Social Enterprise Support Fund: Final Evaluation Report

The Social Enterprise Support Fund (SESF) was established to provide grants and non-financial support to social enterprises (SEs) and charities within England, with an emphasis on supporting enterprises to recover and rebuild in a post-Covid society. The programme was delivered by UnLtd: The Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs (UnLtd), The School for Social Entrepreneurs, the Key Fund, Resonance and Big Issue Invest, with the University of Northampton acting as the external and independent Evaluation and Learning Partner, responsible for supporting the delivery partners in understanding the cost-effectiveness and lessons from the fund. This research report presents the final data on the efficacy and impact of SESF to date, based upon data gathered between December 2021 and August 2023. Specifically, the research aimed to assess: • The extent to which onward grants and technical assistance were delivered effectively; • The extent to which onward grants and technical assistance achieved the intended impact on the SEs and the people they support; • How the fund delivered against its equity and inclusion targets and actions; and what helped partners reach Inclusion Targets for the scheme and what did not; • The role played by contextual blockers and enablers that SEs have faced in implementing their plans; • Customer satisfaction with the scheme, including for unsuccessful applicants; and • Capture the learning developed throughout the SESF’s delivery in close collaboration with the lead learning partner, UnLtd.