Geraldine Boden Student Enterprise Fund

Students – with the summer fast approaching and if you are applying for a work placement, financial assistance may be available through the Geraldine Boden Enterprise Fund. The purpose of the Geraldine Boden Student Enterprise Fund is to provide financial assistance to SERC students for enterprise and entrepreneurship related activities. The fund is also available to help with costs which arise in exciting and dynamic organisations that are generally not immediately accessible for SERC students. This fund will actively support students to meet additional, often hidden costs of availing of such opportunities, for example for the purchase of suitable attire, insurance, tools or other equipment that will enable a SERC student to fully participate in such a placement. It will not be used where other sources of funding are available.

Funding may be accessed via two pathways.

1. A student or group of students may identify, develop and test a business idea which they can demonstrate to be potentially commercially or socially viable (an example of a socially viable idea could be the development of a smart phone APP to locate the nearest defibrillator at any location). If at this point they wish to establish a formal business to deliver this product or service they may apply to the Geraldine Boden Student Enterprise Fund for financial support which would normally not exceed £300 per project. It is anticipated that such funding will meet tangible costs associated with the development of a business idea, including prototype materials, specialised tooling or software.
2. In certain cases, work placements in dynamic organisations will act as a catalyst for students to develop their own enterprise. Occasionally these opportunities may not be accessible for SERC students due to associated costs. This pathway will help support an individual student to avail of an opportunity that would not otherwise be available to them, and meet costs, for example the purchase of suitable attire, insurance, tools or other equipment. It will not be used where other sources of funding are available and normally will not exceed £150. The duration of the placement must be in excess of one week.

 How do I apply?

To avail of funding via pathway 1, a business case should be submitted to gbodenfund@serc.ac.uk  using Appendix 1

To avail of funding via pathway 2, a business case should be submitted to gbodenfund@serc.ac.uk using Appendix 2.