📩 Want support with any of these resources?
Email us at [email protected]
We’re here to help you explore ideas, test concepts and grow your impact. We also think there are some amazing organisations sharing super useful resources, toolkits and case studies which could be useful prompts as you define your ideas, so we've collected them in one place for you :)
Getting Started: Tools & Frameworks
Learn how to define your mission, set goals, and create business and impact models to turn your idea into a structured plan.
- Impact Business Model Canvas template - follow along as Professor Soule from Stanford Business School explains each block of the Impact canvas and provides prompting questions to stretch your thinking.
- Theory of Change by Nesta - Define your goals and how you will achieve them
- Social Impact Canvas - A simple tool created by the Social Enterprise Institute (SEI) at the University of Edinburgh to map your mission, beneficiaries, activities, and intended impact.
- Business Model Canvas (Social Enterprise Version) - Helps you outline your users, value proposition, revenue options, and impact.
- Social Startup Toolkit : everything you need to model your social enterprise - A step-by-step guide for idea development, prototyping, impact planning, and team building.
- Zebras Unite Principles - A model for ethical, community-focused businesses that prioritise sustainability over hyper-growth.
- Wellbeing Economy Alliance - Tap into WEAll’s resources and narrative tools to strengthen the mission and structure of your social enterprise
- Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL) - Explore tools for designing enterprises that balance ecological limits with social foundations.
- UK Government – How to Set Up a Social Enterprise - Clear advice on legal structures, reporting responsibilities, and tax guidance.
Fundraising and Business Support for Social Enterprises
Discover funding options, training, and tools to secure investment, plan your finances, and scale your social enterprise with impact.
- Considered Capital - Directory of funders and training to help social enterprises access impact-driven finance.
- Social Enterprise UK – Funding Support - National guidance on funding, finance, and programmes for mission-led organisations.
- Swoop Funding - Searchable funding directory tailored to social enterprises.
- Sustainability/ Climate tech funders -
- Adventure Finance, Aunnie Patton Power - Guidance on planning funding strategies that balance financial and social goals.
- Impact Investing Institute -Resources for understanding and accessing impact investment.
- Better Society Capital - Funding and finance options for growth-stage social enterprises with clear social impact.
- Good Finance - Comprehensive tools and guidance to help social enterprises find funding and manage finance effectively.
- UnLtd - Funding, support, and resources specifically for social entrepreneurs in the UK.
- The National Lottery Community Fund | Funding programmes - Grants and programmes to support community-focused social enterprises.
Support Networks & Communities
Communities hosting regular events, meet-ups and more
- ImpactU - a collective of UK universities working collaboratively to support and raise awareness of mission-driven businesses emerging from our ecosystems.
- The School for Social Entrepreneurs - Training and mentoring programmes to develop your enterprise skills.