Developed by Capacity, and made possible by funding from Postcode Innovation Trust, Social Climbers is a bespoke programme of support, helping the region’s most promising charities and social enterprises to make breakthroughs. Whether it’s building stronger finances, getting governance right, growing connectivity with the public sector or scaling something which is already having a decent impact, we’re making things happen.
Last year, we supported 12 incredible organisations to sit down, slow down and think about growth. Now, we’re ready to jump back in! After a successful first year of supporting organisations to get moving, growing their ideas, navigating opportunities and building solid ground for them to make breakthroughs, we’re back for year 2.
“The Social Climbers programme has been a huge support to Open Door over the last year, helping us manage our growth and transition as an organisation, building the right systems internally, and providing invaluable mentorship and feedback for our senior team.”
We’re broadening our reach
We’re on the lookout for local, socially trading organisations that operate within our focus areas and could benefit from our support. This year, we’ll be keeping this focus tight, zoning in on 6 key areas:
- Mental health
- Family support
- Local housing problems
- Supported homes
- Childcare
- Services that respond to local need.
While our geographical scope covers the whole of the Liverpool City Region, this year we’re zooming in. Our first round of Social Climbers supported organisations in Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral. This time round, we want to forge stronger connections and build partnerships in the areas we’ve worked in less often – Halton, St. Helen’s and Knowsley.
We’re not boxing things up
Our support packages are bespoke, so we’re adapting our advice and guidance to each organisation’s individual needs. We offer support across four key areas:
- Growing existing ideas (things that are already up and running but could do more).
- Building solid ground (whether that’s financially, through the right governance or ensuring listening is at the forefront).
- Capability (growing great leaders, understanding impact and building connections).
- Navigating opportunities for getting money into growing business – linking in to supportive social investors.
We’re hoping to find some matches
Wherever possible, partner organisations are providing some form of match funding – this shows commitment to the work and helps our core funds go further. However, we appreciate this isn’t always possible. So, if affordability is a barrier, let’s chat and see if we can find some flexibility.
“Working with Capacity on this project, and the final report they produced has really helped the Local Solutions team to refine our thinking, capturing exactly what we’re looking for, despite a shifting brief. We’re particularly grateful for Capacity’s ability to work with the fact that we weren’t quite sure what the focus should be at the outset.”
Think you’re a good match? Put your name in the mix.
