Enterprise support boosts resilience, income and impact

An independent evaluation shows that helping charities develop enterprise activity can strengthen their mission, improve resilience, and increase their long-term impact.

The Enterprise Development Programme (EDP), funded by Access – The Foundation for Social Investment and delivered with Social Investment Business and six sector partners, supported more than 325 charities and social enterprises between 2019 and 2024. The programme combined grants, tailored advice, peer learning, and sector-led support. 

The findings show that enterprise can play a practical role in helping organisations respond to rising costs, uncertain funding, and growing demand.

Resilience, not just revenue

The Enterprise Development Programme represents one of the most sustained efforts to strengthen the long-term resilience of charities and social enterprises, particularly those underserved by mainstream funding.

EDP supported over 325 organisations, many of which were small, early-stage and led by people from marginalised communities. The programme delivered meaningful improvements in enterprise capability, leadership confidence, financial resilience and organisational strength. Trading income grew, confidence to develop enterprise increased, and many organisations reported that their enterprise activity would not exist without the programme. However, the evaluation did highlight that resilience outcomes varied by sector, highlighting the importance of more targeted support in future. Crucially, the evaluation highlighted the importance of time, patient support and funding in enabling organisations to test ideas, build commercial skills and make informed decisions about their future.

Strong evidence of impact

The evaluation shows clear improvements in resilience, income, and leadership:

• Trading income increased by 41% across a sample of participating organisations
• Alongside greater organisational confidence and ambition, grant income also increased by 90%
• 96% of organisations reported increased resilience
• 97% said they were better able to withstand future shocks
• 96% reported improved impact for the people and communities they serve 

The programme prioritised organisations facing the greatest barriers:

• £8.2 million in grants was awarded
• 73% went to organisations in the most deprived areas
• 86% went to organisations led by people from marginalised groups 

Enterprise strengthens, not dilutes, mission

The evaluation challenges concerns about mission drift. It shows that enterprise can reinforce mission, not compete with it. Organisations used enterprise to generate flexible income, strengthen their business model and expand their impact. Many reached more people and improved the quality of support they provide.

Enterprise worked alongside grants, helping organisations build a more balanced and resilient income mix. 

Seb Elsworth, CEO of Access, said “These findings highlight the value of enterprise as part of a more resilient funding model for charities. They show that enterprise does not pull organisations away from their mission. Instead, it helps them make clearer, more deliberate choices about how best to achieve it.”

Supporting organisations to test and grow

A key feature of the programme was creating a safe space for organisations to test new ideas.

• 21% said their enterprise would not exist without the programme
• Many others said their plans would have been delayed or reduced in scale 

In some cases, testing an idea and deciding not to pursue it was just as valuable, helping organisations focus their time and resources more effectively.

Nick Temple, CEO of Social Investment Business said “The strength of the programme has been the combination of funding, tailored support and peer learning. It gives organisations the confidence to test ideas, learn quickly and build ventures that can last. This is critical, because we know that sustainable enterprise does not happen overnight. It requires time, confidence and the ability to adapt and evolve. We are pleased this report recognises the work of all the partners that helped build strong, grounded resilient enterprises, ready for the journey ahead.”

How organisations used this support

Organisations used EDP support to develop new services, grow income and strengthen their financial position. Others tested enterprise ideas and found they were not viable. This helped them change direction early, protect core services and focus on other ways to build resilience.

Across the programme, organisations:

• created new income streams
• supported employment in their communities
• reached new groups of people

A model for future funding

The evaluation highlights the value of combining funding with tailored support.

The programme brought together grants, expert advice, peer learning and sector leadership to support organisations at different stages.

This flexible approach helped organisations progress at the right pace and build sustainable models for the future. Organisations move through different stages of the enterprise journey and need support that meets them where they are.

“We probably would have been closed by now without EDP, so it's been a lifesaver.” Participating organisation, Environment

“The training and support package has been invaluable. Small charities like ours rarely have access to high-quality training and development activities. It has improved our confidence in Business Planning, Marketing and how we communicate our social impact.” Participating organisation, Environment 

Notes

• The Enterprise Development Programme ran from 2019 to 2024
• It supported charities and social enterprises across six sectors: youth, mental health, equality, environment, black and minoritised communities, and homelessness
• The programme was funded by Access – The Foundation for Social Investment and delivered in partnership with Social Investment Business and six sector partners: Centre for Youth Impact, Association of Mental Health Providers, Equally Ours, Homeless Link, Groundwork UK and The Ubele Initiative.
• Social Investment Business is one of the UK’s largest social investors, having deployed over £0.8bn in loans and grants since 2002. They’ve supported more than 6,000 charities and social enterprises to build a fairer society, while using their expertise to research, innovate and advocate for the sector. 

A note on data and methodology

• The evaluation was conducted by independent researchers Dr Catherine Walker (The Researchery), Dr Rowena Hay and Sabina Dewfield-Oakley (Shortwork), using a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative data.
• Resilience, confidence and impact figures (including the 96% and 97% headline statistics) are drawn from end-of-grant monitoring forms and a post-programme survey completed by participating organisations. Survey response rates were affected by survey fatigue toward the end of the programme.
• The 41% increase in trading income is drawn from a financial analysis of a sample of 56 participating organisations, selected to be broadly representative by sector, size, age and geography, but not the full population of 325+ organisations. This figure is quoted in nominal terms; adjusted for inflation, the real-terms increase was 16%. One significant outlier in the sample affects the overall figure; without it, nominal growth was 19%.
• Qualitative findings draw on in-depth interviews with 29 organisations, participatory workshops, and open-text responses from monitoring forms. The evaluation notes that qualitative data reflects primarily active and engaged participants, which may introduce some optimism bias.
• The full evaluation report, including a detailed methodology section and data limitations, is available here. 

Profile of organisations supported

• The majority of organisations were small and early stage
• Median organisational age was 11.8 years

Enterprise stage at entry

• Most organisations were already trading, but often at an early stage
• 51% had been trading for less than five years
• One third generated less than 25% of their income from trading
• 45% joined to develop a new enterprise idea
• 40% joined to grow an existing product or service