Financing the Start-up & Growth of your
Social Firm or Social Enterprise Business
Tracy Axten - Triodos Bank
Niall Sweby - The Social Investment Business
Brian Whittaker - Lankelly Chase Foundation
Nigel Kershaw OBE - Big Issue Invest
The same funding options are available to
social enterprises as traditional
businesses, BUT may not be from the
same provider ...
What has your experience been??
Requirements
Sound Business Plan - proposition sustainable &
ability to repay debt
Management Team - Financial awareness,
management, control
Systems - capture required information, trends, cash
flow etc
Marketing - who are your customers, your niche?
Preparation before approaching a
lender/funder
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
How much do we need? Is it enough?
how will we repay, over how long? Any implications?
what is the Business Plan for next 3-5yrs?
are our accounts up to date? Do I understand them?
does my Board support, have experience in managing finance?
do we have the skills to manage growth/activities, reporting etc?
what would happen if we didn’t succeed in acquiring finance?
Support Available...
Organisations: Social Firms UK, Social Enterprise Hubs,
Red Ochre, Social Enterprise Business Support
programme, Business Link. Social Investment
Organisations
Tools: NCVO - Funding Central, Business Link London,
SEC, Social Enterprise Magazine, those above.
Finance Options...
Grants - free money? No requirement to repay
Loans - long term, require repayment, security, cost
Over drafts - short term, require repayment, track record, cost
Equity - repaid with premium, involvement & ownership of
company taken
Mixture of all above...
The Social Investment Business
Niall Sweby
Lankelly Chase Foundation
Brian Whittaker
Big Issue Invest
Nigel Kershaw OBE
•Tracy Axten, Triodos Bank. 07775 662968
tracy.axten@triodos.co.uk
•Niall Sweby, Social Investment Business. 07872 506342
niall.sweby@socialinvestmentbusiness.org
•Brian Whittaker, LankellyChase Foundation. 01235 820044
•Nigel Kershaw OBE, Big Issue Invest. 02075263431
Triodos Bank NV (incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands with limited
liability, registered in England and Wales BR3012).
Authorised by the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) and regulated by the Financial
Services Authority (FSA) for the conduct of UK business.
Registered office: Brunel House, 11 The Promenade, Bristol BS8 3NN