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Supporting the Social Enterprise Sector
Through COVID-19
SocEnt resources, information, connection and opportunity.
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iSE COVID-19 Digital Update 29th May 2020
Welcome to our bi-monthly round-up of information, resources and news to keep you connected and supported through COVID-19.
Slowly, we are seeing a loosening of lock-down but for many in the sector working to support the most vulnerable, this is by no means a return to 'business as usual'.
We hope that those organisations responding to front-line needs are able to access appropriate funding and resources, and with this in mind, The National Lottery Community Fund will be distributing £200m of funding on behalf of the Government to support communities through COVID-19.
The funding will support primarily small to medium sized organisations increase community support to vulnerable people and to reduce temporary closures of essential charities and social enterprises, ensuring services for vulnerable people impacted by COVID-19 have the financial resources to operate. Find out more here
It goes without saying that the sector's response to the pandemic has been inspirational; throughout the UK organisations have united and adapted, from providing food deliveries to digital mental health services. Take a look at the national B2B social enterprise innovators that have adapted their business models in response to coronavirus.
This week's newsletter provides information on iSE's crisis-related support as well as external funding updates and briefings to keep you connected.
As always, if there's something you would like us to publish via this update, please get in touch.
Stay safe all.
The iSE Team
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WiSE Wednesday Webinar 10th June 2020 @ 10am
'Leading the SocEnt Way' with Sarah Crawley, CEO of ISE
iSE CEO Sarah Crawley joins our regular WiSE Wednesday webinar series to share her thoughts and experiences on leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Sarah will dive into how services at iSE and our Women's Enterprise Hub in Sparkbrook are being re-imagined and redirected to adapt to changing environments and projected needs of the future. Not to be missed!
View past webinars on iSE's Youtube Channel here
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FUSE Start-Up Programme Open with COVID-19 Support Focus
The FUSE is a fully-funded 6-month start-up programme supporting individuals and groups building sustainable social businesses through masterclasses, 1-1 and peer support.
In light of COVID-19 we are particularly keen to support emerging social entrepreneurs who are bringing together communities and developing solutions to the crisis.
We are also open to applications from individuals with a general health and well-being focus.
Deadline for applications is 5th June 2020 and programme commences 16th June. Sessions currently take place on Zoom.
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Food Bank at Women's Enterprise Hub, Sparkbrook
iSE has joined some of the many organisations and volunteers working collaboratively to tackle issues now facing communities.
Our Women's Enterprise Hub is now providing a food bank supporting the local community in and around Ladypool Road with food parcels. Parcels are available for collection on Wednesday’s 12:00 – 14:00 from the Women’s Enterprise Hub car park, 249A Ladypool Road, B12 8LF accessible via Brunswick Road.
How can you help?
- Support with volunteering, food collection (citywide), food distribution (from WEH), sorting and boxing.
- Ask your local grocers for items they can spare
- Start a street collection (you can place crate by your front door and let neighbours know / set a drop off time straight into car by setting up a street whatsapp group, Facebook group)
- Donate food items, gloves, face masks and carrier bags/bags4life
Any help and support is greatly appreciated!
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2. Funding, Call Outs & Opportunities
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Financial support for VCSE organisations to respond to Covid-19
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has published a resource to enable organisations to view current government funding opportunities and other support for civil society organisations during the Covid-19 pandemic. It includes:
- Government funds for civil society organisations that are open for applications
- A roundup of all government support for civil society, including funding that has been directly awarded by government departments to charities address the crisis
- Information on other forms of financial support available through HM Treasury
- Details of other funding support, including BBC Children in Need and the National Lottery Community Foundation.
The resource is available through the Office for Civil Society website. |
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£25m Emergency Loan Fund for Social Enterprises and Charities
Social Investment Business (SIB) has opened applications for the Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund (RRLF), a new £25 million emergency fund providing repayable finance to charities and social enterprises who are experiencing disruption to their normal business model as a result of COVID-19.
It has been established to make an existing government scheme the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme more easily accessible to charities and social enterprises.
