School for Social Entrepreneurs launch new matched funding concept Match Trading

The School for Social Entrepreneurs has developed a variation of matched funding that incentivises growth through trading by matching increases in trading income pound for pound. Created by The School for Social Entrepreneurs in partnership with Lloyds Banking Group and Big Lottery Fund, Match Trading aims to empower social entrepreneurs operating in challenging markets to develop their trading base by rewarding sales growth. Match Trading has already piloted with 19 social entrepreneurs, who achieved on average 92% year-on-year increase in trading income. They took part in the pilot year of the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme, in partnership with SSE and jointly funded by Big Lottery Fund. This month it will see 80 more social entrepreneurs join the next wave of Match Trading as students of the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Trade Up and Scale Up Programmes, run in partnership with SSE and jointly funded by Big Lottery Fund. Over the next five years, SSE plans to run programmes that will support at least another 500 social entrepreneurs with Match Trading grants. Social entrepreneurs interested in accessing Match Trading grants should have established models, with ambitions to grow through trading, and have likely been operating for at least a year. Match Trading grants can be accessed through: the Community Business Trade Up Programme, run by SSE in partnership with Power to Change. Applications are open until 1pm, Wednesday 11th October 2017. the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme, in partnership with SSE and jointly funded by Big Lottery Fund, at Trade Up and Scale Up levels (register interest now – applications open in spring 2018).  

from UK Fundraising http://ift.tt/2yVugC9