Resources and links
There are many sources of useful information online, here are a few suggestions to get you started.
Awards For All
http://www.awardsforall.org.uk/
Awards for All England is supported by the Arts Council England, the Big Lottery Fund, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Sport England. We award grants of between £300 and £10,000 for people to take part in art, sport, heritage and community activities, and projects that promote education, the environment and health in the local community.
Be Your Own Boss: Mentoring and Webinars
http://www.mihmentoring.com/
Supports students and graduates setting up their own businesses. Includes mentoring, webinars, a trading platform and discussion forums.
British Library Business & IP
http://www.bl.uk/bipc/
The British Library Business & IP Centre at St Pancras, London can help you start, run and grow your business.
Business Link
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/home/
Business Link is government's online resource for businesses. It is now enhanced with new, easy-to-use tools to help you start up, improve and grow your business.
The Design Council
http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/
The Design Council is an enterprising charity, whose work places design at the heart of creating value by stimulating innovation in business and public services, improving our built environment and tackling complex social issues
Emerge Venture Lab
http://www.emergeventurelab.com/
Emerge Venture Lab provides funding and support to accelerate social ventures at the pre-investmentstage of development. Every six months they select up to ten companies, and work with them for a year by providing seed capital, bespoke legal and administrative support, and pro-bono advice, mentoring and consulting.
Enactus
Enactus brings together students, academics and business leaders who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need.
Enternships
http://www.enternships.com/
Connects students and graduates with ambitious start-ups and small businesses.
Enterprise Educators UK
Enterprise Educators UK has been networking, supporting and developing enterprise education for over ten years. This national network includes over 500 enterprise educators and practitioners, mainly from UK Higher Education institutions.
Funding Circle
https://www.fundingcircle.com/
Funding Circle is an online marketplace to help businesses find low cost loans quickly and investors get better returns. There are no middlemen, no banks, and no lengthy delays. By directly connecting people who want to invest money with vetted, established businesses who want to borrow money, we eliminate the cost and complexity of the banking world. It's simple, we're better for business, better for investors, better all around.
Getting British Businesses online
Getting British Business Online and Google have partnered with the world's leading learning company, Pearson to bring you a new way to quickly get and grow your business online. With videos, tips and quizzes: this training will help you take full advantage of the online space.
Inland Revenue
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/startingup/index.htm
Information, advice and guides on paying tax.
Inspire2Enterprise
http://inspire2enterprise.org/
Inspire2Enterprise is a free-to-access service for the social enterprise sector providing information, specialist advice and support from start-up through initial growth and beyond. It is designed for people looking to start, grow or improve their social enterprise and is delivered by qualified and experienced advisers and specialists.
Mardi
Mardi is a new organisation concerned with providing support for existing charities and not-for-profit organisations by tapping in to the pool of resources provided by the many students and university alumni who wish to use their talents to make the world a better place.
MyKindaCrowd
MyKindaCrowd aims to deliver excellent outcomes for their corporate and SME clients, whilst also providing a measurable social benefit for young people, society and the UK economy. Their social vision is to level the playing field by allowing young people to connect with relevant companies, whatever their background.
NACUE
http://nacue.com/
NACUE is a fast-paced, grassroots charity that supports and represents student-led enterprise societies and young entrepreneurs to drive the growth of entrepreneurship in Universities and Colleges across the UK
NCCPE(National Coordinating Council for Public Engagement)
http://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/
NCCPE support universities to engage with the public. They work with six Beacons which are university-based collaborative centres that help support, recognise, reward and build capacity for public engagement work.
NESTA
http://www.nesta.org.uk/
Nesta is the UK’s innovation foundation. We help people and organisations bring great ideas to life. We do this by providing investments and grants and mobilising research, networks and skills.
PraxisUnico
http://www.praxisunico.org.uk/
PraxisUnico is an educational not-for-profit organisation set up to support innovation and commercialisation of public sector and charity research for social and economic impact.
Prince's Trust
http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/
Offers advice and guidance on low interest loans and grants. Provides ongoing business support and specialist advice, as well as a mentor.
RSA
RSA is an enlightenment organisation committed to finding innovative practical solutions to today's social challenges through its ideas, research and 27,000-strong Fellowship.
SE-UEN (Social Enterprise - University Enterprise Network)
http://www.plymouthsocialenterpriseuen.co.uk/
SE-UEN is a tripartite partnership between industry, the public sector and universities to make a substantial contribution to the long-term competitiveness of the UK economy and social cohesion.
School for Social Entrepreneurs
http://www.the-sse.org/
SSE was founded in 1997 by Michael Young. Its mission is to address inequalities and social exclusion by supporting social entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to transform their talent into real social outcomes, in the form of sustainable solutions to poverty and disadvantage in communities. It does this through the use of action-learning based programmes of personal and organisational development. SSE supports individuals to realise their potential and to establish, scale and sustain, social enterprises and social businesses across the UK, Australia and Canada.
Shell Live Wire
http://www.shell-livewire.org/
Established in 1982, the Shell LiveWIRE programme offers free online business advice and start-up awards of £1,000 and £10,000 funding to young entrepreneurs in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). Join our community now to help launch your new business idea.
Skoll Foundation
http://www.skollfoundation.org/
Benefits communities around the world by investing in, connecting and celebrating social entrepreneurs.
Social Enterprise London
http://www.sel.org.uk/
Social Enterprise London (SEL) represents the largest social enterprise network in the UK with over 3,100 members, linking and inspiring social enterprises in London and beyond. Over the last year, we have supported 1,500 social enterprises, created over 700 jobs and worked in nine countries. Social enterprise is a dynamic and ever-evolving success story, and social enterprise businesses in London account for 104,500 jobs and boast a combined turnover of £4 billion.
Start Up Britain
http://www.startupbritain.org/
StartUp Britain is a national campaign to inspire, accelerate and celebrate entrepreneurship within the UK, with the full support of the Government.
Unltd
http://www.unltd.org.uk/
UnLtd is a charity which supports social entrepreneurs - people with vision, drive, commitment and passion who want to change the world for the better. We do this by providing a complete package of funding and support, to help these individuals make their ideas a reality
6W2X
6W2X is a social enterprise start-up incubator for student start-ups with a six-week exit strategy. The idea is that students can fit this within their studies or even vacation time, while also allowing them to get some real-life experience of working in teams and getting a start-up underway.
