The Office of the Third Sector is to provide £3 million in funding over three years to raise general awareness of social enterprises and the work they undertake.

The funding will also be used to ensure that there is a fair voice for black, Asian and minority ethnic individuals and organisations in the sector, with a new programme to be shaped by a BME steering group. The funding was originally proposed in the Social Enterprise Action Plan last November, to the tune of £2.4 million, but this was raised to £3 million in light of the BME element of the programme.

Campbell Robb, director general of the OTS said that programme aimed to ensure the concerns and priorities of the sector were made known to government. He added: “I look forward to constructive and productive relationships with our new social enterprise partners, and welcome their work to ensure the voices of black, Asian and minority ethnic groups are properly heard.”

The social enterprise partners, chosen through open competition, are: Social Enterprise Coalition; School for Social Entrepreneurs; Social Firms UK; Co-operatives UK; Prowess; Plunkett Foundation; and a national social enterprise Olympics partnership between Social Enterprise London and the Social Enterprise Coalition.