launched to support social enterprise across the Sheffield City Region, offering specialist business support and access to start-up and development finance.

Social Enterprise Exchange has been developed by a consortium of community-based partners and will operate in collaboration with the Sheffield City Region Growth Hub.

Project partners include CM Solutions, Groundwork South Yorkshire, Cultural Industries Quarter Agency, Sheffield Live, South Yorkshire Community Foundation, Voluntary Action Barnsley and CVP Bolsover.

Steve Buckley, coordinator of the initiative, said: “There is a strong tradition of social enterprise in our region but the number of business start-ups is below the national average and people with great social enterprise ideas often face challenges turning them into viable business projects.

“Social Enterprise Exchange will address these issues by providing specialist advice and mentoring, and by assisting with access to finance.”

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