Connect Fund Overview THE CONNECT FUND WHY? The Connect Fund seeks - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Connect Fund Overview

THE CONNECT FUND – WHY?

DEMAND Charities and social enterprises still struggle to access small amounts of unsecured, affordable finance from the social investment market. There are a number of social investment intermediaries, but sustainable business models for fund managers and advisors remains challenging. SUPPLY

The Connect Fund seeks to build a better social investment market in England by:  improving the connection of social investment to the needs of charities and social enterprises  better connecting social investment intermediaries through shared data and resources  connecting existing voluntary sector infrastructure organisations to the social investment market

• VOICE
• INDEPENDENCE

VALUES

• COLLABORATION
• LEARNING
• QUAKER VALUES
• ENGAGEMENT
• INNOVATION AND EVIDENCE

£3m fund that makes grants and investments to support intermediaries and infrastructure to make social investment work better for charities and social enterprises in England.

THE CONNECT FUND – WHAT?

The Connect Fund fosters learning partnerships to accelerate solutions to shared challenges in social investment, and to ensure that social investment focuses on the funding realities that social sector organisations face.

THE CONNECT FUND – FUNDED WORK

A total of 51 projects are now being supported by the Connect Fund.

• 50 grants have been awarded since June 2017, totalling £2.1m
• 1 Social Investment of £50k to Singlify

THE CONNECT FUND – BY THEME (%)

THE CONNECT FUND – BY THEME (£) £3m

THE CONNECT FUND – BY REGION (No. of Projects)

51 Connect Fund projects are spread across all 9 regions of England.

THE CONNECT FUND – BY REGION (£)

LEARNING COMMUNITY

The Connect Fund grantees form part of our Learning Community, which we have established to ensure the knowledge and best practice from the projects can be shared and retained for the benefit of the market. Find out more on the Learning page on our website.

THE CONNECT FUND – CLOSED FUNDING ROUNDS

Grants for shared initiatives to address gaps in social investment market infrastructure. Grants to enable the development

• f shared approaches to engage

with social investment.

Round 1

Round 2

Social investors, advisors, interest groups & networks active in social investment in England Voluntary sector infrastructure orgs, membership bodies, CVS, networks & community foundations in England Decisions made: November 2017 Decisions made: February & May 2018

NEXT STEPS – FUNDING PILOT

Building Infrastructure Fund

Existing Connect Fund grantees may apply for grants of up to £30,000 New applicants from Infrastructure Organisations in England can apply for grants up to £60,000 to explore new initiatives – from Sept 2019 Existing Grantees: January 2019 New Applicants: September 2019

Enterprising Ideas Fund

Social investment intermediaries in England can apply for: 1) Small grants of up to £10,000 to develop feasibility, financial projections and a business plan 2) Social Investment

• f

up to £50,000 EOI: Rolling from Jan 2019 Investment decisions : May, Sept Nov 2019

To develop enterprise solutions and explore new methods to engage VCSEs with social investment. To provide flexible finance to catalyse new business ideas.

Develop a sustainable model for service provision Increase engagement with social investment through Access Reach Fund access points and/or place-based investment Embed knowledge and skills for VCSEs taking on social investment Address barriers to social investment Increase diversity in the social investment sector Work collaboratively with social investment intermediaries and market networks

For infrastructure organisations in England that can:

BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE FUND

BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE FUND

• Existing Grantees
• Build on current learning
• Sustainable methods to engage VCSEs

and address gaps

• New applicants
• Explore new, sustainable ways to

address gaps

• Aligned with Access Foundation

priorities

Up to £30k Grant Up to £60k Grant Grant support for enterprise development

Expression of interest Initial assessment Online application F2F Assessment

Decision

Measure & Report

BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE FUND

Existing Grantees: From JAN 2019 New Applicants: From SEPT 2019

On rolling basis

Voluntary Sector Infrastructure – Case Study

Social Investment Market Place Link

ENTERPRISING IDEAS FUND

• Solve a problem for the social

investment market Evidence demand in the target market

• Generate revenue a/o a clear path

to sustainability

• Demonstrate track record and

experience of the founder(s) or

• rganisation
• Advance and embed social impact

in operations

For intermediaries in England that can:

ENTERPRISING IDEAS FUND

£10k grant

• Business plan
• Market analysis
• Financial projections

£50k investment

• Flexible 0% loan facility (partial match)
• Convertible 0% loan to equity
• Equity

Patient risk finance for business development

ENTERPRISING IDEAS FUND

Expression of interest Phone assessment Online application F2F Assessment

Decision

Measure & Report

10 to 12 small feasibility grants £10k 5 to 6 investments £50k

From JAN 2019 > On rolling basis

Enterprising Ideas Fund – Case Study

£10k Feasibility Grant £50k Investment

Contact us

Schedule a time to speak with us: a.padilha@barrowcadbury.org.uk Website: Connectfund.org.uk Twitter: @connectfund LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/connect-fund Sign up to our E-news mailing list on our home page