Welcome to Enterprising Communities Website

A project of Voluntary Action Cumbria

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Enterprising Communities will finish on Friday 31st March 2006.

It has been our great pleasure to work with so many different existing and emerging social enterprise groups and all those involved in the social enterprise sector. We hope that we have delivered a good service and you have enjoyed working with us.

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Community Investment Tax Relief (CITR) was adopted to persuade private investment to boost areas known to suffer fiscal difficulties. Tax and trusts Hampshire Tax and trusts Hampshire among other areas have reported successes on Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) where the scheme has been implemented.

The Social Investment Task Force (SITF) created their report and recommendations to ensure businesses in low investment areas could grow. Lincoln caravan sales have risen due to the placement of this program developed to enterprise communities and the surrounding area has therefore reaped the benefits economically.

Encouraging entrepreneurial behaviour and therefore growth is an important factor in developing under invested communities. Expert legal advise from a solicitor in Brighton helped the project proceed without delays. Promoting businesses is key in producing a program to initiate growth in a local economy.

Funding has been confirmed for the integration of language skills between all community members which statistically has been successful in social enterprise and the english language school to increase development. Learning language skills helps the enterprise utilize available information, advice and funding literature which is directly linked to successful outcomes.

We've recently been supporting research into manufacturing facility for snowboard jackets and pants which so far is looking quite positive. Our staff have had a few free trips to the mountains which always goes down well.

Dedicated to providing experienced and talented interim management jobs in the UK and world wide to the public and private sectors

Voluntary Action Cumbria is currently seeking funding to maintain a service to facilitate enterprise development through signposting community and social enterprises to sources of information, advice and funding.

In the meanwhile, three members of the Enterprising Communities (Bill, Howard & Viv) team have set up their own social enterprise secod (social enterprise and cooperative development ltd) to continue offering specialised support to emerging and existing social enterprises in Cumbria.

We are currently undertaking a robust evaluation of our work which will draw out and consolidate our evidence-based learning. We plan to post this learning on an attractive, creative, innovative and challenging website open to all. We want to see our ideas, approaches, learning, case studies and the tools we have developed widely used. We will alert you when the website is ready.

Please continue to check the Enterprising Communities website www.enterprisingcommunities.org.uk and the Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership website www.socialenterpriseincumbria.org for information on what's going on in the social enterprise sector in Cumbria.

With very best wishes,

Anne, Bill, Cath, Dani, Howard, Quentin, Rose and Viv

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secod
social enterprise and
co-operative development ltd

a new social enterprise to support social enterprise and co-ops in Cumbria and the north of England

further information ..........

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Voluntary Action Cumbria - Funding Advice Service

VAC's Funding Advice Service closed on the 15th February.

Funding advice will now be delivered through your local CVS. There will be a transition period with a reduced service until the 1st April when the new countywide service will begin.

If possible, please delay your approach to your local CVS until after the 1st April.

District CVS contact numbers:

Carlisle	01228 512513
Eden	01768 242138
West Cumbria	01900 819191
South Lakeland	01539 742627
Barrow-in-Furness	01229 823144

VAC's "monthly funding update" will be produced in March and April with the first countywide funding bulletin following in May.