Finance & Funding

Below you will find a list of finance and funding providers and support organisations. This list is by no means exhaustive and we have focussed on those organisations who have a particular focus on working with Greater Manchester organisations.

 

You can filter this list to see loan providers, loan and grant providers, grant providers or organisations who will help you access finance.

 

For a larger list of investors and advisers delivering across the UK, along with information on social investment, see the Good Finance website

Big Issue Invest
Big Issue Invest offer a range of repayable finance options, from loans as small as £20,000 to larger investments of up to £3.5 million. Current investees range from start-ups to established organisations, but they all share the Big Issue Group’s mission to create innovative solutions through enterprise to unlock social and economic opportunities for people in the UK affected by poverty.
http://bigissueinvest.com/
Charity Bank
Provides loans to social enterprises to help further their social mission. Loans available up to £4m.
https://charitybank.org/
Co-operative and Community Finance
Offers loans to the co-operative and social enterprise sector: normally £10,000 - £75,000, possibly up to £150,000
https://coopfinance.coop/
GM Social Investment
Proper Good Social Investment - Early stage loan funding (up to £30k) and Buildings loan funding (up to £350k, including 10% grant). To be eligible, organisations need to be based or generate significant social impact on Bolton, Stockport, Oldham and Wigan. Enterprising Communities Fund - investments between £20k and £100k usually with a 20% grant. This fund is for organisations based in Greater Manchester.
http://www.gmcvo.org.uk/gmsocinvest
Key Fund
Offer loan and grant investments from £5k up to £300k to community and social enterprises operating in the North of England and the Midlands.
http://www.thekeyfund.co.uk
Livv Investment
Invest for Impact fund - offers a blend of grant and unsecured loan finance for charities and social organisations. Investments of between £10,000 – £150,000 are available.
https://livvinvestment.com/
NatWest Social & Community Capital
We offer alternative funding to Charities and Social Enterprises who don't qualify for mainstream loans. Our community business loans offer funding between £30,000 to £350,000 dependent on the purpose of the borrowing with up to £500,000 available for property purchases. We offer flexible terms inline with your needs including repayments holidays and access to sector experts
https://www.natwest.com/business/loans-and-finance/social-and-community-capital.html
Power to Change
Currently run the Community Shares Booster Fund to support community share offers. Offer development grants (averaging £5k) to prepare a community share offer. Offer equity match investment - typically matching £1 for £1 up to £25,000 invested by the Booster Fund, providing the minimum share offer target is achieved.
https://www.powertochange.org.uk/our-work/our-programmes/
Resonance
Resonance Community Developers fund aims to support and empower community groups across the UK by providing social investment to deliver solutions to a lack of provision in your local community. The fund focuses on a lack of affordable housing and/or sports and leisure facilities. Upon approval, the fund offers repayable loans including a potential £150,000 for the pre-development of a project, up to the submission of a planning application. If feasible, investment may then be available for land acquisition and development costs between £250,000 and £2.5million. GMCVO are the local delivery partner for Greater Manchester.
https://www.gmcvo.org.uk/gmsocinvest/communitydevelopers
Social and Sustainable Capital
A funding manager and also a social enterprise. Provide loans and equity investment from £250,000 to £3million
http://socialandsustainable.com/
UnLtd
Offering between £50k and £1.5m, through equity (shares in the organisation), revenue share (repayments based on an organisation's revenue performance) and patient debt (regular repayment set at an agreed interest rate over several years). Also provide investment readiness grants up to £15k. Delivering the Growth Impact Fund in partnership with Big Issue Invest and UnLtd.
http://www.unltd.org.uk