Financing Social Enterprise

This publication considers the range of financing options available to social enterprises engaging in public service delivery, including developments in:

• social finance
• social impact bonds
• venture philanthropy
• quasi-equity
• bonds and shares.

Securing sufficient finance is critical when an enterprise is starting up, growing or looking to diversify its sources of income.

Ensuring social enterprises are aware of the full range of finance sources available to them is a key part of enabling the sector to develop and grow. This includes awareness of new developments in social finance as well as older sources that have perhaps been overlooked or under-used, such as share or bond issues, and tax reliefs associated with some of these sources of finance.

This publication will be useful to those working in and with social enterprises, including:

• those wanting to understand the various financing options available to social enterprises engaged in public service delivery
• managers and officers involved in commissioning services
• managers looking at new models for delivering existing or new services, and
• those looking to develop social enterprises in their area.

Areas covered include:

• types of finance
• types of social enterprise and their access to finance
• grant funding
• developments in individual giving and fundraising
• venture philanthropy
• corporate giving and sponsorship
• loans and bonds
• social impact bonds
• quasi-equity
• shares, including member shares in mutual, and
• developing reserves.

An overview of the various financing options and their fit with different types of social enterprise (from charities to mutuals to community interest companies) is also provided.

This publication is available as a book and a bookmarked PDF.