Find a provider
Social ventures will have to work in partnership with an approved investment and contract readiness provider to make an application to this Fund. Ventures hoping to bring their chosen provider to the programme will have to ensure their provider is approved before submitting their application.
The fund is currently not accepting applications for grants or providers and further updates will be provided in the coming months.
ACEVO
ACEVO is the professional association for third sector chief executives, working to support leaders through activities that connect, develop, support and represent them.
Our mission is to develop a modern, enterprising third sector. We pursue this through a range of programmes and activities that develop capacities within the VCS. From 2008-2011 we ran a national programme to develop organisations income generation capabilities. We have a vast amount of experience of supporting organisations to win contracts and develop their capacity to deliver a service. Through our consultancy arm, ACEVO Solutions, we have helped a number of organisations to develop new business models and transition to more commercially focussed operating models.
For this programme we bring together a team of leading corporate partners to supplement our technical capabilities including Neil Coulson Associates, Bircham Dyson Bell, Baker Tilly, Attenti and others. Our USP is our vast understanding of the third sector and its operating environment, coupled with our technical expertise.
We have specific expertise around business modelling, consortium working, legal structures, income generation and diversification, access to investment and engagement with commissioning.
Action Planning
Action Planning is a leading provider of training, mentoring and consultancy to the not-for-profit sector. Our mission is to help not-for-profit organisations succeed. Our staff team are expert practitioners and are committed to delivering high-quality value for money work that meets the needs of our clients, every time.
We aim to offer a one stop shop range of services and for over 20 years have helped our clients to:
- Develop their organisational strategy and their governance
- Review and develop all forms of income generation
- Improve market positioning and develop marketing strategies
- Conduct market and prospect research
- Recruit and develop their people
To this programme we bring a team of expert practitioners with many years of hands on experience and personal, recent and relevant achievement in the areas of contracts and social investment. Our USP is our full service offer which means we can flex to meet customer needs.
To find out more contact Aneesha Moreira on 0208 642 4122.
Advantage Business Agency
Need investment and funding to innovate and grow?
Our goal is simple: to increase your chances of successfully finding an investor for your organisation.
Advantage Business Agency is a firm of chartered certified accountants and business consultants providing expert advice to social enterprises with an ambition to grow and innovate. Our business development services are designed to meet your needs at each stage of your organisation s growth. Our clients benefit from access to our investment and business development experts, putting them in the best position to seek funding and secure contracts.
Advantage Business Agency services include:
- High Growth Business Development
- Investment and Contract Readiness
- Investor Panels and Showcasing Events
- Securing Public Sector Contracts
- Accountancy, Finances and Tax Planning
Working closely with venture capital funds, angel investors and fund managers, we have an understanding of the qualities investors and procurement officers are looking for, which we pass on to the enterprises we work with. We act as a route to market for all of those looking to push innovation, get investment and grow their enterprises.
For more information contact us on 0121 212 6580 or email us.
Contact Advantage Business Agency
ATQ Consultants LLP
ATQ consultants are experts in public services and government contracting markets. We help organisations bid successfully for contracts, and raise capital to finance them - especially where payments are linked to outcomes through Payment by Results or Social Impact Bonds.
We have a detailed understanding of what it takes to design, bid for, win and deliver front-line public services and have particular expertise in helping organisations develop a business case to take to social investors.
Our advice is based on extensive experience of working with commissioners, providers and financiers. We have advised: commissioners of services on the design of contracts; prime contractors, private and third sector providers on solutions for winning contracts; and providers on raising finance from both social and mainstream investors.
ATQ stands for Answer the Question because we believe that we should always aim to answer fully and clearly the questions that our clients and their stakeholders pose.
Contact www.atqconsultants.co.uk
Banks Cannell LLP
Banks Cannell LLP is a mutual that specialises in providing business development packages to people in the public sector, turning their aspirations to become successful social enterprises into reality.
We are not a typical consultancy; we employ only senior, experienced professional staff who are passionate about social enterprise. We have a facilitative approach, spending a lot of time face to face with our clients, aiming to transfer skills and knowledge to the people who will be responsible for the social enterprise to support them in their new business environment.
