Useful Links to Support Agencies

 

Business Link North West provides assistance to small and medium sized businesses to help them grow and compete successfully.Whether you're an existing social enterprise looking to develop and increase your business and service provision, or you're in the process of setting up a new social enterprise, there are a number of ways that Business Link can help and support you.

 

Co-operative & Mutual Solutions (CMS) provides business advice to co-operatives and social enterprises. CMS is a worker co-operative. They have a team of specialists with wide ranging skills and knowledge of good practice nationally and internationally.

 

Co-operatives UK is the national trade body that campaigns for co-operation and works to promote, develop and unite co-operative enterprises. Their aim is to bring together all those with a passion and interest in co-operative action.

 

Co-operatives North West is the regional network of co-operative enterprise in the North West of England committed to strengthening the sector and providing a regional voice for co-operative and mutual organisations.

     

      Cumbria Chamber
of Commerce

 

 

The Cumbria Chamber of Commerce is Cumbria's business support and networking organisation. It is the voice of Cumbrian business - representing both SMEs and larger corporate organisations.

Cumbria County Council is dedicated to makingCumbria more prosperous through sustainable economic development and regeneration coupled with improvements to transport and infrastructure network.

 

Cumbra CVS is an infrastructure organisation which supports Third Sector groups in Cumbria, including advice, training and support in running, managing and developing groups and organisations. It also provides information on funding opportunities and acts asa focal point for information about and raising the status of the sector.

 

Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency provides business and farm support services for start up and existing businesses and farms in Eden and South Lakeland.

 

DEFRA (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) works for the essentials of life - food, air, land, water, people, animals and plants. Their remit is the pursuit of sustainable development - weaving together economic, social and environmental concerns.

 

The Development Trusts Association is the leading network of community enterprise practitioners dedicated to helping people set up development trusts and helping existing development trusts learn from each other and work effectively.

 

 

Furness Enterprise is a local enterprise partnership that helps entrepreneurs and their companies realise their business ambitions in a realistic way within the Furness Assisted Area.

 

The North East Social Enterprise Partnership is a development agency for social enterprise in the North East. Their aim is to foster strong and vibrant social enterprises across the region.

 

Rural Cooperation seeks to improve information sharing and collaboration amongst fellow co-operators on rural matters.

 

The School for Social Entrepreneurs is a UK-wide programme for social entrepreneurs, with a growing network of schools and fellows, meeting the needs of social entrepreneurs in local settings

 

Social Enterprise was the UK’s first monthly magazine devoted to providing accessible, comprehensive news and practical help for everyone interested in social enterprise.

 

The Social Enterprise Coalition is the national body and voice for social enterprise. It supports and represents the work of its members, influencing national policy and promoting best practice.

 

Social Enterprise & Co-operative Development (Secod) provides high-quality support services and solutions to community and social enterprises and co-operatives across the North of England.

 

 

The Social Enterprise Partnership implements infrastructure and systems development, capacity building, research and development for the social enterprise sector in the UK.