Trading for Impact, the National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027, is committed to helping cultivate strong and impactful social enterprises, through a number of new and existing supports.

A large number of impactful supports are provided locally through the Local Development Company (LDC) network of companies. LDCs can provide details of funding available across many Government Departments, such as training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

In April last, I launched a Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF) Sustaining Social Enterprise Scheme which supports established social enterprises to grow their traded income and become more financially self-sufficient over 23 months, in line with SEG feedback. Applications are currently at assessment stage. This funding will support projects such as the recruitment of key staff to drive income growth and sustainability and the development of a shared service resource to enabling existing staff to focus on increased income generation.

An event is currently planned for October in Dublin City Centre to bring together social enterprises with public buyers. As part of the preplanning for this event, targeted and practical supports will be delivered for both audiences to increase their knowledge and capacity to participate in procurement and purchasing arrangements. This work is supported by the Social Procurement Working Group and will help build traded income and financial sustainability for social enterprises.

Action 12 of Trading for Impact commits to deliver loan and grant funding schemes for social enterprises through new and existing programmes within my Department including the Community Services Programme (CSP), the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) and LEADER.

Through SICAP, social enterprises providing services to one or more of the named SICAP target groups, may avail of grants through SICAP’s programme implementers up to a maximum of €2,500 per annum, with a view to supporting social enterprises to establish and expand, employing those who are most marginalised, and so they can provide local services where other enterprises may not be able to.

My Department's Our Rural Future policy also recognises the role of social enterprises in providing appropriate spaces and services to rural areas, and influences funding across a range of schemes within my Department’s Rural Development Investment Programme, for example LEADER and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme which can support suitable projects.

The CSP programme currently supports 453 services nationally on an ongoing basis via 434 community organisations to provide local social, economic, and environmental services through a social enterprise model with a budget of €59.4m in 2026. A recent call for new organisations to join the CSP programme closed on May 8th last. All applications received are currently going through an appraisal process, with results expected to be issued before the end of July.

Department of Social Protection supports, including through the Job Initiative, TUS, Community Employment Scheme or Rural Social Scheme posts also play an important part in supporting the sector, and this is acknowledged under the policy.

There are also a range of business supports available to social enterprises, through the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) where they operate on a commercial basis and meet the eligibility criteria of the scheme for which they wish to apply. More information on LEOs can be found at: www.localenterprise.ie/

Another resource available is the National Enterprise Hub (NEH), which can be used by social enterprises and provides a centralised signposting service for over 250 Government or agency supports from 29 different Departments and State Agencies. The NEH website is: www.neh.gov.ie. This free service makes it easier to access and avail of business supports such as grants, funding, loans and expert advice across a range of sectors. It also aims to engage with small businesses who have yet to avail of government support.

Finally, my Department maintains a Social Enterprise Supports Table that provides a list of supports available to social enterprises in Ireland. This includes information on the various sources of advice, networking, training, funding and financial supports social enterprises may avail of. This table can be found at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/89e63-social-enterprise-supports-tables/