We offer support throughout the three main phases:
- Concept: legal structures, governance, business planning, marketing strategy, financial modelling, and risk assessment to support approval in principle
- Transition: incorporating the business, building capacity and capability, testing the concept, negotiating contracts, identifying funding, and gaining approval to launch
- Post Launch: operating as a new organisation, running the company, servicing the contracts, building the business, finding new investment opportunities, supporting tenders.
Our clients have a high success rate and go on to exceed the expectations within their business plan, meeting contract targets and winning new business and funding support.
Bates Wells and Braithwaite
Bates Wells & Braithwaite (BWB) is a full service commercial firm renowned as the leading charity, social enterprise and not-for-profit law firm in the country. Our pre-eminent reputation is recognised by the two leading guides to the legal profession the Legal 500 and Chambers UK both of which rank BWB at the top of the first tier for its work for charities and social enterprises. With 185 staff, solicitors and partners, we are sizeable enough to provide a complete range of commercial services, but importantly, still provide a personal service to each client.
The primary focus of our support is around legal and governance considerations. These include advice regarding the most appropriate legal form and governance structure to suit the specific purposes of the social venture. This can involve an assessment of the range of options available to identify the most appropriate in the circumstances, or may involve the creation of a bespoke solution.
Contact Bates Wells and Braithwaite
Baxendale
Baxendale is focussed on creating value from more than profit alone and building businesses that last.
Baxendale (the new name for Baxi Partnership) is an innovative employee owned business with a 13-year track record in providing business advice and investment. To date we have supported more than 50 fast growth business that generate a positive social impact in the private and social enterprise sectors to win and deliver new contracts.
Drawing on our deep expertise and social innovation ethos, we work collaboratively to help your business survive and thrive by supporting:
- Access to capital
- Sustainable business models
- Commercial and innovation skills
- A passionate, engaged workforce
- Positive social and environmental impact measurement
Our team of specialists spans experience of working within the public sector, from inside Whitehall and senior public sector commissioning appointments, to ambitious commercial roles in Big Four Consultancies and bid writing for international charities.
Our track record in sustainable business creation has meant in the past 3 years being contracted as a key provider behind the Mutuals Information Service, and Official Cabinet Office Mentor to the Public Service Mutuals Pathfinders Programme.
For more information about how we can work with your business contact Ceri Jones on 0203 59 899 82 or visit the Baxendale website.
BE Group
BE Group are a national business services specialist, with expertise in Supply Chain Development, Business Improvement, Events and Publishing.
Our aim is to help businesses to succeed and grow, and we are particularly proud of our strong social purpose, which runs through everything we do.
We have supported many Social businesses and organisations to become more sustainable through 1:1 consultancy, mentoring, and practical training support. Our range of services includes:
- Sourcing business contracts and opportunity matching.
- Dedicated training in key areas to support the capacity to win and deliver new contracts, such as business planning, financial management, governance, performance and quality, commissioning and winning contracts, volunteer management and compliance.
- Assistance in writing and modelling successful bids.
- Tailored support for ambitious growth plans, overcoming issues such as lack of strategic planning, modernisation and development of leadership and management skills.
Our approach and indeed, why we are different, is that we ensure a very real and practical contract opportunity to engage organisations in developing skills and capability that will help unlock much greater opportunities in the future.
For more information contact us on 0191 426 6408 or visit the BE Group website.
Bidright UK
Bidright UK is a specialist bid-writing company with a strong social agenda which supports social ventures to win and deliver contracts. We provide a full contract readiness package including end-to-end bidding services, consortia development, contract set-up/ management.
Particular areas of expertise are: Public sector contracts; Regeneration; and disadvantaged groups including NEET, disabled, offenders. We have won contracts for clients with: the Skills Funding Agency, DWP, JCP, Local Authorities, ESF, ERDF. Our team of specialist bid writers, including Peter Brimson, ERDF expert, is led by Director, Sally-ann Baker.
Bidright UK is intensely focussed on winning contracts. We excel at penetrating new markets/ geographical areas for organisations with limited track record by devising innovative strategies to achieve wins beyond client expectations.
We form partnerships with clients to achieve social and business objectives, from start-up through to winning large contracts, helping companies overcome barriers to growth and focus on elements crucial to success.
