Developing trading activities through selling products or services will help you to generate your own income and become sustainable and, more often than not, in better control of your destiny.
Bidding for grants is time-consuming with no guarantee that you will be successful and in any event, the amount of grant funding available is extremely sparse and that which is available is chased by countless other enterprises too. A reliance on grant funding is risky and is not sustainable - what will happen to your social enterprise when the grant funding has been used? The key is to trade, and not be reliant on grants.
You will need to ensure that any trading activity from the supply of your product/service generates sufficient income and, importantly a profit. As a social enterprise you can trade in any way appropriate to market need (as longs as it is legal) the profits from which can then help you achieve enterprise sustainability and your social objectives.
If you are considering trading or ways to generate more income please contact our advisers for guidance and support.