Hartford, CT—The Travelers Companies, Inc. the charitable arm of Travelers, has awarded reSET $24,500 to support its programs.

The mission of reSET, the Social Enterprise Trust, is to preserve, promote and protect social enterprise in Connecticut. Social enterprises are businesses which create jobs that solve community problems. These businesses are innovative, market-supported, self-sustaining and mission-driven

“All of us at reSET are grateful to the Travelers Foundation for its vision and tangible support in encouraging social enterprise in our state” said CEO Kate Emery, “We are proud to be associated with such an innovative and community-minded business leader.”

Among reSET’s programs are the Accelerator Program, the Social Enterprise Challenge and Awards, and co-working space at 99 Pratt Street in Hartford.

reSET’s incubator and community co-working space welcomes social entrepreneurs, small businesses, freelancers, and traveling business people who need office space to work. The co-working space offers professional development and business support programs, high-speed wi fi and flexible work space.

reSET’s Accelerator Program is a fourteen-week program for aspiring social entrepreneurs. Recognizing that the start-up phase is challenging for any new business owner, reSET designed an innovative curriculum specifically for social entrepreneurs to better understand and grow their business. Staff and subject area experts present on a variety of topics including: developing business models that balance purpose and profit, refining social value propositions, and defining and quantifying social value.

The Social Enterprise Challenge is a competition in which the business plans of aspiring social entrepreneurs are judged. Social entrepreneurs selected to compete have demonstrated that their business ideas can improve the community, create jobs, and clearly demonstrate the possibility of generating both purpose and profit.

Those with the best, most sustainable business plans are rewarded with public recognition and cash prizes for working capital. Awards will be made at A Taste of Social Enterprise on October 29th at the Society Room in Hartford. Tickets are available at www.socialenterprisetrust.org/awards and sponsorships are available at www.socialenterprisetrust.org/sponsorship.

Since launching in 2010, the Social Enterprise Challenge has served as a catalyst to many creative and diverse business ideas. Past award recipients include Kenai Sports, a company that makes high-performance sports apparel out of recycled material, and Combat 2 Career, a website that provides returning veterans with support in accessing education and starting civilian careers.
Contact Information:
Meryl Willett
Community Builder
Phone: 860-560-9120 ext. 204
MWillett@www.socialenterprisetrust.org