More than 115 organisations to benefit from Enterprise Ready Fund
Grants totalling £6 million have been awarded to over 115 enterprising third sector organisations, Finance Secretary John Swinney confirmed yesterday. Mr Swinney said that an enterprising third sector is ‘vital’ to Scotland’s future.
Fresh Start, Edinburgh Cyrenians Trust, MY Adventure and The Spartans Community Football Academy (pictured above) are among the Edinburgh organisations to benefit from Enterprise Ready funding (see below for full list of awardees).
The Enterprise Ready Fund fund provides continued support to enterprising third sector organisations across Scotland, building on the Scottish Government’s commitment to promote a sustainable, capable and enterprising third sector.
Mr Swinney said: “We had a great response to the Enterprise Ready Fund and I would like to congratulate all organisations that have been successful in securing grants.
“Each and every one of the recipients are working in their own unique way to become more self-sufficient but more importantly for me, they are creating change at a local level. We can look forward to a future where these organisations play a full role in public service reform.
“We strongly believe that an enterprising third sector is vital to our economy, to civic society and in the creation of a fairer and more inclusive Scotland. That is why we have invested heavily to help the sector develop further.
“Organisations like Move On which operates across Scotland to deliver a range of support and advice services to those affected by or at risk of homelessness are excellent examples of how the sector is helping to create a fairer and more inclusive Scotland. This investment will help them deliver important services and opportunities to people across the country.”
Foundation Scotland’s Chief Executive Giles Ruck said: “We were encouraged by the high volume of applications received and are delighted that the fund is supporting such a variety of enterprising third sector organisations. We look forward with great anticipation to seeing the difference these awards will make in communities throughout Scotland.”
Foundation Scotland (FS) is Scotland’s busiest grant maker, making more awards to charity than any other independent funder. Each year FS clients make over 2,000 payments to charities and community organisations, about a third of which are to organisations recommended by FS.
FS supports a wide range of charities, voluntary community groups and sports clubs, giving clients a great range of causes to donate to and enabling FS to reach a wide range of community activity across Scotland.
A broad spectrum of local projects have received support through Foundation Scotland – from small grants to Pilton Community Gardeners, North West Carers Centre and Davidsons Mains & District Children’s Pipe Band through t0 a £30,000 grant to Pilton Community Health Project to contribute to the cost of a Women Supporting Women development worker. In all, 34 Edinburgh-based charities, community organisations and sports clubs received funding through Foundation Scotland.
For full details of grants awarded (1 July 2013 – 30 June 2014) see below
North Edinburgh’s MY Adventure and Fresh Start are among eight Edinburgh-based third sector projects to receive a share of £2.1m enterprise funding, it was announced today.
Enterprising third sector organisations will benefit from a further £2.1 million in grants to help them deliver services to vulnerable people in communities across Scotland. The cash, spread between 28 organisations, will be awarded through the Enterprise Ready Fund.
Finance Secretary John Swinney and Welfare Minister Margaret Burgess visited Dalry Primary School, to see first hand the work of My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd, one of the projects to receive a finance boost through the fund.
Mr Swinney said: “I would like to congratulate all the 28 organisations that have been successful in securing their share of the £2.1 million made available through the latest Enterprise Ready Fund round of awards.
“Each and every one of the recipients are working in their own unique way to become more self-sufficient but more importantly for me, they are creating change at a local level.
“These organisations are excellent examples of how the sector is helping to create a fairer and more inclusive Scotland. This investment will help them deliver important services and opportunities to people across the country.
“My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd is a great example of an organisation providing training and employment opportunities to young people who are struggling to find work.
“We are working hard to address these employment challenges for young people through our Opportunities for All, which guarantees everyone aged between 16 and 19 is offered a place in training or education. We have also created thousands of additional Modern Apprenticeship places bringing our total target to 30,000 every year by 2020.”
The Enterprise Ready Fund gives priority to applications that mitigate the effects of welfare reform in Scotland.
Welfare Minister Margaret Burgess said: “For My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd this award will give them the opportunity to expand their service and increase their engagement.
“While we are already doing so much to mitigate the effects of welfare reform in Scotland, with independence, a welfare system aligned to our education system can address child poverty and educational under-achievement.
“We want to develop a society that not only provides fair support and decent opportunities for all but also protects the vulnerable in our society. The only way to guarantee that is to have possession of the powers to deliver it.”
The fund is being delivered by a consortium of third sector organisations led by Foundation Scotland in partnership with Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEiS), Developing Strathclyde Ltd (DSL) and Social Value Lab.
Foundation Scotland’s Chief Executive Giles Ruck said: “We have been impressed with the wide range and quality of applications we have received so far, which showcase the innovative ways organisations plan to use their awards to make a real difference to the people and communities they serve.
“I would like to encourage new or developing third sector organisations who are considering applying to the Enterprise Ready Fund to do so before the final closing date of 16th of June.”
Case study: My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd
My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd provides sustainable short and long term personal development, training and employment opportunities for young people disadvantaged in the labour market. This may be through a combination of factors such as poor literacy skills, a history of anti-social behaviour, limited or no qualifications, or physical or mental health issues.
