LBF Trading & Enterprise Learning Programme 2025Application form

The Trading & Enterprise Learning Programme 2025 will run in partnership with the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) and funded by LBF.

We know you may not have everything in place yet. Please try to answer all the questions as fully as possible. If you don't know something, please say this or write "N/A" rather than leaving blank.

Feel free to contact us to ask questions at viviane.moussalli@sse.org.uk

This form should be completed in the name of the lead applicant, who will be the person who will attend the interview and the programme.

The closing deadline for applications is on 12 pm Tuesday 30th September.

Support with completing your application form:

Guidance: Please carefully read the Application Guidance.
Webinars: To find out more about the programme, help you understand the criteria and how to apply, you will be able to book onto webinars. We will share information of those events via our website page. If you book and can't attend, we can send you a recording.
Helpdesk: Ask questions and get advice on completing your application at viviane.moussalli@sse.org.uk
One-to-one support: If you have difficulty filling in forms because of dyslexia, language or disability, or need one-to-one advice about applying, we have a limited number of one-to-one sessions available. Please contact the helpdesk if you need to access these.
Option for Voice Recordings: We have generally tried to keep questions short, but there is one section where we are asking for longer text based answers. For this section, you have the option to respond with a voice recording instead of text. The application form will give you an option to submit a voice recording where this is possible.

Data protection

The School for Social Entrepreneurs (“SSE”) is committed to protecting your personal information and acting in line with your rights under data protections laws and will treat all data in accordance with our Data Protection Policy.

To process your application, SSE will collect and use personal information provided by you in this form or separately, or which we otherwise lawfully obtain about you. We may use this information to;

• process your application and manage the selection process for this programme

• conduct due diligence on you and your organisation

• contact you about your application for this programme by phone or email

If your application is successful, we may also use your information for:

• managing your participation in the Programme

• sharing and promoting your story and the story of your community business

• other lawful reasons

We may share your information with our funders and partners. They will also only use your information for the reasons above.

Further details, including how we share your information and your rights relating to our use of your information, can be found under our Data Protection Notice, a copy of which is available here: https://www.the-sse.org/your-data

In proceeding with your application you agree to us processing your application in accordance with our data protection policy.

Throughout this form a * indicates a required field.

Please note that priority will be given to organisations who have NOT participated in our previous LBF Trading & Sustainability programme

A: Your details

A1. Name

A2. What is your preferred name, if different from the above?

A3. Your pronouns?

Examples include she/her, he/them, they/them, etc.

A4. What is your role in your organisation?

A5. Email address

A6. Your mobile phone number (or other phone number if no mobile)

A7. Your home address

Street address

City

Post Code

State/Province

Country

A8. Your birthdate

A9. We want our programme to be as accessible as possible.

If you feel you would require reasonable adjustments prior or in order to participate in an SSE programme due to a disability, caring responsibilities or any other reason, please give details below or contact us by phone or email to discuss further.

A: Eligibility Questions

A10. Please confirm you will be the lead participant and will commit to attending at least 80% of the learning programme

Yes

The person who attends the course should be the named lead applicant

A11. Please confirm that you are at least the age of 16 and resident and eligible to work in the UK

Yes

No

If you are under 16 or not eligible to work in the UK, you may not be eligible for our programmes, please contact us if you want to discuss further.

A12. Are you currently applying to, been accepted for, or are you currently on another SSE programme?

Yes

No

If so, please provide details

A13. Have you or anyone else in your organisation previously attended any other SSE programmes?

Yes

No

If so, please provide details

A14. Are you connected (financially or by family) to anyone who is employed by or is a board member of SSE or any of the programme's funders?

Yes

No

If so, please provide details

A15. How did you hear about this programme?

If other, where did you hear about us?

A16. Please provide your LBF Grant reference number (this will begin with REQ)

B: Your organisation

B1. What is the full legal name of your organisation?

B2. Any other names that your organisation uses?

B3. Please provide the address for your organisation

Street Address

City

Post Code

State/Province

Country

B4. What is the legal structure of your organisation?

If other or N/A please provide details

B5. What date was your organisation registered?

B6. Registration Numbers

Charity number (if applicable)

Company number (if applicable)

FCA number (if applicable)

B7. Please provide your organisation or project's details, web and social media accounts

Phone number

Email address

Website (if applicable)

Instagram (if applicable)

Facebook (if applicable)

Other (if applicable)

C: More about your organisation

Impact

C1. Where you work: Provide one postcode where your project activities are mainly based.

This might be the same as your address or a different postcode where your activities mainly take place.

C2. What is the main impact area of your organisation or project?

If other, please describe your impact

C3. What is the secondary impact area of your organisation or project?

If other, please describe your impact

C4. Who are your main beneficiaries?

If other, please describe your impact

D: Your Finances

D1. Tell us a bit more about your last financial year. Please tell us about: Your income: Tell us a bit about where this has come from - eg grants, sales, contracts etc. Anything else that would help us to understand your finances.

