Clann Credo were delighted to take part in the Irish Local Development Network’s Social Enterprise Summit – SocailiSE in Dublin on June 29th. Our CEO, Mary Lawlor, was invited to make the opening presentation about Sourcing Funding for Social Enterprises – the challenges & how to overcome them.
One of her key messages was that Clann Credo truly understands social enterprises because Clann Credo is itself a social enterprise and we have over 25 years of experience working with social enterprises. When we assess a loan application, one of our key indicators is the positive social impact that will be delivered, not just the ability to repay the loan. We understand that social enterprises, community organisations and voluntary groups can harness resources that private businesses can’t. For example, it is common for social enterprises to benefit from grant aid and donations, along with time and skills given by volunteers. The social finance Clann Credo provides is often the last piece of the jigsaw, the money that moves the project from vision to reality. Our Social Finance Executives are located regionally and can visit you and your team so that we fully understand your vision. We have extensive knowledge of grants that are available, and our team may be able to signpost you to grants before you decide whether social finance is right for your project.
The SocialiSE Summit was organised by the Irish Local Development Network (ILDN), and it is a new event for social enterprises in Ireland. The summit focused on raising awareness and supporting social enterprises through workshops and discussion on a range of topics from funding and finance, to digital promotion, community development and social innovation.
More than ever, there is great interest in social enterprises as a critical part of the economic landscape. This was evidenced by the fact that SocialiSE had full capacity attendance with over 200 delegates. Participants ranged from those already engaged in social enterprise, those considering establishing social enterprises and those supporting social enterprises through their work in partnership companies or government bodies.
Clann Credo were delighted to meet, in person, those who attended and would like to thank ILDN for organising this highly successful event.