We have established the first directory of organisations providing finance and support to the social sector to help you find the investment you need.

DIRECTORY OF INTERMEDIARIES

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Allia Ltd

http://www.allia.org.uk
Type of support: 
Finance; business advice and support; membership/trade body
For whom: 
Social enterprises; charities; voluntary and community organisations; social businesses; cooperatives/mutuals
Region: 
East of England
Specific eligibility criteria: 
Access to funding is limited to charities UK-wide. Business support is available for social enterprises, voluntary and community organisations in the East of England.
Type of finance: 
Grants
Funding for: 
Property purchase; other asset/equipment purchase; working capital; development capital
Type of business support: 
Business planning; financial modelling; organisational change; measuring impact; training, mentoring and coaching; networks and events
more

ART

http://www.reinvest.co.uk/index.php/about-art/art-for-borrowers
Type of support: 
Finance
For whom: 
Social enterprises; SMEs
Region: 
Birmingham and Solihull
Specific eligibility criteria: 
Rejection (wholly or partially) from a bank, restrictions regarding certain retail businesses
Type of finance: 
Secured loans; unsecured loans
Funding for: 
Property purchase; other asset/equipment purchase; working capital; development capital
Finance available: 
£10,000 - £50,000
more

Aspiren

http://www.nottinghamsehub.com/
Type of support: 
Business advice and support; investment readiness advice and support; membership/trade body
For whom: 
Social enterprises; charities; voluntary and community organisations; social businesses
Region: 
East Midlands
Type of business support: 
Business planning; financial modelling; organisational change; investment readiness; measuring impact; mergers and collaboration; franchising and replication; training, mentoring and coaching; networks and events; research and information
more

BCRS Small Business Loans

http://www.bcrs.org.uk/about-bcrs.html
Type of support: 
Finance
For whom: 
Social enterprises; charities; voluntary and community organisations; social businesses; cooperatives/mutuals
Region: 
West Midlands
Specific eligibility criteria: 
Any viable business that has been turned down by bank (subject to some excluded sectors)
Type of finance: 
Secured loans; unsecured loans
Funding for: 
Working capital; other asset/equipment purchase; development capital
Finance available: 
£10,000 - £50,000
more

Bethnal Green Ventures

http://bethnalgreenventures.com/
Type of support: 
Investment; business advice and support
For whom: 
Social ventures using technology to solve social or environmental problems.
Region: 
UK
Specific eligibility criteria: 
Must be a small team (2-4 founders) building a high growth social venture that uses technology to solve a social or environmental problem. Teams must be willing to relocate to London for a 3 month programme of support.
Type of finance: 
Equity
Funding for: 
building first version of service, working capital
Finance available: 
£12,500 - £15,000
more

Big Issue Invest

http://www.bigissueinvest.com
Type of support: 
Finance
For whom: 
Social enterprises; charities; voluntary and community organisations; social businesses; cooperatives/mutuals
Specific eligibility criteria: 
Organisations with a track record and a plan to increase trading income and deliver high social impact
Type of finance: 
Secured loans; unsecured loans; equity; quasi equity
Funding for: 
Property purchase; other asset/equipment purchase; working capital; development capital; risk capital
Finance available: 
£50,000 - £1,000,000
more

Big Lottery Fund

www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Type of support: 
Online fund finder tool to identify the most suitable grant funding available from the Big Lottery Fund
For whom: 
Social enterprises; charities; voluntary and community organisations; social businesses; cooperatives/mutuals; unconstituted community groups
more

Bradford Enterprise Agency (Business Enterprise Fund)

www.befund.org
Type of support: 
Finance; business advice and support; investment readiness advice and support; investment structuring and capital raising
For whom: 
Social enterprises; charities; social businesses
Type of finance: 
Secured loans; unsecured loans; quasi equity
Funding for: 
Property purchase; other asset/equipment purchase; working capital; development capital
Finance available: 
£0 - £250,000
Type of business support: 
Business planning; financial modelling; organisational change; investment readiness; measuring impact; franchising and replication; training, mentoring and coaching; capital raising; networks and events; research and information
more

Bridges Ventures

www.bridgesventures.com/our-funds
Type of support: 
Finance
For whom: 
Social enterprises; charities; social businesses; cooperatives/mutuals
Specific eligibility criteria: 
Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund - scalable social enterprises delivering high social impacts and operating sustainable business models; Venture Funds - growth businesses in four themes (Underserved Areas, Environment, Education & Skills, Health & Wellbe
Type of finance: 
Secured loans; unsecured loans; equity; quasi equity
Funding for: 
Property purchase; other asset/equipment purchase; working capital; development capital; risk capital
Finance available: 
£250,000 - £10,000,000
more

Bristol Enterprise Development Fund

www.bedf.co.uk
Type of support: 
Finance
For whom: 
Social enterprises; social businesses; cooperatives/mutuals; small and micro businesses
Type of finance: 
Unsecured loans (in case of limited companies, personal guarantees from each/every director required)
Funding for: 
Asset/equipment purchase; working capital; development capital
Finance available: 
£1,000 - £10,000 for start-ups / £20,000 for business expansion
more

