From surviving to thriving: Allia’s business support programmes strengthen Cambridge’s social impact sector

Allia Impact welcomes applications for two free business support programmes for Cambridge residents and businesses, funded by the UK government through the Shared Prosperity Fund.

The programme is a collaborative effort led by Cambridge City Council and the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority.

Recent research from Social Enterprise UK shows that social enterprises are facing significant challenges, with the proportion reporting turnover growth dropping from 65 per cent to 50 per cent in the past year.

In a sector worth £78billion to the UK economy, social enterprises reinvested £1billion into social and environmental missions last year. Yet many organisations are simply surviving, not thriving, due to funding challenges. This context makes Allia's new programmes particularly timely for Cambridge's social enterprise sector.

Solo to Scale

The first programme, Solo to Scale, is designed to help freelancers and first-time founders transform their solo ventures into sustainable social enterprises. The free bootcamp programme offers expert-led workshops focused on business model development, customer understanding, and operational efficiency. Participants will receive practical tools for scaling, one-to-one strategy clinics, and networking opportunities with successful entrepreneurs.

Recognising the diverse needs of Cambridge's entrepreneurs, Solo to Scale offers two flexible delivery options: an intensive three-day bootcamp running on 24-26 March, or a three-week flexible programme with a mix of online and in-person sessions on 7, 14, and 21 March.

Build to Win

Build to Win, a six-week acceleration programme, responds to a clear sector need – with around a quarter of social enterprises citing lack of expertise as a barrier to growth. Through expert bid-writing workshops, masterclasses, and direct support, participants will learn how to create compelling narratives for funders, develop robust project budgets, and craft winning applications.

The programme, which launched this week at Allia’s North Cambridge Future Business Centre in King’s Hedges, runs every Monday morning until 24 March. Interested organisations can apply until 27 February – but applications may close sooner if capacity is reached. Participants will dive into a comprehensive curriculum that includes understanding the funding landscape, impact storytelling, and direct engagement with funders.

Allia’s commitment to social impact in Cambridge

Both programmes reflect Allia’s commitment to fostering sustainable business growth and social impact. Since 1999, with initiatives across the UK that include housing, cleantech and social innovation, Allia has helped thousands of impact ventures, small businesses and social enterprises to develop and scale, creating thousands of jobs, and transforming communities.

Umesh Kumar, head of venture support at Allia Impact, said: “At Allia, we’re not just supporting businesses – we’re fuelling missions. These programmes give social enterprises and founders the skills, confidence, and connections to scale sustainably and create meaningful change in their communities.

And Cllr Alice Gilderdale, deputy leader and executive councillor for economy and skills at Cambridge City Council, added: “We are delighted to be working with Allia Impact to support local social enterprises and community and voluntary sector organisations grow and achieve their goals.

“They play a vital role in the community and their growth and success is key to Cambridge’s future as a socially inclusive and sustainable place to live and work.”

The programmes aim to help solopreneurs in the city of Cambridge formalise and scale their businesses while equipping social enterprises with the skills and confidence to secure support from funding sources such as local government, lottery foundations and social financing. Participants will also join Allia’s growing network of impact-focused organisations and gain access to ongoing peer support and resources.

Both programmes provide comprehensive support beyond the formal sessions. Build to Win participants receive custom funding guides and templates for grant applications, while Solo to Scale participants benefit from practical toolkits and ongoing peer network support. All participants gain access to expert panels and post-programme check-ins to ensure continued success.

The programmes are completely free to eligible Cambridge-based organisations and individuals, reflecting the city council's commitment to supporting local social enterprise. For Build to Win, eligible organisations include established social enterprises, charities, and Community Interest Companies (CICs) with clear social impact goals. Solo to Scale welcomes applications from freelancers, side-hustlers, and first-time founders who are passionate about creating social impact through their ventures.

Find out more

Apply directly or ask questions via bit.ly/BuildToWin and bit.ly/SoloToScaleCam.

Learn more about Allia’s Future Business Centres at futurebusinesscentre.co.uk.