Website of the Department of Health

Social Enterprise:  ‘Innovation for Life Challenge Fund’

Ivan Lewis, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Care Services, announced the ‘Innovation for Life Challenge Fund’, his personal challenge to SHA Chief Executives and Chairs, PCTs and local authorities to find solutions to longstanding problems that have the potential to lead to real social change and improvement in health and well-being.

The ‘Innovation for Life Challenge Fund is a discrete funding stream from within Department of Health Social Enterprise Investment Fund (SEIF). In parallel with the opening of the SEIF’s second round, up to £100,000 per SHA will be available in 2008/09 to support innovative and collaborative commissioners who are ready to take forward social enterprise solutions to meet local health and well-being challenges.

‘Innovation for Life Challenge Fund’ has been developed in collaboration with the Social Enterprise Coalition and the Department of Health (DH) Social Enterprise Unit. It aims to encourage commissioners to find collaborative solutions through social enterprise. It is an opportunity for commissioners and system managers to develop and support their World Class Commissioning strategies through entrepreneurial thinking and collaborative working involving social enterprise.

• Download Innovation for Life Challenge Fund operational letter (PDF, 78K)