“Fundamentally, it’s helped us develop ongoing income streams that are going to help our services long-term. Without sustainability, hundreds of people each year wouldn’t get the support they need”
Future Projects, community support charity
Breaking Down Barriers to Enterprise
Tim Wilson spoke on the barriers that many charities face in exploring enterprise-led growth - particularly around accessing culturally aligned support, discussing risk appetite with their boards, and considering opportunities beyond philanthropy. He argued that funders have a crucial role to play and by combining financial support with investment in learning opportunities, can enable charities to develop their confidence and experience in diversifying income sources. “We need to tackle equity of access to enterprise,” Tim stressed. “If we pair enterprise grants with the right support, more organisations have the opportunity to reach a sustainable footing.”
Rethinking Grants to Support Enterprise
Robin Chu emphasised that grants can do more than cover costs and overheads - they can incentivise trading and entrepreneurial thinking. SSE’s Match Trading® grants operate on this principle, matching increases in trading income pound for pound with grant funding. This approach to grantmaking, alongside enterprise-focused capacity building support, encourages organisations to innovate, strengthen their income diversity, and reduce the risks associated with an over-reliance on grants and donations. For organisations that have received a Match Trading grant, income generated from trading has grown by 35% (compared to 9% for organisations receiving traditional grants). As Robin reflected: “grants can be a strategic tool to intentionally support VCSEs to build enterprise models and, in turn, grow resilience.”
Bringing Boards Along
Enthusiastic staff teams are only part of the picture - boards and trustees sometimes need reassurance.
Binda Patel shared how The Dulverton Trust are providing enterprise support delivered by SSE through a partnership with a collection of funders, including The National Lottery Community Fund, Power to Change and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. “Partnerships and tried-and-tested approaches reduce perceived risk,” Binda commented. “They show that enterprise support is not a leap into the unknown, but a grounded, effective model to deliver growth and impact.”
The Enterprise Grants Taskforce
The panel also looked ahead to sector-wide change. The Enterprise Grants Taskforce has been created to explore how grant-making can more consistently incentivise enterprise and resilience across the VCSE sector. The Taskforce brings together funders to share learning, test new approaches, and collaborate on embedding enterprise models into mainstream funding. It’s an invitation to think differently about grants - moving beyond project-based support toward funding that builds independence and adaptability.
A Case Study: Breadwinners
Breadwinners is a London-based social enterprise that runs market stalls and wholesale operations staffed by young refugees and people seeking asylum, often their first step into paid work in the UK. Through SSE’s programmes and Match Trading® grants, Breadwinners increased their total income from around £167,500 to more than £467,000, with trading income rising by 215% over the programme period, increasing the percentage of total income from trading to 56%. This enterprise growth translated directly into social impact - more young refugees gained paid work experience, developed skills, and progressed into further employment opportunities. Breadwinners shows how enterprise support can both strengthen financial resilience and expand impact for communities in London.
The Way Forward
All three panellists agreed that enterprise must be part of the resilience conversation. Funders can expand their toolkit by reimagining grants, investing in capacity-building, and helping boards adapt. The Enterprise Grants Taskforce offers a platform for this shift to scale.
This isn’t about replacing traditional grants but complementing them with tools that build sustained impact and independence.
Together, we can reshape funding models to build a stronger, more adaptive VCSE sector, ready for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. For more information or to get involved in the Enterprise Grants Taskforce, contact Helen Hunte, Development Officer at SSE, on helen.hunte@sse.org.uk.