Sligo Social Enterprise

Social enterprise is a growing and vibrant strand of the wider economic and social landscape within Ireland. In Sligo, social enterprises provide a diverse range of services right across the county in areas such as tourism, heritage, remote working, recreation, and community services. As part of the Awareness Raising Initiatives for Social Enterprise (ARISE) scheme this landing page has been created to help increase awareness of social enterprise and their potential.

This project was approved by Government with support from the Dormant Accounts Fund.

What are Social Enterprises?

The National Social Enterprise Policy for Ireland 2019-2022 sets out a definition of Social Enterprise as follows:

A Social Enterprise is an enterprise whose objective is to achieve a social, societal or environmental impact, rather than maximising profit for its owners or shareholders.
It pursues its objectives by trading on an ongoing basis through the provision of goods and/or services, and by reinvesting surpluses into achieving social objectives.
It is governed in a fully accountable and transparent manner and is independent of the public sector. If dissolved, it should transfer its assets to another organisation with a similar mission.

Did you know that social enterprises operate to achieve a social, societal or environmental need?

They are professionally run enterprises, willing and able to deliver on a range of social and economic requirements and they sustain jobs and communities all over Ireland.

Did you know that profits generated by social enterprises are reinvested back into achieving a social objective?

Social enterprises operate in all areas of Ireland’s social and economic life, trading in goods and services, and reinvesting any profit into delivering their mission in communities.

Social enterprises sustain jobs and communities all over Ireland.

They are entrepreneurial, innovative and impactful and provide a growing range of services. Social enterprises use a “business-plus” model, which emphasis social need and the re-investment of profit into their core mission.

Social enterprise is a growing and dynamic part of Irish social and economic life.

There is space for new ideas and further engagement with all those interested in utilising this model to respond to many of our challenges.

Links to Social Enterprise Networks, Support & Advocacy

Sligo LEADER Partnership
Local Development Company delivering a range of programmes on behalf of local and national government.

www.sligoleader.ie

Western Development Commission
Supports the development of communities and social enterprises across the western region.

www.westerndevelopment.ie/key-projects/social-enterprise

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland
Provide support to social entrepreneurs through measures including training and funding.

www.socialentrepreneurs.ie

Irish Social Enterprise Network
A national representative network of social enterprises in Ireland

www.socent.ie

Rethink Ireland
Supports social innovation through business support and grants.

www.rethinkireland.ie

The Wheel
National association of charities, community groups an social enterprise.

www.wheel.ie

Clann Credo
Provide loans to community organisations, charities and social enterprises

www.clanncredo.ie

Community Finance Ireland
Offers finance products tailored for community sector including social enterprises.

www.communityfinanceireland.com

Social Finance Ireland
Vision that Irish social enterprises are investment ready and have many ways to access social finance opportunities

www.socialfinance.ie

Featured Social Enterprises in Sligo