Environmental charities can apply for support next month to strengthen their trading models, as part of the Enterprise Development Programme (EDP).
The charity Groundwork has become a partner in the EDP, and will work with environment organisations to become more financially sustainable.
The EDP was founded in 2018, and is backed by Social Investment Business and Access – the Social Investment Foundation.
The announcement comes three weeks after The Ubele Initiative was named as an EDP partner specialising in helping charities work with Black and ethnic minority groups.
Cohort work
Environmental charities and social enterprises will be able to apply to join a cohort of similar organisations, with finance available later in the process as the work of those cohorts progresses.
Access – The Foundation for Social Investment has committed £2m to this environmental work. Successful applicants will receive support including training, group-based learning and access to mentoring networks, according to a statement.
Any future grants are likely to be capped at £30,000.
Partners
The EDP focuses on building the resilience of organisations in a number of sectors, including ethnic minority communities, equality, homelessness, mental health, and youth work. It has supported 80 organisations so far.
Groundwork joins the programme’s existing partners: The Ubele Initiative, Equally Ours, Homeless Link, The Association of Mental Health Providers, and The Centre for Youth Impact.
Enterprise and the environment
By building the resilience of environmental charities, the programme organisers hope that those organisations can have a bigger impact in future.
Seb Elsworth, the chief executive of Access – The Foundation for Social Investment, said: “Charities and social enterprises operating in the environment sector are improving communities and supporting people right around the country.
“Building more resilient business models is key to them being able to deliver more of this impact, and for many earned income can play a bigger role.”
Graham Duxbury, the chief executive of Groundwork, added: “We hope that by supporting environmental organisations in securing more sustainable and resilient futures, we can help communities thrive.”
The EDP opens to applications by environmental organisations on 15 June.
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