The RRLF is being run by Social Investment Business (SIB) with an initial £25m investment and support from Big Society Capital. SIB is the lender, and will work initially with three experienced social investor partners on delivery of the fund: Big Issue Invest, Charity Bank, and Social and Sustainable Capital.
Charities and social enterprises can apply for emergency loans between £100K-£500K.
Find out more and check eligibility >>> https://www.sibgroup.org.uk/resilience-and-recovery-loan-fund
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Other Sector COVID-19 Funding
Independent Age
Trustees of Independent Age have released £2 million from their funds to help smaller organisations across the UK working with older people hardest hit by the coronavirus.
Coronavirus Community Support Fund
The National Lottery Community Fund will be distributing £200m of funding on behalf of the Government to support communities through COVID-19. The funding will support primarily small to medium sized organisations in England.
COVID-19 Extraordinary Funding for Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Support Services
Grants distributed through local Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales are available for organisations supporting vulnerable people including victims of sexual violence and domestic abuse during the coronavirus crisis.
Loneliness Covid-19 Grant Fund
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has launched a £5 million to fund national organisations working to tackle loneliness and build social connections. This fund will make grants of between £500,000 and £1,000,000. Deadline for applications is 12pm on 29 May 2020.
Resourcing Racial Justice Fund
Grants are available for frontline organisations, grassroots groups and community groups across the UK that are working to redress the impact of the coronavirus/COVID-19 and systemic racism on communities of colour.
Mental Health Sustainability Fund
The Mental Health Sustainability Fund aims to enhance the way that the VCSE sector works in partnership with the private sector to improve people’s mental health and wellbeing. Private sector companies are being invited to donate skills, resources, and funding, to VCSE mental health service providers enabling them to sustain services during and after the pandemic.
Police & Crime Commissioner Community Initiatives Fund
Following a surge in voluntary and community activity to help vulnerable people during the COVID-19 crisis, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson, has made £200,000 available over the next six months, to support active citizenship within local communities.
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3. External Resources & Information
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Website of the Week!
Pioneers Post
Described as 'Intelligent journalism for social entrepreneurs, impact investors and mission-driven businesses around the world'. Access the latest national and global social enterprise thought and developments through this informative magazine-style website.
As well as news, the website features some great resources, tools and insight to build a better world through good business – including interviews, debate, events, films, podcasts and special reports like the 'business school' , useful content such as 'COVID-19 funding you might miss' and the insightful 'thought for the week'.
Check it all out and subscribe >>> https://www.pioneerspost.com/news-views
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Free Webinars hosted by BEIS
A series of webinars, hosted by Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, about how to ensure your workplace is safe for your returning teams.
Each webinar will look at a different workplace setting. With this in mind, enterprise owners and leaders may need to refer to more than one webinar to make suitable provision across all their enterprise operations.
All the webinars are free to register and attend, you just need to be able to connect to the internet on your preferred device.
See the latest information & webinar dates here>>> http://shorturl.at/txBD3
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Guidance for Your Organisation
BVSC Covid19 Pathways
Information to enable citizens of Birmingham to get the quickest access to the help needed to keep safe and maintain well-being including links to mutual aid support groups.
Route2Wellbeing Portal
A directory of well-being services across Birmingham, provided by the local voluntary, community and social enterprise sector with a range of services and activities under a new category ‘COVID-19 Support’.
Gov.uk: Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for Community Interest Companies (CICs)
Guidance for Community Interest Companies on maintaining services and protecting the welfare of employees during the coronavirus outbreak.
GBSLEP Coronavirus Page
Latest Coronavirus information and support details for the West Midlands
NCVO: Coronavirus advice
Guidance and resources to support charities, voluntary organisations and volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic
SEUK Coronavirus Support and Resources
Round-up of guidance, updates and papers for the social enterprise sector. Access SEUK webinars and digital resources.
Good Finance COVID-19 Resource Hub
Information, resources and tools designed to support charities and social enterprises navigating COVID-19.
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If you have something you would like to share in this mailout then please send to elizabeth.forrester@i-se.co.uk. We welcome your contributions and support at this time.
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Copyright © 2019 iSE, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
info@i-se.co.uk
Contact us:
iSE 0121 771 1411
Women's Enterprise Hub 0121 663 1711
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