You can upload a separate document if that is easier. If you are uploading the document, just write "uploaded" here.

D1a. Upload now

D2. This year: What is your organisation's income likely to be this year?

D3. This year: What is your organisation's expenditure likely to be this year?

D3a. Upload now

D4. Your financial plans: Please tell us briefly about your financial plans for the next year. Please tell us about: What income do you think you will bring in next year. Where will this come from? How much grant income and sales income are you aiming for? Is any of this secured already?

You can upload a separate document if that is easier. If you are uploading the document, just write "uploaded" here.

D4a. Upload now

D5. Tell us about your current trading activity

You can upload a separate document if that is easier. If you are uploading the document, just write "uploaded" here.

D5a. Upload now

D6. Tell us about how you are going to increase your trading over the next 12 months

D7. What percentage of your current income comes from trading activity?

Trading may include sales of goods or services, contracts, rental income

E: Tell us more about your work and your plans

Here is where you can tell us about yourself, your organisation and why you want to take part in the programme.

You have the choice to answer the following questions either:

a) In writing, below

b) In a voice recording, no more than 1 minute per question*

*If you are sending in a voice recording, you can either upload it below or email it to viviane.moussalli@sse.org.uk (we recommend sending via WeTransfer). Title your email "LBF Trading & Enterprise 2025 application" and include your name and contact details.

Please ensure that the questions are covered in whichever format you choose. All formats are weighted equally, and the different options are simply provided to ensure that you are as comfortable and confident as possible with the application process.

Do you wish to complete this section using a voice recording?

Yes

No

E1. Do you have lived experience of the issue that your organisation or project addresses?

Your Plans

E2. Summary: Provide a brief description of your organisation or project. Where is it, what does it do, what activities or services does it provide?

Max 150 words

E3. Background: Why was the organisation or project set up? Do you have personal experience of the issues the organisation or project addresses?

Max 150 words

E4. How do people benefit? For example, 20 people have attended an employment training course which lasted for 6 months, 200 people attended our community festival.

Max 150 words

E5. Growing your organisation: How do you plan to grow your business or increase your trading in the next year? For example, tell us about new activities, plans to increase sales, develop new products or take on new contracts.

Max 150 words

E6. The learning programme: Why do you want to take part in this learning programme? How will this learning programme make a difference to you and to your organisation?

Max 150 words

Voice Recording

E2. Summary: Provide a brief description of your organisation or project. Where is it, what does it do, what activities or services does it provide?

Max 1 minute

E3. Background: Why was the organisation or project set up? Do you have personal experience of the issues the organisation or project addresses?

Max 1 minute

E4. How do people benefit? For example, 20 people have attended an employment training course which lasted for 6 months, 200 people attended our community festival.

Max 1 minute

E5. Growing your organisation: How do you plan to grow your business or increase your trading in the next year? For example, tell us about new activities, plans to increase sales, develop new products or take on new contracts.

Max 1 minute

E6. The learning programme: Why do you want to take part in this learning programme? How will this learning programme make a difference to you and to your organisation?

Max 1 minute

F: Monitoring

Beneficiaries

F1. Roughly what proportion of your beneficiaries....

	Most (over 50%) of the people we work with	Some (less than 50%) of the people we work with	None of the people we work with	Don’t know	Prefer not to say
...are young people? (under 25)
…are from Black or minoritised communities?
..are older? (65 years or above)
…are disabled?
...have been refugees or migrants?
…are women and girls?
…identify as LGBTQIA+?
…have experience of homelessness?
…are ex-offenders?
…have experience of long-term unemployment?
…have been disadvantaged economically or educationally?

Leadership

F2. Your leadership: Tell us about the make up of your board and senior leadership as a group, if you know. You don’t have to identify individuals.

Our organisation is led by people who …..

	Most of our board and senior leadership team (over 50% )	Some of our board and senior leadership team (under 50%)	None of our board and senior leadership team (0%)	Don’t know	Prefer not to say
…are from Black or minoritised communities?
…are disabled?
…are women and girls?
…identify as LGBTQIA+?

G: And finally...

G1. Is there any thing else you would like to tell us?

G2. Uploads

Any additional information you want to share

G3. Authorisation: I confirm that the board has authorised me to agree provide these details and to submit this application.

Yes

If you have any problems uploading files here or wish to provide us with anything at a later date, please email viviane.moussalli@sse.org.uk using the file naming guidelines outlined above.

Please state your full name and the name of the programme you are applying to in the subject line of the email e.g. 'Jane Smith LFB Trading & Enterprise 2025' additional documentation'

Once you're ready to submit your application, click 'Next' and this will take you to a preview of your application. Please review your application and then click 'confirm' on the bottom of that page to submit your application.

Once you have submitted you will be taken to the Equalities Monitoring form. Please complete this form.