The Future Camden Fund is a new scheme being launched to support start-up socially-impactful businesses and social enterprises to help them grow their impact in the Camden borough. 

Up to £150,000 will be distributed in 10-20 grants to local businesses at the start of the scheme, with a further £400,000 becoming available later on in 2022 through a mix of funding, including repayable grants.

Alongside the funding, there will be a free business support offer provided to grant recipients, including mentoring, learning courses and peer support.

The funding will prioritise supporting local entrepreneurs from backgrounds that are often locked out of other sources of finance, including those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, those with a disability and care leavers.

Assessment

The Future Camden Fund will have three rounds of assessment:

Stage 1 – Assessing basic criteria and eligibility 

Once the date of this application window has closed, the fund’s team will use data  collected at Stage 1 to identify which organisations will be invited to Stage 2. 

Stage 2 – Requests for evidence and due diligence, with a grant panel recommendation

The Stage 2 application form will be looking to verify information recorded at Stage 1, as well as reviewing the quality of the work delivered by organisations, in terms of the fund’s priorities. Questions in Stage 2 will provide an opportunity for the organisations to provide open text information about the work that they do.

Stage 3 – Grant panel assessment and awarding.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for the Future Camden Fund you must:

  • have strong links to the London Borough of Camden - through location or delivery of your products or services
  • be a micro or small company - less than 50 employees
  • be a start-up or early stage business - established for under 5 years
  • be a trading business - carrying a trade or profession or buying and selling goods or services to generate turnover
  • have a functioning business that is not in liquidation, dissolved, struck off or subject to striking off notice
  • have a social or environmental mission, or plans to establish a social or environmental mission

This fund will prioritise funding for founders and/or majority of the leadership team who identify as being one or more of the following:

  • Black, Asian or from other Ethnic communities
  • LGBTQ+
  • Female business founders
  • Homeless
  • Disabled
  • Care leaver
  • Ex-offender
  • An individual that received free school meals
  • An individual who was the first from their family to receive a university education

Apply

The fund will open for applications at 9am on Monday 24 January 2022. It will stay open for five days until 11.59pm on Friday 28 January 2022. 

The application form should take approximately 30 minutes to complete if you have all the information to hand. A link to application guidance will be provided on the application portal. 

Apply here