As Community Business Weekend begins, Power to Change announces support for Match Trading, bringing SSE’s grant-funding innovation to 100 community businesses

At the dawn of Community Business Weekend [5 - 8 October], Power to Change today announces its backing for Match Trading™ as a tool to support the growth of community businesses. Match Trading is an innovation in grant-funding that incentivises social enterprises and community businesses to grow through trading, created by School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE). It has been developed with the support of pioneer partners Lloyds Banking Group and Big Lottery Fund, and programme partner Power to Change.

Match Trading is grant-funding that pound-for-pound matches an increase in trading income. By rewarding sales growth, Match Trading empowers social entrepreneurs and community business leaders operating in challenging markets to develop their trading base, so they can build sustainable futures.

Power to Change is partnering with SSE to use Match Trading grants to support the growth of community businesses in England through their Community Business Trade Up Programme. The programme is accepting applications until 1pm, Wednesday 11th October, to support 100 community businesses across England in 2018. The programme consists of a six-month learning programme with SSE and a Match Trading grant of up to £10,000.* It aims to support growth through trading.

The Community Business Trade Up Programme currently supports 30 community businesses, benefitting from a six-month learning programme with either SSE North West or SSE London, and a grant of up to £10,000. Two-thirds of participants are being incentivised to increase trading with a Match Trading grant.

Alastair Wilson, CEO of SSE, says: “Community businesses and social enterprises often have a higher cost base than traditional commercial businesses, because they build in so much impact into their work – yet this impact is invaluable. We believe grant-funding is a vital tool to support these organisations, but we know that over-dependency on traditional grant can leave them vulnerable, and distract them from developing trading activities. Match Trading is grant-funding that incentivises trading, helping these organisations to build more sustainable futures. We are delighted to be partnering with Power to Change to support the growth of 130 community businesses, 100 of whom will access Match Trading grants, as part of our Community Business Trade Up Programme.”

Mark Gordon, Director of Communications and Partnerships at Power to Change, said: “This is such an important programme, at a time when community businesses in England are growing in number and size. With Community Business Weekend about to showcase everything they do for their local areas, this will give yet another boost to the movement.”

Match Trading will support at least 500 social enterprises and community business leaders by 2022 through two SSE programmes: the Community Business Trade Up Programme, run by SSE in partnership with Power to Change, and the Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Programme, in partnership with SSE and jointly funded by Big Lottery Fund.

>> Organisations interested in applying to the Community Business Trade Up Programme by 11th October should visit: www.the-sse.org/community-business

>> Anyone interested in Match Trading can visit: www.the-sse.org/match-trading

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>> Further info

• Contact Sophie Hobson, SSE communications manager: sophie.hobson@sse.org.uk / 0207 089 9120

>> Notes to editors

About School for Social Entrepreneurs:

School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) empowers people to create change in their communities and improve the lives of others. It supports social entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs: people who tackle social problems by starting, scaling and sustaining organisations. SSE helps more than 1,000 leaders of social change every year through courses, connections and support. Michael Young founded SSE in 1997 in London. Today, SSE’s network of 11 schools impacts communities across the UK, Canada and India. www.the-sse.org.

About Power to Change:

Power to Change is an independent trust, whose funding is used to strengthen community businesses across England. At a time when many parts of the UK face cuts, neglect and social problems, we are helping local people come together to take control, and make sure their local areas survive and stay vibrant. http://www.powertochange.org.uk/

About the Community Business Trade Up Programme:

The Community Business Trade Up Programme is a learning programme accompanied by a grant of up to £10,000 for early-stage community businesses that are planning to grow – 80% of grants are Match Trading grants. The programme is run by School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) with support from Power to Change. The programme includes 12 learning days, spread over six months.

The programme will support 130 community business leaders in total. The first phase of the programme runs from May to October 2017, supporting 30 community business leaders at SSE London (London) and SSE North West (Liverpool). The second phase of the programme will support a further 100 community business leaders across England via School for Social Entrepreneurs’ eight schools based in England. It will run from January to July 2018. Applications for the second phase are open now and close on 11th October 2017. https://www.the-sse.org/courses/community-business/

About Match Trading:

Match Trading an innovation in grant-funding that incentivises growth through trading, created by School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE). Match Trading is grant-funding that pound-for-pound matches an increase in trading income. By rewarding sales growth, Match Trading empowers social entrepreneurs and community business leaders operating in challenging markets to develop their trading base, so they can build stronger futures. Match Trading is supported by pioneer partners Lloyds Banking Group and Big Lottery Fund, and programme partner Power to Change. It will support at least 500 social entrepreneurs and community business leaders over the next five years. www.the-sse.org/match-trading

* Of the 100 community businesses partaking in the Community Business Trade Up Programme in 2018, 80 will receive Match Trading grants of up to £10,000, and 20 will receive traditional grants of £10,000, to act as a control group.


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About School for Social Entrepreneurs

School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) empowers people to create change in their communities and improve the lives of others. It supports social entrepreneurs: people who tackle social problems by starting, scaling and sustaining organisations. SSE helps more than 1,000 leaders of social change every year through courses, connections and support. Michael Young founded SSE in 1997 in London. Today, its network of 11 schools impacts communities across the UK, Canada and India. www.the-sse.org