Apply for DPS Social Commitment Programme: Activate Accelerator (United Kingdom)

Deadline: 16-Nov-2026

The DPS Social Commitment Programme: Activate is offering accelerator learning and grant funding to early-stage organisations in England and Wales working to tackle the causes and consequences of homelessness. Delivered by the School for Social Entrepreneurs in partnership with The Deposit Protection Service, the programme is designed to help social enterprises and charities develop resilient business models, strengthen their organisations, and increase their impact on housing insecurity. Selected participants receive a nine-month specialist accelerator learning programme, one-to-one support, peer and expert networking, and grant funding of up to £7,000.

The DPS Social Commitment Programme: Activate supports early-stage organisations addressing homelessness and housing insecurity.

The programme aims to help organisations:

The programme is intended for organisations that already have some activity in place and have plans to grow. The programme is delivered by the School for Social Entrepreneurs in partnership with The Deposit Protection Service. The partnership brings together accelerator learning and grant support to help early-stage organisations working on homelessness and housing insecurity develop their capacity and impact.

Participants take part in a specialist accelerator learning programme lasting nine months

The programme includes:

The learning programme is designed specifically to help organisations address practical challenges associated with developing and growing their work. The curriculum is tailored to support organisations as they develop sustainable and adaptable approaches to their work.

Key areas include:

The programme seeks to help organisations become more resilient while increasing their ability to respond to housing insecurity.

Participants can receive grant funding of up to £7,000

The funding supports learning and the development of social enterprises or charities tackling housing insecurity. The grant can be used flexibly to help organisations advance their mission and support organisational growth. The programme is open to early-stage organisations based in England or Wales.

Applicants must:

The programme particularly welcomes organisations led by and for communities that have historically experienced disadvantage or exclusion. This includes organisations led by and for: This focus aims to encourage a diverse range of organisations working to address housing insecurity. The programme is specifically intended for organisations tackling the causes and consequences of homelessness. Participants may use the accelerator learning and grant funding to strengthen their ability to respond to housing insecurity and develop sustainable approaches to their work. The programme combines organisational development with flexible financial support so early-stage organisations can build their capacity and increase their impact. Selected organisations receive a combination of learning, financial, and networking support.

The programme provides:

Early-stage social enterprises and charities can face challenges when developing sustainable business models and preparing for growth.

The DPS Social Commitment Programme: Activate is designed to help organisations address these challenges by combining specialist learning with flexible funding.

Participants can use the opportunity to develop their organisational models, strengthen networks, explore income generation, and build their capacity to expand their work addressing homelessness and housing insecurity. It is an accelerator learning and grant programme for early-stage organisations in England and Wales working to tackle the causes and consequences of homelessness. Eligible participants can receive up to £7,000 in grant funding. The funding can be used flexibly to support learning and the development and growth of social enterprises or charities tackling housing insecurity. The accelerator programme runs for nine months. The programme includes 12 sessions, along with one-to-one support and a market making event. Early-stage organisations based in England or Wales can apply if the majority of their beneficiaries are also in these regions and they have some activity in place along with a plan to grow. No. The programme is designed for early-stage organisations, but applicants should already have some activity in place and a plan for growth. Applicants should be working to tackle the causes and consequences of homelessness or address housing insecurity. The programme particularly welcomes organisations led by and for Black and racially minoritised communities, deaf and disabled people, women, LGBTQ+ communities, and those in economically disadvantaged areas. The curriculum focuses on areas such as income generation, innovation, adapting to changing environments, organisational development, and building strong networks with peers and sector experts. The DPS Social Commitment Programme: Activate provides early-stage organisations in England and Wales with a combination of accelerator learning, flexible grant funding, coaching, and networking support to strengthen their work addressing homelessness and housing insecurity. With up to £7,000 in grant funding and a nine-month learning programme featuring 12 sessions, one-to-one support, and a market making event, the programme offers practical support for organisations looking to develop resilient models and grow their impact. The programme particularly welcomes organisations led by and for Black and racially minoritised communities, deaf and disabled people, women, LGBTQ+ communities, and communities in economically disadvantaged areas. For more information, visit School for Social Entrepreneurs.