What is trading and why would you want to do it?

What is trading?

Trading here means the sale of anything for money. This does not include grant payments. It can be at any level. If you ask someone for money for a cup of tea you are trading.

Why would you want to trade?

Before thinking about WHAT you might sell, think about WHY you might want to trade. What are YOUR REASONS and MOTIVATIONS?

Mission-related and unrelated trading

Trading for voluntary/community organisations may be ‘mission-related’ i.e. you may want to deliver a new service to meet your core aims or ‘unrelated’ i.e. simply to make money to support other activities with the business being unrelated to your aims. Mission related trading can relate to the Product or the Process.

Links and Tools
	NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) website ‘Sustainable Funding’ including mission-related, unrelated trading, contracting and social firms.
	Unlock Your Potential website ‘What are your reasons?’
	‘The good guide to trading’ a comprehensive book covering different aspects of trading. (NCVO)
	Is it a good idea? A guide for charities considering new social enterprise activity (Cass Business School)
Case studies
	Stonebridge City Farm - responding to reducing grants
	Umbrella - opportunities of contracts
	JET - trading as part of income mix