This course equips small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with essential knowledge and tools to strengthen their foundations and access funding for growth and impact. It combines an introduction to good corporate governance with a practical guide to innovative finance options tailored to impact-oriented businesses.

Participants will learn the core principles, structures, and processes of SME governance—essential for effective management, accountability, and sustainable growth. The course also explores a variety of innovative financing mechanisms that reward social and economic impact, helping SMEs identify and leverage the right tools to support their business objectives. By the end of the course, participants will be better prepared to steer their enterprises toward resilient, responsible, and scalable operations.

This module will provide you with essential financial skills and knowledge and help you to build your confidence and know-how so you can take action and improve the finances and resilience of your business.

Having sufficient finance in place to run your business is always essential and will become ever more critical in a crisis situation where business continuity is under threat. This module will provide you with the skills and know-how to help you understand what form of finance is right for your business, how to apply for it and how to make smart choices when faced with critical financing decisions.

This module is part of an advisory programme that has been developed to provide practical information and vital resources on how to manage and survive as a business through crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

As an individual working in a small business, this module will provide you with the core skills needed to manage your relationships with your customers and suppliers through a crisis. This includes understanding the priorities of your suppliers and customers, tips for effective communication and how this can impact the resilience of your own business.