BSSEC » New ways of funding

Big Issue Invest reflects on two years of Impact Loans England

January 24, 2019

Just the other day I was talking to someone about the social finance sector and they said, ‘Don’t you think it has changed almost out of all recognition over the past couple of years or so?’ Somewhat sceptical that it had, I asked them how. They said, ‘There ar

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ART Business Loans announces major community share offer

January 07, 2019

BSSEC member ART Business Loans has just announced the launch of a major community share offer aimed at raising £500,000 from individuals and organisations that can be lent to businesses, social enterprises and third sector organisations in the West Midlands, enabling them to protect

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Social enterprise in Orlando, Florida

November 19, 2018

Simon Veasey, iSE’s director of business development, has just returned from a holiday in Orlando, Florida. But it wasn’t all Mickey Mouse and Disney — he also made time to visit some of the city’s social enterprises. He has been kind enough to write the guest

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Applications open until 28 September for UnLtd’s accelerator, Thrive: Solutions for an Ageing Society

July 30, 2018

UnLtd’s latest social accelerator programme, Thrive, will help over 25 ambitious social ventures a year to grow and scale-up activities. Social ventures developing solutions in two distinct areas will be supported: » Improving access to employment for those distant from the labo

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Big Issue Invest announces dedicated investment for social enterprises & community businesses in the Midlands

July 17, 2018

Power Up Midlands is the third iteration of Big Issue Invest’s early stage investment programme. Up to 15 social enterprises and community businesses across the Midlands will be able to access funding and support. Power Up Midlands is aimed at early-stage social and/or community enter

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UnLtd’s Impact Investment Fund — drop-in event Birmingham

April 16, 2018

Are you an early stage social venture working in the employment sector? Do you need investment and practical support to scale your venture? Then UnLtd wants to hear from you. UnLtd’s Impact Investment Fund will shortly hold three drop-in sessions — relaxed and informa

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Mayor supports ART Business Loans — ‘unsung heroes of the local business finance scene’

October 05, 2017

Speaking at ART’s 20th anniversary AGM, West Midlands Mayor Andy Street offered his congratulations on ART’s achievements over the past two decades and described the organisation as one of the unsung heroes of the local business finance scene. Mayor Andy Street said: “I first me

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Calling health social enterprises — help inform development of a new social investment fund for the West Midlands

September 07, 2017

Social Enterprise UK wants you to be part of shaping the design of a new investment fund (part grant, part repayable finance) for the West Midlands supporting enterprises involved in public health. From SEUK Your opportunity to shape a potential Social Investment Fund here in the West

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ART adds to its lending power with new Birmingham Small Business Loan Fund

July 05, 2017

ART Business Loans continues to innovate in the local finance it is able to make available. Now, in partnership with Birmingham City Council, Unity Trust Bank and peer-to-peer lender Thin Cats, ART is offering the new Birmingham Small Business Loan Fund. If you are a Birmingham-

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Are you “business angel ready”?

May 23, 2017

What is a social business angel? Who invests in social enterprises and what do they want? iSE is offering two workshops that will answer these questions — and many others too. If you are wondering whether your enterprise might be attractive to an angel investor, then book

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Crowdfund Birmingham — new funding opportunities for community benefit projects

May 10, 2017

Further to this post, we now have further news about Crowdfund Birmingham, the new joint initiative between Birmingham City Council and Crowdfunder. Launched at the start of the year, Crowdfund Birmingham is a new campaign to help people with good ideas raise the money they

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‘Unlocking the Warehouse’ — FoE embarks on ambitious refurbishment plans

May 03, 2017

The Warehouse in Allison St, Digbeth, has been home to Friends of the Earth and a number of other environmental and progressive causes for the past forty years. And now the organisation is about to embark on an ambitious refurbishment plan. FoE aims to raise nearly £250,000

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Women’s Enterprise Hub, free workshop — Working with Angel Investors

April 10, 2017

The Women’s Enterprise Hub is hosting a free workshop on the 25th April (08.30am-10.00am) and again on the 27th June (same time) called “Working with angel investors — attracting and partnering social angel investors”. → Download the flyer (pdf). → Please note

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Birmingham Volunteer Centre signs up with easyfundraising

March 08, 2017

Birmingham Volunteer Centre, the city’s volunteering support service provided by BVSC has just announced the following: Did you know you now can help support the Volunteer Centre by shopping? Yes it is true! We have signed up with easyfundraising to raise funds for events like v

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Birmingham City Council launches Crowdfunding Birmingham

February 06, 2017

Birmingham City Council is launching Crowdfund Birmingham and wants to hear now from local organisations interested in raising money through crowdfunding. The council is setting aside £470,000 from its Community Innovation Fund to provide match funding to pledge on projects that will

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Big Issue Invest launches Impact Loans England

January 26, 2017

Big Issue Invest, the social investment arm of The Big Issue Group, has launched a new investment programme called Impact Loans England. This programme is designed to help social enterprises and charities which might previously have struggled to access small to medium-

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iSE launches new programme of social investment workshops

September 13, 2016

iSE has launched a new programme to help social enterprises attract social investment. The workshops are designed to provide more information about social investment and give social entrepreneurs the opportunity to practice pitching. The workshops will cover: Introduction to the legal

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ART pioneers new financing model to raise cash for small businesses

July 22, 2016

ART Business Loans has joined forces with peer-to-peer business lender ThinCats to pilot a unique scheme to raise £500,000 to support local businesses. ThinCats — it’s the opposite of ‘fat cats’ — was established in 2011, partly as a response to the banki

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Social Impact Bonds — the first six years

July 06, 2016

Social Finance has today launched Social Impact Bonds: The Early Years, a new report covering the progress of the Social Impact Bond market in the six years since its inception with the Peterborough criminal justice system SIB. To date, sixty SIBs have launched in fifteen countries, r

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NAO says PbR schemes are ill-co-ordinated, lack an evidence-base and have unrecognised risks

June 29, 2015

I am indebted to my old friend Tony Clabby for spotting this… The National Audit Office has just published Outcome-based payment schemes: government’s use of payment by results (June 2015). → Press release NAO website → Summary → Full report The report considers six

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