Bridge Consulting
Bridge Consulting was established 1992 and supports a wide range of organisations in the public and third sectors.
Our role typically achieves change within the organisation, furthering strategic objectives such as growth. We regularly address areas such as leadership, strategy, management, market focus, market entry, internal systems, financial structuring, raising finance and investor and contract readiness. Our preferred approach is to work closely with clients, helping to address the issues they face and transferring skills as we do so.
Our consultants are professionally qualified and all have experience of working with organisations in the third sector. We work in small teams and pride ourselves on our professional approach and client care.
Our unique selling point is the depth of experience we have of working with third sector organisations from the small to the very large and helping their management teams to achieve their objectives through a personal approach.
CAN
CAN is a social enterprise. In the last 6 years we have raised over 22.5m in debt and philanthropic funds to support our own growth and invest in the social ventures we support. If you are a charity moving to a sustainable business model or a social enterprise ambitious for greater scale, we offer a depth of experience, expertise and understanding of the social enterprise model. Founded in 1998, CAN is also a co-founder of SEUK and Unltd and Strategic Partner of the Cabinet Office on social entrepreneurship, social finance and impact.
CAN works with social enterprises and trading charities from across different industries and geographical locations. We offer a range of services, experience and advice including:
- Business modelling
- Financial modelling
- Building the investment case
- Developing strategy
- Social value and impact consulting
- Governance
The CAN Invest team comprises a solid combination of commercial and social business experience. CAN Invest is part of the CAN Group, including the social enterprise CAN Mezzanine, the award-winning offices exclusively for the Third Sector.
ClearlySo
ClearlySo provides corporate finance and financial advisory services to social businesses and enterprises ( SBEs ) to assist develop, strengthen and articulate an investment case to typically raise between 250k and 4m of capital.
Our skills and experience in providing investment readiness services comprise advice on strategic objectives and sustainable business models, financial projections and valuation, articulating, measuring and reporting on social impact, corporate structure and governance, capital structure and fund raising strategies.
In a landmark deal for the social sector, ClearlySo advised the social enterprise bus company, HCT Group, on securing 4m of investment in 2010 and we are currently advising a number of social businesses on how to become investment ready across a variety of sectors including education, health and employment-related services.
Rod Schwartz leads ClearlySo s financial advisory services supported by Elizabeth Corrado, a former investment banker with experience of development finance, Suzanne Biegel, former CEO of the largest social investor network in the US, and Simon Evill who has extensive experience of advising SBEs.
Cogent Ventures
Cogent Ventures provide business advice to organisations in England that are involved in the provision and commissioning of health and social care services.
Our areas of expertise include: business planning, contracting & bid management, leadership development, finance & funding, market assessments, service planning, commissioning support, capital projects, public sector spin outs, social impact reporting, and the development of social impact bonds.
Our advisors
Our advisors are qualified to the highest level in their fields and each have many years experience working in the health and social care sector.
Jim Brooks, a former KPMG corporate finance advisor and NHS director leads on investment readiness services. Email Jim Brooks or call 0330 330 8608 / 07507 272 975.
Crispin Atkinson a former NHS Chief Executive and health and social care commissioner, leads on contract readiness services. Email Crispin Atkinson or 0330 330 8608 / 07792 073 874.
Contact Cogent Ventures
Deloitte
Deloitte is one of the UK s largest professional services firms providing audit, consulting, financial advisory and tax services to clients across all industries, including extensive work with the third sector, public sector and with social purpose businesses.
Social businesses can benefit from the breadth of our skills, the depth of our industry knowledge and our practical advice and support. We believe that this highly dynamic and high-growth sector is at the vanguard of a movement that s also seeing leading businesses re-connect their core business purpose with their impact in society. We want to be at the heart of supporting scalable social businesses to realise their potential and influence.
Key service areas in support of investment and contract readiness include:
- Financial modelling, cash-flow, forecasting
- Social and environmental impact measurement, assurance and reporting
- Strategy and business planning
- Operations, including back office functions
- Marketing, procurement and sales
- Governance
Visit our website to find out more about our services:
Deloitte is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
Eastside
Eastside advises on the development, funding and growth of social enterprises, charities and housing associations. Since 2004 we have worked with over 300 civil society clients and raised over 60m in contracts and investments.
