Useful links

• Business advice, support and finance
• Government and regulatory bodies
• Membership, networking and infrastructure organisations

Business advice, support and finance

• Asset Transfer Unit

  Helps to empower local people and organisations to transform land and buildings into vibrant community spaces

• Awards for All

  Grants for people to take part in art, sport, heritage and community activities.

• Business in the Community- Prohelp

  A national network of professionals providing free advice and support

• Business Link Guide: Social Enterprise Legal Forms

  A guide outlining the different legal structures of social enterprises

• Business Link in the North East

  Provides business support and advice

• CapitaliSE

  Financial solutions for social enterprises in the North East

• Co-operative & Community Finance

  Loans for social enterprises and co-operatives

• Co-operative Enterprise Hub

  Works with regional and national groups of experts to offer the very best advice, training and consultancy on how to set up, run and grow a sustainable co-operative business

• Community Accounting North East

  Low cost accountancy service for social enterprises, charities and voluntary organisations, including independent examinations and full audits

• Community Development Foundation

  Source of community development expertise and delivery

• CompeteFor

  Free service allowing businesses to bid for contracts related to the London 2012 Games

• ConTracked

  A free monthly bulletin from FINE providing details of current opportunities and information for Third Sector organisations exploring contracting as a source of funding

• Finance Hub

  Information to help find and manage sustainable funding

• Grants Net

  Information about grants available to businesses and charities in the UK

• Grants Online

  Maximising funding opportunities for public, private and community based organisations.

• ICT Excellence

  Provides independant and unbiased IT related advice to small / medium organisations in the North East and Yorkshire.

• NEPO Opportunities Portal

  Free service detailing the latest contract opportunties in the North East region

• One North East

  Regional development agency

• Social Enterprise Training and Support

  Information on training and support service for social enterprises

• The Social Enterprise Loan Fund

  Loans for social enterprises and charities in the North East

• Unltd

  Helps with support for start-up funding

• voluntaryskills.com

  Third sector training opportunities in the North East

Government and regulatory bodies

• Charity Commission

  Wide ranging advice for charities

• CIC Regulator

  Wide ranging advice for Community Interest Companies

• Companies House

  Comprehensive information about companies in the UK

• Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

  Main government department for business

• Financial Services Authority

  Regulates Industrial and Provident Societies, among other responsibilties

• Office of the Third Sector

  Leads work across government to support the environment for a thriving third sector

Membership, networking and infrastructure organisations

• Business Clubs North East

  Information about business organisations in the North East

• Co-operatives North East

  Promotes and represents co-operatives in the North East

• Co-operatives UK

  Central membership organisation for co-operative enterprise

• Development Trusts Association

  Helps set up development trusts and supports existing ones

• NCVO

  Support for voluntary organisations including signposting to sources of finance

• North East Chamber of Commerce

  Champions, connects and develops member businesses

• Plunkett Foundation

  Improving rural livelihoods through co-operative and social enterprise

• Social Enterprise Coalition

  Supports and represents social enterprises by influencing national policy and promoting best practice.

• Social Enterprise Mark

  Information on Mark criteria and how to apply for the Mark

• Social Firms UK

  Creates employment opportunities for disadvantaged people through developing and support of Social Firms

• VONNE

  Regional infrastructure body for the voluntary and community sector