The organisation works with individuals to train and recruit them to deliver My Adventure’s range of commercial activities, for example climbing, cycling, coasteering, camping and equipment hire.
My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd has two full-time staff, three part-time staff, five sessional workers and two volunteers. The organisation will use the Enterprise Ready Fund award of £48,716 to expand its services within the corporate market. It will enable the organisation to purchase a minibus, and recruit a new member of staff who will focus on securing new corporate contracts.
It is expected that the investment will increase engagement and participation by up to 100 young people. The experience, confidence and skills gained by them will improve their chances of gaining long term employment, and improve the sustainability of the organisation, making it less reliant on grant funding in the future.
Jonny Kinross from My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd said: “This ERF grant will help ensure the sustainability and growth of My Adventure. By investing in a specific Corporate Sales and Marketing Manager we will be able to forge links with new customers, deliver fantastic opportunities to our clients and most importantly, drive our social impact forward – creating more training and job opportunities for young people.
“This investment will change the lives of 12 young people, who were furthest from the labour market when they joined our team and enable them to deliver activities locally to in excess of 100 children and young people as well as become confident enough to deliver to the corporate sector.
“By investing in social enterprise the Scottish Government is not just ensuring we meet these outcomes this year but will ensure we benefit the people of Muirhouse for years to come.”
The full list of Enterprise Ready Fund awards (Orgamisation, amount and local authority area) announced today:
Almond Valley Heritage Trust £103,772 West Lothian
Atholl Baptist Centre Ltd £117,343 Perth & Kinross
Canongate Youth Project £53,122 City of Edinburgh
Carrick Centre £32,439 South Ayrshire
Community Enterprise £138,632 West Lothian
Community Food Initiatives North East £144,691 Aberdeen City
COPE Ltd £112,312 Shetland Islands
Crossroads (Fife Central) Care Attendant Scheme £64,714 Fife
Footprints Connect £47,900 Aberdeen City
Forth Sector £250,000 City of Edinburgh
Forth Valley Social Enterprises £48,966 Forth Valley
Freespace £79,782 City of Edinburgh
Fresh Start (Scotland) £65,965 City of Edinburgh
Glasgow Watersports £47,374 Glasgow
LINKnet Mentoring £37,250 City of Edinburgh
Livingston Credit Union £33,940 West Lothian
Locavore £50,000 Glasgow
Maryhill Mobile Creche £73,931 Glasgow
My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd £48,716 City of Edinburgh
New Caledonian Woodlands £76,110 City of Edinburgh
Promoters Art Network £50,000 Highland
Senscot Legal £54,250 City of Edinburgh
Skidaddle £50,000 Stirling
Social Enterprise in East Lothian £99,376 East Lothian
Spruce Carpets £88,550 Glasgow
Theatre Nemo £47,061 Glasgow
Twechar Community Action £32,469 East Dunbartonshire
Whiteinch Centre Ltd £88,280 Glasgow
Further information and full details of the Enterprise Ready Fund can be found at: http://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/grants-and-funding-for-organisations/what-grants-are-available/enterprise-ready-fund.aspx
Enterprising third sector organisations are being encouraged to apply for grant awards of up to £250,000 as part of the Enterprise Ready Fund, John Swinney confirmed today.
Grants will be awarded to third sector organisations with the most sustainable and ambitious business plans, and new, emerging and established organisations have until 16 June 2014 to apply for funding.
The Enterprise Ready Fund will help organisations to develop further, become more efficient and self-sustaining, or diversify and enter into new markets. Priority is being given to activities that contribute towards the Scottish Government’s Prevention and Welfare Reform agendas.
Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainability John Swinney said: “The third sector plays an integral role in our society, providing superb services, creating employment opportunities and connecting with the most vulnerable people in our communities.
“We’ve had a great response to the Enterprise Ready Fund so far and as we look ahead to the New Year, I’m keen to remind organisations to apply for funding. I hope that by investing in the third sector and enhancing its self-sufficiency we can look forward to a future where these organisations play a full role in public sector reform.
“Through this investment successful applicants will be able to rely more on their own resources, be in a position to win more public sector contracts and be able to be more innovative and diversify into new markets.”
The fund is being delivered by a consortium of third sector organisations led by Foundation Scotland in partnership with Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEiS), Developing Strathclyde Ltd (DSL) and the Social Value Lab.
Foundation Scotland’s Chief Executive, Giles Ruck said: “Foundation Scotland has received applications so far from a wide range of organisations and this funding will make a real difference to them and their communities. We’re keen to receive more applications to the Enterprise Ready Fund from third sector organisations needing investment to help them win more contracts, increase sales or become more efficient. Our team is happy to speak to potential applicants and we’d encourage people to visit our website or get in touch.”
Grants totalling £6 million have been awarded to over 115 enterprising third sector organisations, Finance Secretary John Swinney confirmed yesterday. Mr Swinney said that an enterprising third sector is ‘vital’ to Scotland’s future.
