If you are an organisation that funds and supports social enterprise please get in touch by emailing info@sel.org.uk or call us on 020 7033 2604, so we can upload your details here.
Adventure Capital Fund
The Adventure Capital Fund is an ambitious new style of funder for community enterprise.
Our pioneering work is already transforming neighbourhoods across the country, and we intend to do much more in the future.
Take a look at this website to find out more about what we do, to be inspired by the stories of some of the enterprises we’ve helped to date, and to discover how to apply for our support.
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Access Funds
Grants information for the British charitable and non-profit sector.
This site aims to provide the latest funding information from government, National Lottery, charitable trusts and the EU.
Access Funds also contains directories of funding programmes and guides to funding.
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Awards for All
Awards for All is a Lottery grants scheme funding small, local community-based projects in the UK.
Each country is running its own updated programme from April 2009, so find out how our grants can help your project by choosing the relevant country below.
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Bridges Community Ventures Ltd
Responsible for the management of a £40 million venture capital fund, Bridges Community Ventures Ltd invests in entrepreneurial small and medium-sized enterprises in the most deprived 25% of England (using the Index of Multiple Deprivation). The website includes a postcode checker showing areas where investment is considered.
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British Business Angel Network
The UK-wide association of networks linking business angels (that is, private venture
capitalist investors looking to invest in new and fast-growing enterprises).
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Charity Bank
Charity Bank is the UK’s first not-for-profit bank that lends to charitable organisations
and social enterprises. It offers loans of up to £500,000, normally in situations where
traditional lending from commercial banks is not available.
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Community Development Finance Association
This is the trade association for Community Development Finance Institutions.
They will be able to help find a CDFI near to you.
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Co-operative and Community Finance
Formerly ICOF (Industrial Common Ownership Finance), Co-operative and Community Finance has specialised in lending to co-operatives, employee-owned businesses and social enterprises for thirty years. It was one of the founders of the Community Development Finance Association. It has raised its own capital from various sources, including public share issues.
CCF offers business loans (£5,000-£50,000) with terms up to 10 years. In London, loans of up to £250,000 may be possible, through access to other funds which CCF manages. Personal security is not taken, but loans are normally secured against business assets. Loans are available for a number of purposes, including bridging loans against delayed grants, loans on property and working capital and loans to replace inappropriate existing finance.
Loans are subject to an ethical policy, which supports social enterprise, co-operative values, social responsibility and environmental concerns.
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Frog Capital
Frog Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in British and European businesses involved in the field of environmental and ‘clean’ technology. Each project is evaluated against a number of financial criteria, including return on investment, a well-developed and achievable business plan, and a realistic exit strategy.
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Greater London Enterprise (GLE)
GLE has a number of funds available to SMEs, although there is no specific policy on social enterprises. London Seed Capital is a £4.8m early stage venture capital fund launched in late 2002, which operates in conjunction with the London Business Angels Network. GLE provides, among other things, loan finance, cashflow finance, and asset finance services.
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HBV Enterprise
Formerly Hackney Business Venture, HBV Enterprise has a long history of supporting and advising businesses initially focusing on east London. It offers an Access to Finance service, and also can provide business loans (£3000-£25,000) to enterprises in Barnet, Brent, Camden, City of London, Enfield, Haringey, Hackney, Harrow, Islington and Waltham Forest. Small grants to new entrepreneurs are also available in certain circumstances.
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J4B
Website which aims to provide a comprehensive database for voluntary organisations and small businesses of business grants and soft loans. Some services available only to subscribers.
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London Rebuilding Society
The London Rebuilding Society provides financial support and advice to voluntary organisations, charities and community groups across London.
Its Social Enterprise Fund provides loans of between £5,000 and £50,000 for a range of uses - start-up capital for new enterprises, bridging loans, or resources to purchase equipment or refurbish run-down property. In some boroughs, the LRS also manages a larger loan fund (£50,000-£250,000) for social enterprise growth, using finance provided by the London Development Agency and Barclays Bank.
London Rebuilding Society also manages the Mutual Aid Fund, which can make small loans available to groups beginning to think about creating a social enterprise and not yet ready to incorporate.
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Prime Initiative
A national organisation working with over 50s who want to establish themselves in business. At time of writing, an original start-up loan scheme had been discontinued but a replacement scheme was under development.
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Prince's Trust
Offers low interest loans (typically between £2000-£3000) for young people aged
18-30 who are starting in business. Grants are also sometimes awarded. Business
support and advice is also offered, through volunteer mentors.
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Social Enterprise UK
Includes information on accessing finance. SEUK publishes a number of booklets including - Unlocking the Potential, on finance for social enterprises.
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Triodos Bank
Triodos offers a comprehensive range of banking services for social businesses,
charities and groups along with a variety of savings accounts for individuals. Triodos
Bank lends money to organisations that pursue positive social, environmental and
cultural goals. Triodos manages a £40m social venture capital fund that invests in
social and environmental businesses in order to help them grow without detracting
from their social mission.
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UnLtd
UnLtd is a charity which supports ‘social entrepreneurs’, which it defines as “people with vision, drive, commitment and passion who want to change the world for the better”. It makes grants from an endowment fund to individuals and to informal groups. Two forms of award are available: Level 1 awards of between £500 and £5,000 (typically £2,000) and Level 2 awards of between £10,000 and £205,000 to individuals whose ideas are beginning to take off. UnLtd also offers advice and support.
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Unity Trust Bank
The Unity Trust Bank provides banking services and support to trade unions, charities and not-for-profit organisations. This includes offering various types of bank accounts. Unity also offers a number of funding services for voluntary organisations, including bridging loans to cover delays in receiving grant finance or fundraising income.
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Urban Partnership Group
The Urban Partnership Group operates in support of social enterprises and community engagement in west London. Social enterprises may be eligible for £2000 of consultancy support and (in certain areas of Hammersmith & Fulham, and Brent) for £20,000 grants. There is a special emphasis on black, Asian, minority ethnic (BAME) groups, women, community and voluntary sector, self-employed, and other socially excluded groups.
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CAF Venturesome
Venturesome is a social investment fund that provides investment to help charities and social enterprises deliver on their mission.
Venturesome offers social purpose organisations support and capital, recognising that this type of investment may fall outside of the criteria of grant-makers and is perceived as too risky for banks.
Venturesome offers investors the opportunity to make their giving go further by recycling their funds in a number of small organisations.
Since its launch as a Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) initiative in 2002, £15m has been offered to some 250 charities and social enterprises. Venturesome currently manages a £10m fund for CAF and its external investors.
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