1. Community Services Programme Strand 2 Re-Contracting 2017-2019 Regional Support Events 8 th -16 th February 2016

2. O VERVIEW OF S UPPORT E VENT Context Strand 2 Re-contracting Process Purpose of Support Event CSP and Social Enterprise Role of the Business Plan Critical Success Factors Completing the Business Plan Questions and Answers and one-to-one support

3. C ONTEXT 400 CSP funded service providers 130 Strand 2 service providers contacted until end of 2016. Roll out of re-contracting process for 2017- 2019 Wider developments in 2016…. Revised CSP Manual Support Fund to enhance Sustainability

4. S TRAND 2 R E - CONTRACTING P ROCESS Email on 7 th October 2015 encouraging service providers to begin preparations for new Business Plan (BP) Email in mid-January 2016 confirming BP deadline of Thursday 7 th April and invitation to attend one of 6 regional support events. Word version of Business Plan distributed Support Visits by Pobal Development Co-ordinators Completion of online BP up to deadline of 7 th April Appraisal of Business Plans Recommendations to DSP and final decisions Communication of outcome to service providers

5. P URPOSE OF S UPPORT E VENTS To support the development of quality business plans To provide guidance to service providers in relation to key requirements associated with the business planning process. Opportunity for engagement with Pobal support staff

6. CSP AND S OCIAL E NTERPRISE A key requirement under the CSP is that service providers generate traded income by adopting a social enterprise model of delivery. For the purposes of the CSP, social enterprises can be defined as follows: “An enterprise that trades for social/societal purpose, where at least part of its income is earned from its trading activity, is separate from government and where the surplus is primarily re-invested in the social objective”

7. CSP AND S OCIAL E NTERPRISE Different types of social enterprises that generate a traded income…. Delivery of specific services with a social dividend (e.g. meals on wheels, care for the elderly, home improvements, transport, environmental services, visitation services, childcare provision, community media) Local economic development (e.g. tourism facilities or products, sports facilities, heritage and arts facilities) Creating employment opportunities for disadvantaged groups (e.g. focus on training and integration of unemployed, people with disabilities, ex-prisoners and other target groups) Deficient Demand Social Enterprises: where the demand for particular goods and services within a community is not matched by the resources to pay for these, due to disadvantage or low density of population. And sometimes a mix of two or more of the above

8. CSP AND S OCIAL E NTERPRISE Rule of thumb 50/30 CSP contribution should be no more than 50% of turnover Service providers aim to achieve minimum 30% of turnover from traded income Balance from other sources such as fund raising or grants

9. R OLE OF THE B USINESS P LAN The function of business planning is to define your social enterprise model and provide details on all aspects of your operations, including: Governance, Service/Product Market and Market Research Finance (creating a surplus, achieving sustainability) Social Impact (contributing to positive and measurable change for people).

10. R OLE OF THE B USINESS P LAN The Business Plan should answer key questions - Why are we in Business? - What business are we in? - How do we make money? It is important that Business Planning is not simply viewed as a ‘Pobal requirement’, but is viewed as a key tool for achieving positive outcomes using a social enterprise model.

11. R OLE OF THE B USINESS P LAN Marketing : Be pro-active in marketing your social enterprise by being conscious of the following: The 4 P’s Product/Service – clearly defining what this is, who is this targeted at? Price – how do you price your product? Promotion – how do you let your customers/potential customers know about your service offering e.g. local newspaper/newsletter, local radio, FB or other social media, word of mouth, posters? Place – this relates to the distribution of your service/product – via what method of distribution, geographic spread..

12. R OLE OF THE B USINESS P LAN Market Research to grow/sustain your service enterprise: Think of the following questions: Who are your customers? What are your customer needs? How big is the market? Who else is offering the same product/service in your area, and what price do they charge?

13. R OLE OF THE B USINESS P LAN How to complete Market research : Primary Research: Carry out interviews (surveys) by talking to users/potential users of your service face to face, by telephone, in groups or by post. Focus Groups – groups of existing or potential customers are brought together to discuss their opinions about your service. Observation – watching how customers/users of your service behave /engage with your service offering. Secondary Research: Using secondary sources of information e.g. Pobal Maps, CSO statistics, Government reports, published Market Research reports, newspapers.

14. C RITICAL S UCCESS F ACTORS Innovative community response Leadership and Social Enterprise Ethos Ability to generate traded income Ability to adapt to changing market conditions

15. A PPRAISING THE B USINESS P LAN Each Business Plan will be appraised against the following 5 criteria: Capacity of the organisation Strategic Fit Sustainability Value for Money Demonstration of Need See pages 16-17 of the BP Guidance Note for additional detail

16. C HECKLIST FOR S UBMITTING B USINESS P LAN Annual Financial Statements for 2015 Copies of Job Descriptions for all staff supported by CSP Cash-flow statement for 2016 Organisational Reserves Policy and Plan Pricing plan for services/facilities Copy of Board/Management Committee minute authorising submission of the Business Plan