Free conference: Future Funding for Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Organisations.

One of the biggest challenges facing voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (VCSE)is reduced public sector funding, changes to existing sources of income and increased operating costs. When combined these threaten the financial sustainability of organisations.

On the 17^thOctober, Inspire2Enterprise is running a fully-funded one-day conference aimed at helpingVCSEs in the East of England to better understand changes to their sources of income such as grants, contracts and supply chain delivery and how they can maximise these opportunities for their organisation.

The day will feature a mix of speakers, workshops and specialist advice, designed to help delegates leave with a greater understanding of:

• What changes are likely to impact on the VCSE sector

• Potential new funding streams for VSCE organisations

• How VCSE organisations can improve their chances of securing further funding

• Ways to reduce operating costs and improve efficiency

• The support available to VCSE organisations in order to help them survive and grow in the future.

Free-to-attend, the conference is essential for East of England-based charities, social enterprises and voluntary & community groups.

The one-day event will be held at the Cambridge Golf and Conference Centre, just outside Huntingdon on Friday 17^thOctober 2014, starting at 9.30am and finishing at 4.00pm. The conference includes lunch.

Spaces at the conference are limited and allocated on a first-come-first-served basis so early booking is recommended. Please call Inspire2Enterprise on0844 9800 760or emailinfo@inspire2enterprise.orgto secure your place. For further details on the day, including the agenda, please visitwww.inspire2enterprise.org

-ENDS-

Notes for Editors:

Inspire2Enterprise CIC is a social enterprise; a joint-venture between the University of Northampton and Exemplas, providing a unique free-to-access social enterprise support, information and advice service - from start-up through to initial growth and beyond.

The Inspire2Enterprise service is delivered by qualified advisers and specialists, by phone, email or online via webcam, enabling immediate access to the support you need.

The Inspire2Enterprise service is available to potential and existing social enterprises, Public Sector bodies considering social enterprise 'spin-outs', Third Sector organisations looking to trade by way of social enterprise and corporate organisations seeking to create further social value through corporate social responsibility (CSR).

The conference is free-to-attend for all organisations based in the East of England: the counties of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

The IMPACT project is part financed by the Competitiveness Programme European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013. The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit www.gov.uk/browse/business/funding-debt/european-regional-development-funding

For general media enquiries, please contact:

Ruth Oakey- Marketing Manager (Enterprise) - Inspire2Enterprise

Tel: 01707 398166, Email:rutho@exemplas.com