Contract-Readiness knowledge: We have assisted many organisations to adapt to the current commissioning environment. We developed 3SC, a consortium of 150 charities that went on to win a 35m future jobs contract from DWP and be 100% successful in its delivery. Our latest venture is Partner Up, a network for organisations looking for collaboration opportunities in a climate of reduced public spending.
Excellent customer service: We have a team of over 30 specialists working around the country. Every client project will have a project manager and be quality assured by an Eastside director.
Sector knowledge: We have a particularly strong understanding of housing, health, disability and youth services and our Partner Up network has access to the best co-bid and consortia opportunities in these areas.
Please email Matt Knopp or call on 0207 250 8440 or 07966018928 to find out more about how we can help you become investment and contract ready.
Entrust
Entrust is a not-for-profit CLG and one of the oldest business support organisations in the country. We are an Enterprise Agency and members of the National Enterprise Network, Community Development Finance Association (CDFA) and a CDFI.
Entrust offers a range of loan and investment capital and business development services which provide entrepreneurs and businesses, including in the third sector, with funding, strategic insight and financial know-how to overcome challenges. We provide advice and guidance to help organisations with financial remodelling. This includes the provision of investment readiness to help organisations access equity and loan funding.
Investment readiness support focuses on:-
- The business model and structure;
- Market opportunity;
- Competitive advantages;
- Management capability;
- Identifying appropriate sources of finance;
- Reviewing the business to identify hurdles or omissions that would impact on an investment decision;
- Offering guidance on investor expectations and attitudes; and
- Helping with the preparation of the business plan and live presentation.
We have worked intensively with third sector organisations to build their capacity to take on investment. This particular client base has received in-depth contract readiness support to engage more with the public sector and commercial streams.
For more information contact Michelle Rainbow on 0191 2444000 or visit the Entrust website.
Equity Development
Equity Development was founded in 1996 to improve communication between companies and the full breadth of the investment community. Since inception it has been regulated by the FSA, allowing us to advise on and execute financings for both private and listed companies.
Our senior management has substantial experience in both developing social businesses and in capital market activities. They are supported by a large pool of experienced City analysts who provide focused sector skills. Readers of our analytical output run to many thousands in number, ranging from private individuals to the largest institutional funds.
We strongly believe that social investment is a growing asset class that fits with the core values of equity development: the UK economy desperately needs the growth, employment and innovation that is most likely to come from smaller companies.
Our ambition is to help early stage social ventures build sound business models that are appropriately resourced, and to help them attract external investment so that they can realise their social and economic potential.
For further information please call us on 0207 065 2690 or by clicking below.
FSE
The FSE Group (FSE) is an experienced fund management group which is FCA authorised (via its 100% owned subsidiary, FSE Fund Managers Ltd) and also a social enterprise (CIC-CLG) in its own right.
FSE s primary purpose is to provide tailored funding solutions and support services for ambitious social enterprises and SMEs, to help them achieve their maximum potential and to support economic and social impact. FSE achieves this through management of funds and angel networks, provision of training/consultancy and investment readiness services.
FSE is a specialist in early-stage expansion funding with an in-depth understanding of the issues faced by higher-growth ventures.
For more information contact Jeff Dober by email or ring 01276 608520.
Gecko
Gecko Programmes Ltd was established in 2007, mainly providing services to educational, cultural and community-based organisations. We provide a specialist service in developing partnerships, project plans, tenders, project implementation and evaluation.
Gecko s team of consultants are drawn from the business, education and third sectors. They have track-record of working to develop concepts through partnerships, into winning tenders that lead to robust implementation plans and social impacts.
We are a team of 15, and work with ideas from the grassroots, to having regional, national and European impacts.
Gecko works with you at each stage:
- Concept to strategy; partners, stakeholders and governance
- Financial modelling; cash-flow and forecasting
- Building the proposal
- Implementing the plan; measuring progress, evaluation and improvement
- Building capacity; skills development and ways of working
- Measuring social impact
- Planned growth and change management
We can be contacted at 01902 837402 or 837434, or through this Contact Form.