Business Link

www.businesslink.gov.uk
Type of support: 
Business advice and support; investment readiness advice and support
For whom: 
Social enterprises; social businesses; cooperatives/mutuals; SMEs
Type of business support: 
Government's online resource for business including guides, tools and advice on starting up, running and growing a business from business planning to employing , tax issues, health and safety, marketing, and raising and managing finance
more

CAF Venturesome

http://www.venturesome.org
Type of support: 
Finance; business advice and support
For whom: 
Social enterprises; charities; voluntary and community organisations; social businesses; cooperatives/mutuals
Specific eligibility criteria: 
At least one year of trading activities; registered in the UK; demonstrable charitable purpose
Type of finance: 
Secured loans; unsecured loans; quasi-equity
Funding for: 
Property purchase; other asset/equipment purchase; working capital; development capital; risk capital
Finance available: 
£25,000 - £250,000
more

CAN

www.can-online.org.uk
Type of support: 
Finance; business advice and support; investment readiness advice and support
For whom: 
Social enterprises; charities; cooperatives/mutuals
Specific eligibility criteria: 
Pre-scale business support (business modelling, market analysis)
Type of finance: 
Grants
Funding for: 
Working capital; development capital
Finance available: 
£25,000 - £200,000
Type of business support: 
Business planning; financial modelling; investment readiness; measuring impact; franchising and replication; networks and events
more

Capitalise Business Support Ltd

www.capitalise.org
Type of support: 
Finance; business advice and support; investment readiness advice and support
For whom: 
Social enterprises; charities; voluntary and community organisations; social businesses; cooperatives/mutuals; commercial businesses
Type of finance: 
Secured loans; unsecured loans
Funding for: 
Property purchase; other asset/equipment purchase; working capital; development capital
Finance available: 
£3,000 - £35,000
Type of business support: 
Business planning; organisational change; investment readiness; training, mentoring and coaching; B2B exhibitions; apprenticeships
more

CapitaliSE Financial Solutions CIC

www.capitalisenorth.co.uk
Type of support: 
Business advice and support; investment readiness advice and support; investment structuring and capital raising
For whom: 
Social enterprises; charities; voluntary and community organisations; social businesses; cooperatives/mutuals
Type of business support: 
Business planning; financial modelling; organisational change; investment readiness; measuring impact; mergers and collaboration
more

Cascade Training Plus

www.cascadetrainingplus.co.uk
Type of support: 
Business advice and support; training
For whom: 
Social enterprises; charities; voluntary and community organisations; social businesses; cooperatives/mutuals; public and private sector
Region: 
UK
Type of business support: 
Business planning; financial modelling; organisational change; investment readiness; measuring impact; mergers and collaboration; franchising and replication; training, mentoring and coaching; investment structuring; capital raising; networks and events;
more

CDA (BRAVE Ltd)

www.cda.coop
Type of support: 
Business advice and support; investment readiness advice and support; co-operative specific development advice (legal structures, governance, etc.)
For whom: 
Cooperatives/mutuals
Region: 
South West
Type of business support: 
Business planning; financial modelling; organisational change; investment readiness; training, mentoring and coaching; capital raising; networks and events; research and information; legal structures, governance issues
more

Charity Bank

www.charitybank.org
Type of support: 
Finance; business advice and support; investment readiness advice and support
For whom: 
Social enterprises; charities; voluntary and community organisations; social businesses
Region: 
UK
Specific eligibility criteria: 
Lending to registered charities, community associations, voluntary organisations, community businesses, social enterprises or social landlords as long as the purpose of the loan is charitable; as well as to for-profit companies if the loan is for exclusiv
Type of finance: 
Secured loans; unsecured loans
Funding for: 
Property purchase; other asset/equipment purchase; working capital£50,000 - £2,000,000
Finance available: 
£50,000 - £1,000,000 +
Type of business support: 
Investment readiness; measuring impact; networks and events; research and information
more

CIC Association CIC

www.cicassociation.org.uk
Type of support: 
Business advice and support; investment readiness advice and support; investment structuring and capital raising; membership/trade body
For whom: 
Community Interest Companies
Region: 
UK
Type of business support: 
Business planning; financial modelling; investment readiness; training, mentoring and coaching; investment structuring; networks and events; research and information
more

ClearlySo

www.clearlyso.com
Type of support: 
Business advice and support; investment readiness advice and support; investment structuring and capital raising; membership/trade body
For whom: 
Social enterprises; social businesses
Region: 
UK
Specific eligibility criteria: 
Work with mature and established businesses to help them raise high levels of capital
Type of business support: 
Business planning; organisational change; investment readiness; measuring impact; training, mentoring and coaching; investment structuring; capital raising; networks and events; research and information
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