Social Enterprise Dumfries and Galloway Grant Fund
A new Dumfries and Galloway Social Enterprise Grant Programme is helping applicants to realise their market potential.
A total of £50,000 was available in the programme for projects with applications open to a maximum of £5,000.
Applications were accepted from: Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations; Companies Limited by Guarantee; Community Interest Companies; Cooperatives; and Community Benefit Societies.
The project was funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The ambition of the grant was to invest in social enterprises looking at new markets to develop their business, e.g. exploring those markets, launching a pilot project.
The applications were screened by Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway and were assessed by an independent scoring panel.
Successful applicants:
1. Absolute Classics – Absolute Jazz – £5,000
Creating a three-year development plan that seeks to diversify the cultural offerings of the organisation and tap into new markets by broadening the range of musical genres featured in its events.
2. Building Futures Galloway Ltd – A Community Model for Heritage Skills Training – £5,000
Funding for a temporary education assistant, to assist at a critical point in the development of their ‘skills centre’. This will allow the marketing and promotional materials to be updated and so increase awareness of the services on offer.
3. Care Training and Consultancy CIC – E-learning Development – £2,900
Creating a blended approach to teaching by purchasing a Videotile Distributor package, enabling the design of online video-based training packages. This will increase the accessibility of online training for students. Also, by diversifying its model to become a delivery partner for an existing industry-leading e-learning and online video production company, it will increase the scope of the organisation.
4. Castle Douglas Community Information Technology Centre – Refurbish IT – £4,525
Purchasing high tech equipment to repair technology. This will increase the profile of the organisation and allow them to expand their services across a wider geographical area, reaching more people.
5. Creation Mill CIC – With Wool and Peat – £4,085.29
Researching and developing innovative new wool products, using sheep fleeces which would otherwise go to waste. They are also creating a brand package to promote these products and so realise their market potential.
6. Galloway Food Hub / Propagate Scotland (CIC) – Galloway Food Hub -£4,948.71
Procuring office materials and accounting software to support the project becoming a standalone CIC. This will give better visibility to the activities of the organisation and help achieve more sustainable business growth.
7. Glenkens Community and Arts Trust – Innovating the Cat Strand’s Cafe and Shop – £4,141
Purchasing a laptop to enable them to run software to analyse sales data, identify trends and opportunities for market development. Marketing materials to help promote the shop and café and a retail expert consultant to improve market potential.
8. The Langholm Initiative – Langholm Initiative Eco-Learning Centre -£4,900
Developing market analysis and a marketing plan for an eco-learning business in Tarras Valley Nature Reserve. This will allow them to understand the potential of this business opportunity and assist them in orientating themselves to the most appropriate markets.
9. Stranraer Millennium Centre Community Trust – Shout out Stranraer -£4,500
Part-funding an Events and Marketing Officer to develop an event plan throughout the year. This will ensure a diverse range of activities that cater to the interests of the local community and support the visitor experience.
10. Stranraer Water Sports Association – Accelerating Water Sports Development in Stranraer – £5,000
Delivering market research and a marketing plan to maximise social enterprise revenue generation, in particular the event ‘Skiffle Worlds’ and the opening of new sporting facilities. This will increase footfall and raise the profile of the organisation within the water sports sector.
11. The Whithorn Trust – Pilot Machars Archaeology Field School – £5,000
Supporting staff fees for project design, setup, training materials and health and safety. This will increase public engagement with archaeology through involvement of a wide community, including schools and creating content for their website. This combined with a social media campaign will help keep public interest alive in archaeology.