Hogan Lovells LLP
Hogan Lovells is a global legal practice that helps corporations, social enterprises, financial institutions, and governmental entities across the spectrum of their critical business and legal issues globally and locally. We have over 2,300 lawyers operating out of more than 40 offices around the world.
Hogan Lovells offers access to a significant depth of knowledge and resource in many major industry sectors including hotels and leisure, telecommunications, media and technology, energy and natural resources, infrastructure, financial services, life sciences and healthcare, consumer, and real estate.
We provide strategic legal advice with the aim of contract or investment readiness on issues relating to:
- corporate structure;
- intellectual property;
- funding and finance;
- property and environmental law; and
- employment.
Our practice breadth and industry knowledge provide us with insights into the issues that affect our clients most deeply and enable us to provide high quality business-oriented legal advice to assist them in achieving their goals, whether commercial or social.
Contact Hogan Lovells
Impetus - The Private Equity Foundation
Impetus The Private Equity Foundation (Impetus-PEF), which formed in 2013 from the merger of Impetus Trust and the Private Equity Foundation, is the pioneer of venture philanthropy in the UK. It provides investees with a package of support, consisting of funding, in-house management support and specialised pro bono expertise. It has a combined 16 years of experience working with more than 50 charities and social enterprises.
Impetus-PEF invests in high-potential charities and social enterprises that will benefit from its approach. It brings strategic resources to organisations working to improve the lives and prospects of children and young people in poverty in the UK, with a specific focus on educational attainment at the secondary-school level or work readiness.
Impetus-PEF currently only makes ICRF grant applications for organisations in its active portfolio.
Contact Impetus The Private Equity Foundation
Investing for Good
Would you like to raise capital through a social bond? Do you need help getting investment ready to raise a social bond?
Investing for Good (IFG) CIC is a social finance intermediary that specialises in helping charities and social enterprises raise unrestricted investment capital through social bonds. Through our innovative Social Bond Programme, we arranged a 20m exchange-listed bond programme the first of its kind for the disability charity, Scope. The first tranche was successfully placed with a broad range of investors, offering them the ability to generate measureable social impact with their investment alongside a financial return.
Our investment readiness services are specifically related to issuing social bonds. Investing for Good's highly experienced team can help organisations:
- prepare and/or refine business plans
- build financial models
- consider the use of bond proceeds
- develop impact measurement and reporting capabilities
- navigate each stage of the bond issuance process from Prospectus writing through to marketing and placement with investors.
If you would like more information on our investment readiness services and/or social bonds and how they can help your organisation, please contact us.
Investing for Good is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, through its wholly owned subsidiary The Social Investment Market CIC Ltd.
Locality
Locality is the UK s leading network for community-led organisations ambitious for change. We believe that every community is a place of possibility.
We have for many years now championed the community ownership and management of assets and services, and deliver both the Asset Transfer Unit and Community Contracting Unit. We are well placed to deliver against both Investment Readiness and Contract Readiness needs, having decades of experience in how to establish new community ventures of all types.
We tailor our support services to each organisation s individual requirements, and our unique offer includes access to the best community enterprise practitioners in the country. We believe that those successfully operating on the frontline are best placed to support those who wish to emulate them, so through our Pool of quality-assured Locality members we can provide advisors, trainers and mentors as part of our package of support for almost any community investment idea.
Local Partnerships
To support the successful delivery of the aims of the ICRF we are seeking to marry our commercial skillset with our understanding of social businesses and our knowledge of the public sector. As co-fund manager of the Social Enterprise Investment Fund (SEIF) for four years we have developed a strong relationship with the sector, working with 100 spin-out social enterprises, helping almost 50 of them to launch.
Our mission in Local Partnerships is to support the delivery of investment in local infrastructure and local services, and this means we work across central and local government, and the community focussed third sector. The recurring theme in all our work is in making our client s commercial and delivery capability stronger, but we also understand the need for social businesses to have operating models which optimise the balance between service delivery, social impact and commercial sustainability.
Mutual Ventures
Mutual Ventures is a socially-focused consultancy dedicated to innovation, efficiency and sustainability in public and local community services. As a leading provider to the Cabinet Office s Mutual Support Programme, we have particular expertise in supporting the sustainable development of public service mutuals. We have supported a wide range of organisations to develop growth strategies, win new contacts and secure investment.
