Enterprise and Community Business We can help to develop business plans, and deliver operational support that makes projects accessible to everyone. We do this by undertaking needs audits and consultation, reviewing policies and procedures that affect the delivery of services and the internal culture of organisations. We work with everyone involved. Partners, service users, as well as staff and volunteers. We will support your project from original idea, through model testing, market research and final enagagement with your customer or community. We can help with policy formatoin to support your ethical business. Whether tendering for commissioned services or bidding for grant money, our support can help you succeed. We write relevant, holistic and successful applications and business plans. Social Enterprise (Routledge Studies in the Management of Voluntary and Non-profit Organizations) (Paperback) by Marthe Nyssens (Editor) Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Routledge,an imprint of Taylor & Francis Books Ltd  (11 Sep 2006) Language English ISBN: 0415378796 In one of its previous books, the EMES European Research Network traced the most significant developments in 'social entrepreneurship' emerging inside the third sector in Europe. Building upon that seminal work, the present book presents the results of an extensive research project carried out over a four-year period. More precisely, this book develops a theory of social enterprise through a comparative analysis of 160 social enterprises across 11 EU countries. Amazon.co.uk You can find more books about social and community business generation and support on our business book page . Social Enterprise. What Wikipedia says a social enterprise is... Social enterprises are organisations which trade in goods or services and link that trade to a social mission. The need to deliver on both financial and social performance targets is often referred to as having a double bottom line. It could be that the profit (or surplus) from the business is used to support related or unrelated social aims (as in a charity shop), or that the business itself accomplishes the social aim through its operation, say through the employment of people from a disadvantaged community including individuals and existing business who have diffuculy in securing investment from banks and mainstream lenders. What else is a social enterprise?  (Text from the Government Small Business Service - go here for the SBS site.) ''Social enterprises are businesses that trade in order to pursue a social aim. They: produce goods or provide services to achieve their goals and financial self-sufficiency have social aims such as employment and training - or provision of services - particularly for disadvantaged groups often have a democratic management style with different stakeholders taking part in decision making, eg employees, users of the social enterprise or specially appointed trustees often report on their social, environmental and economic impact principally reinvest profits in the business or in the community to further their social aims Social enterprises are diverse and operate at many levels. They include community enterprises, social firms and mutual organisations such as co-operatives and large-scale operations operating nationally or internationally. What they have in common is a commitment to meeting social and financial needs, with some also aiming to meet environmental needs.   Sources of finance for social enterprises include: trading income retained profits bank, Community Development Finance Institutions and other loans Social enterprises may qualify for grants in the same way as other types of business. In addition, social enterprises in disadvantaged communities, or which address social exclusion, may qualify for start-up and capital grants.'' Find the latest Euro definition on our download page. Community Interest Companies? (text from the Community Interest Company web pages - go here for the CIC site). ''Community Interest Companies (CICS) are limited companies with special additional features created for the use of people who want to conduct a business or other activity for community benefit, and not purely for private advantage. This is achieved by a "community interest test" and "asset lock", which ensure that the CIC is established for community purposes and the assets and profits are dedicated to these purposes.Registration of a company as a CIC has to be approved by the Regulator who also has a continuing monitoring and enforcement role.'' Social Enterprise Partnership GB Ltd: Training for social enterprise managers and the development of best practice... ''SFEDI's core standards for business advice and management (referred to as Business Support and Business Development). These standards are the core SFEDI standards and sit beside the Social Enterprise specific standards as an overall package for managing or advising social enterprise. The introduction to both sets of core standards contain valuable information on how to integrate standards into your practice, however, stay tuned for further social enterprise specific guidance. Further information on SFEDI can be obtained by exploring their website at www.sfedi.co.uk.'' With all business - the way forward... develop a work plan - create a vision that is clear, costed and timetabled.    Be clear about what you want to do.    Be clear how you wish to achieve your plan.    Engage all your partners appropriately to achieve your aims.    Divide your plan into short, medium and long term aims.    Be accurate and honest about all your costs.    Create realistic deadlines, test the process of achievement   regularly.    Research multiple markets and options. Some useful Links What is a community business?  -  definitions from the Development Trusts Association. How others do it!  -  A Hong Kong based charity, which supports Asian socially responsible businesses. You will find an interesting information and link resource on the writer Andrew Bibby's web page. His Step by Step Guide to Social Enterprise Finance, published by Social Enterprise London, is available on our download page.