UK: can do approach succeeds in wales

Social enterprises in the former coalfield areas of Wales are benefiting from a £1.4m scheme that provides a package of various levels of grant funding combined with professional support, guidance and training.

Since June 2005 the new Coalfields Social Enterprise Development Scheme has given business advice and over £762,800 in grants to 52 social enterprises. The pilot scheme runs to December 2006 and is still open for grant applications.

The scheme is a partnership between the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, Community Enterprise Wales and the Scarman Trust. All three agencies are directly involved in the delivery of the fund and are contributing their respective expertise, specialist knowledge and networks. Two thirds of the funding comes from the European Regional Development Fund and one third from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

The scheme aims to contribute to the social and economic regeneration of South Wales and the Valleys by promoting the development of new social enterprises and by encouraging and supporting the growth of existing ones.

One of the attractive features of the funding package is that four different levels of grant are available: level 1, £500 to £2,000; level 2, £2,000 to £10,000; level 3 £10,000 to £60,000; and grants from the Associate Fund which are used to pay for a consultant to work with a social enterprise to carry out a specific piece of work.

Applicants to the scheme receive business support and help with the application process from a dedicated team of six staff located at strategic points across the coalfield at Llanharan, Pontypridd and Ebbw Vale. Many of the applicants are voluntary organisations or community groups that are considering social enterprise for the first time. ?Some groups can and do apply for different level grants as their business develops,? says Andrea Powell. ?The scheme does not limit the number of grants a social enterprise can receive as long as the total sum is less than £60,000.?

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