Great news! A set of high-quality Social Enterprise Business Master Classes has now been finalised for February and March, and will provide social enterprise managers with key information to aid the growth of their organisations. They are being held all over the region so there will be one near you (we will be holding Master Classes in Lincolnshire after March). You will also have the opportunity to network with your peers over lunch

Building on the success of the workshops we held last year and taking into account the feedback we received from those who attended them, we have identified 4 themes which will help social enterprises looking to expand their business.

Date(s): Various See Below
Time: 09:30 - 16:30
Venue: Various - All over the East Midlands Region
Cost: Free (Lunch & Refreshments provided)
Delivered by: SEEM (Social Enterprise East Midlands)

Master Class Summaries

Exploring Finance for Social Enterprise
Now more than ever it is essential for social enterprises to identify the right financial mix to assist them to develop and grow. In this master class you will explore accessing non-grant finance. During the day you will learn about the different types of finance available to social enterprises, explore the opportunities presented to social enterprise by accessing non-grant finance, receive information on the requirements of financial providers and evaluate the costs of different types of finance. There will be a strong practical focus and you will create an individual action plan for accessing the finance that is best suited to your organisation.
 
Understanding, Measuring & Reporting Your Impact
Measuring and demonstrating your impact to your customers is becoming increasingly important.  This master class will help you understand how you can measure and report your economic, environmental and social impact. You will look at every stage of this process from defining a social mission and values to reporting and auditing social accounts. A number of frameworks for measuring impact will be considered including the Social Return On Investment (SROI) framework and the Balanced Scorecard. You will have an opportunity to practice applying the different frameworks to ensure you are in a strong position to begin creating social accounts in your own organisation.
 
The Business Environment for Social Enterprise
Operating a social enterprise is more than just choosing the right legal structure, there are many other things to consider. During this master class you will learn about the different legal structures for social enterprise and identify the structure that is most appropriate for your organisation. You will also explore the types of taxation that are payable by social enterprise and evaluate your insurance needs. Finally you will learn about building and managing relationships with third party professionals such as accountants and lawyers. At the end of the day you will create action plans to apply what you have learned to you own organisation.
 
Selling to the Public & Private Sectors
Doing business with the public and private sector may seem challenging, but it can be achieved. In this master class you will learn about every stage of the procurement process from understanding pre-qualification questionnaires to preparing for contract interviews. You will learn how to interpret briefing documents and evaluate their competitiveness when applying for contracts to ensure you can write effective tenders. The different procurement processes in the private sector are also considered and you will learn how to write proposals and become familiar with documents such as memorandums of understanding and non-disclosure agreements.

Workshop Dates and Locations:
• 24th February - Exploring Finance for Social Enterprise
  Castle Cavendish Business Centre, Dorking Road, Nottingham NG7 5PN
• 3rd March - Understanding, Measuring & Reporting Your Impact
  DD Enterprise Centre, 20 Royal Scot Road, Pride Park, Derby DE24 8AJ
• 4th March - Selling to the Public and Private Sectors
  DD Enterprise Centre, 20 Royal Scot Road, Pride Park, Derby DE24 8AJ
• 10th March - Understanding, Measuring & Reporting Your Impact
   Phoenix Studios, 253-255 Belgrave Gate, Leicester LE1 3HU
• 11th March - Exploring Finance for Social Enterprise
  Phoenix Studios, 253-255 Belgrave Gate, Leicester LE1 3HU
• 17th March - The Business Environment for Social Enterprise
  Kettering Conference Centre, Thurston Drive, Kettering NN15 6PB
• 18th March - Selling to the Public and Private Sectors          
  Kettering Conference Centre, Thurston Drive, Kettering NN15 6PB
• 18th March - The Business Environment for Social Enterprise
  Castle Cavendish Business Centre, Dorking Road, Nottingham NG7 5PN

The Business Master Class programme has been made possible by funding from the Office of the Third Sector , delivered on behalf of East Midlands Development Agency by Business Link and SEEM