Specifically, we support organisations to:
- identify business growth opportunities
- complete funding applications and tender responses;
- develop business cases to attract investment.
Our experience is complemented by an in-depth knowledge of the intricacies and challenges of public service commissioning and close links to the social investment sector.
For more information contact Andrew Laird on 07779 754553.
Numbers4Good / PFK Littlejohn LLP
Numbers4Good and PFK Littlejohn are working in partnership to offer investment readiness to social ventures.
Numbers4Good is a social investment finance boutique and has a team with over a decade s experience in social finance, social enterprise advisory work, fundraising, social innovation and policy. It s team has director-level experience in leading financial institutions, charities and social enterprises as well as policy making expertise.
PFK Littlejohn LLP is a London based firm of chartered accountants and business advisors with 30 partners and 130 staff members. PFK Littlejohn s expertise includes audit, accounting, business tax and SME corporate finance including listing and prospectus work working with clients from all sectors but specifically with a strong team dealing with charities, not for profit and social ventures.
The combination of both parties in the partnership offers a unique blend of -
- Business plan drafting and reviewing;
- Financial modelling;
- Structuring and innovating new social investment products;
- Support in contracting with investors and where appropriate, public sector commissioners;
- Fundraising, engaging with potential investors and distributing investor proposals.
PwC
PwC is a global professional services firm providing advice to clients from a wide variety of sectors. Our market expertise has been built through extensive engagement at every stage of investment: from initial concept through to scale up support. We bring together people from across the firm and our key partners to provide all the services social enterprises need to be ready for investment or contract delivery that include:
- Strategic advice: business model assessment, market analysis, options analysis
- Financial advice: financial modeling, cash flow and financial forecasts
- Social impact: social impact assessments, impact measurement methods
- Investment: Valuations, investor identification and bid support
- Sales & contracting: sales and bidding processes, public sector procurement processes and payment by results
- Governance: legal advice, governance models
- Operations: programme & change management methods
Please contact Nicola Kennedy on 07850 907641 or Mark Graham on 07710 397 826.
PwC is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority for designated investment business.
Pulse Regeneration
Looking for investment or to win major new contracts? Ambitious and seeking high growth?
Pulse Regeneration is one of the UK s leading consultancies specialising in the development of social ventures and providing investment and contract readiness support.
We have a proven track record of success built up over 10 years. Although we understand the requirements of social investors and the drivers behind commissioning and procurement, we are first and foremost practitioners, working hand in hand with voluntary and community sector organisations and social enterprises to help in achieving their aims and outcomes, and to assist in developing long term financial sustainability.
We are particularly interested in working with ambitious, high growth organisations that are looking to scale up their activities.
We will offer a tailored approach that will respond directly to your needs and work in partnership with you to help achieve success.
Some key areas of support that we can provide include the following:
- Help to become investment ready
- Help to become contract ready
- Strategic and financial business planning
- Organisational development and capacity building
- Training and skills development
- Asset development and social enterprise
- High growth and scaling up
- Developing a winning pitch
If you would be interested in working with us to secure support through the Investment and Contract Readiness Fund please complete our short Registration of Interest Form so that we can assess your requirements. Please click on the link below for more details about the fund, eligibility and to download our Registration of Interest Form.
If you would like to speak to one of our team please contact Ian Ogilvie on 0151 475 7000.
Resonance
Resonance is a boutique corporate finance intermediary specialising in social enterprise and impact investing. Resonance helps social impact organisations prepare for and attract the funding they need to grow and has particular expertise in all types of Real Estate transactions, community-led enterprises, renewable energy and early stage venture capital including angel fundraising.
Offering pre-investment, transaction and support services, Resonance can support enterprises throughout all the stages of a deal. Resonance assist social enterprises to prepare for investment focusing on matching them with investors who share both their social and financial objectives.
Resonance is also skilled in helping structure investment products in order to tap into more institutional money. Resonance have developed expertise in the following types of investment vehicle:
- Community share issues
- Niche Debt funds for community enterprises
- Both residential and commercial property funds
- Payment-by-results special purpose vehicles
We are interested in working with outstanding management teams with proven concepts at early or growth stages, where there is a scaleable business model which delivers a disruptive social impact.
