Harlaxton Manor offers local organisations and charities free training to secure funding and improve growth

Organisations, community groups, and charities throughout South Kesteven are invited to attend free educational workshops that will help them secure funding opportunities and improve their services.

The fully-funded programme is being hosted by Harlaxton College, which owns the spectacular Grade I listed 19th-century local landmark, Harlaxton Manor.

The scheme is delivered jointly by Harlaxton College in partnership with South Kesteven District Council - with funding covered by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The sessions are completely free of charge for eligible social economy organisations and SMEs with charitable objectives.

Dr Wray Irwin, Programme Director at Harlaxton College, said: “This scheme is practical, local support for South Kesten’s SMEs and hardworking charitable and social enterprises.

“We are combining workshops at Harlaxton Manor with online sessions and one-to-one mentoring so organisations can unlock funding, plan sustainable growth and deliver more for people across the region.”

The programme consists of four self-contained courses. Organisations can attend individual courses or join the entire programme. Courses include an Impact Booster programme, Advanced Impact Booster programme, an Adaptive Leadership in Action programme, and a virtual networking series designed to better connect social economy organisations and prospects across the area.

More about the curriculum on offer

The Impact Booster is specifically designed for small charities, grassroots groups and social enterprises which are at an early stage of development. Participants will attend three in-person workshops and two online sessions, as well as receiving one-to-one mentoring to sharpen their business model, prepare bid-ready funding applications, all while measuring real-world impact.

The Advanced Impact Booster supports more firmly established organisations (those that have operated for five years or more). It is formulated to offer social economy organisations the ability to stress test their business model, as well as explore how to best diversify income, prepare for investment opportunities, and plan for long-term resilience.

The Adaptive Leadership in Action operates by ensuring that attendees develop practical leadership skills. It’s ideally suited for people managing teams in complex environments, those with a focus on high performance or who wish to be more confident in their decision-making and how to best navigate change.

Finally, the Virtual Networking Series brings together leaders from across the social economy in themed online sessions with guest speakers covering fundraising, digital tools, leadership resilience and impact measurement.

The programme is open to charities, community groups, social enterprises, foundations, not for profits and purpose led SMEs that are based in, or serve, South Kesteven. Support is tailored to the stage of development, from early stage groups building solid foundations to established enterprises preparing to scale. Places are limited and priority will be given to organisations that can show a clear local benefit.

Applications for the 2025 intake are open now. To apply, visit www.college.harlaxton.co.uk/programs/impact-booster If you have questions about eligibility, contact Wray directly at wirwin@harlaxton.ac.uk. The first workshop will take place on 10th November.