Community Foundation launch Santander Social Enterprise Development Awards

Launched on Monday 3rd June the awards are open to established Social Enterprises across theUKwho have been trading for at least the previous 2 years.

A national community investment programme, the award is designed to help support growing Social Enterprises working for the direct benefit of their community.

Social Enterprises are businesses set up to address social or environmental need whose profits are reinvested in the community or back into the business. A social enterprise will have a clear sense of its ‘social mission’ and know the difference it is trying to make.

The award has been created to help grow existing groups meeting one of the following social outcomes: improving social inclusion, supporting disadvantaged people through skills, training and employment, or creating a greener environment.

To ensure a variety of groups are supported, and in recognition of the fact it takes businesses of all shapes and sizes to make a community work, the Development Awards have been split into segments.

There is one award of £50,000 to social enterprises with a turnover of £250,000 - £1,000,000.

As well as this, there are eight £20,000 awards to social enterprises with a turnover of £100,000 - £250,000 and a further seven £10,000 prizes to social enterprises with a turnover of less than £100,000.

In addition to the financial awards the winners will also have access to a support package allowing them to develop their enterprise and add value to the initial grant through the availability of mentoring and business advice and other support.  

Brendan Cunnane, Relationship Director, Santander, said: “Social enterprises play a vital role in local communities and the Santander Social Enterprise Development Awards were set up to help these dynamic businesses increase the impact they have.

“We are committed to supporting the small business sector and we’re looking forward to supporting even more Northern Irish social enterprises through the awards this year”.

Sharon Barry, Community Projects Officer at CFNI, said: “We are delighted to be working alongsideSantanderagain to deliver the Social Enterprise Development Awards.

“Social Enterprises are an increasingly important part of our society, delivering services and putting so much back into the communities they work in, we are proud to be able to play a part in helping this happen”.

For further information, detailed guidelines and to enter please visit www.santanderseda.co.uk

The deadline for entries is Monday 1st July 2013.