Social Enterprise Support Centre
Since 2004 The Social Enterprise Support Limited has been an inspiring source of expertise and encouragement to the sector.
In touch with over 1200 social entrepreneurs we excel at connecting organisations into essential resources of finance, locations and people
We are a community benefit society reinvesting our funds for the benefit of social entrepreneurs. We let them speak for us:
Thank you for the amazing support you have given to us as we prepare to go to Tender for our organisation. You have helped us build a greater awareness of all the key areas which we need to address now, in order to sustain our future. CT, Sheffield (prior to winning a national contract)
SESC are very responsive to our needs and they are my first port of call if I need advice. They have the trust of our board which is important. Our investment applications were successful but we never doubted that! SK, Bradford
You can contact SESC by calling 0113 243 8071 or by email below.
Social Finance
Social Finance was set up in 2007 to help build a social investment market in the UK.
We are dedicated to finding ways to raise capital through robust investment propositions and are committed to driving financial innovation in the sector by designing investment products that deliver measurable social and financial return. We also have a broad range of research and advisory capabilities with which to enhance understanding and engagement with the social investor market.
Social Finance brings together individuals with substantial expertise in finance, strategy consultancy and the social sector to drive innovative, sustainable and scalable investment propositions. We believe that, if social problems are to be tackled successfully, organisations seeking to solve them need sustainable revenues and investment to innovate and grow.
Stepping Out
We re here for one reason only to help good public sector services become thriving social businesses. We believe in our hearts that social enterprises and mutuals represent the best future for UK public services.
Founded by social entrepreneur Craig Dearden-Phillips MBE, Stepping Out supports leaders in public services to create social enterprises and mutuals. In so doing, we aim to change the face of public service provision.
We believe that a good public service will become a great social business if it is as strong on value, efficiency and innovation as any other business. What makes a social business or mutual special is that it engages staff, citizens and communities in ways that makes services even better. This is a great business model for our time.
Our support is delivered at three points in the journey of a social business:
- Setting Out helping public sector bodies and public managers consider the opportunities for social enterprise delivery
- Stepping Out specialist, targeted support to help ventures make the transition out of the public sector
- Staying Out a range of services to help new social businesses to grow, develop and flourish in their independence
We ve written the book on How to Step Out and have an excellent network of both social enterprise clients who are able to share learning with others leading ambitious social businesses and strong links with social investors. We re excited to be able to support the ICRF as a means to enabling more social businesses to achieve their potential and ambitions.
To enquire about how Stepping Out can help you, email Rob Fountain.
Triodos Bank
Triodos Corporate Finance has 14 years of experience in advising organisations which bring positive social, cultural or environmental change in raising capital to fund growth. The team combines experience within corporate finance with a depth of understanding of our core markets.
Over the past 14 years Triodos Corporate Finance has raised over 65m through 27 placements and public issues for a number of market leading sustainable businesses and social enterprises. This includes a social impact bond with Greater Merseyside Connexions through the DWP Innovation Fund, Cafedirect, Bristol Together, Ethical Property Company and River Cottage.
We have a credible track record in working with clients to raise capital and good market knowledge on what is really achievable. We have a strong distribution network through Triodos Bank and the infrastructure to ensure we deliver on projects.
We have good access to the ethical investor space and have developed long standing relationships with many institutional and individual investors.
Young Foundation
The Young Foundation has been supporting social ventures since 2005. We have incubated a large number of projects, many that have spun out as highly successful ventures including Uprising, Studio Schools, Maslaha, and SIX.
Over the last year we have supported over 50 social ventures to develop their business strategy and prepare for ongoing financial investment to achieve greater social impact. On average we have helped each venture to raise around 75,000.
Our support covers -
- Ventures advisory: business modelling/planning, financial modelling, understanding the options for social investment
- Ventures advisory: tools for engagement and participation with communities of benefit, strategic marketing support, analysis of customer needs
- Social investment: developing effective systems for demonstrating impact (theory of change, outcomes mapping), health/education and other public sector commissioning, support for prototyping/service testing review, project management design