We provide loans between £20,000 and £3 million to social enterprises and charities in the UK. These loans can take the form of secured or unsecured loans. For larger investments we also can take equity or link loan interest to performance.
What We Offer
Criteria
As an investee, you would typically be able to demonstrate:
You are a social enterprise, charity or profit-with-purpose business
You have a sustainable business model and can demonstrate an ability to repay finance
You have a track record of generating positive social impact
You have a relevantly qualified team and strong governance structures
You are based in the United Kingdom
Apply for Investment
If you are seeking investment please complete the following investment enquiry form. If we are able to take your application forward, we will ask you to provide a business plan, a financial forecast for the next two years and details of your social impact.
Our Investees
Since 2005, we have invested £30 million in 300 social ventures. Some of our investees include Blue Sky, an award winning social enterprise that offers employment to ex-offenders, and Fifteen, a restaurant founded by Jamie Oliver that provides training for disadvantaged young people. Our investees are making a positive difference to their communities working in areas such as employment, education, social care, financial inclusion, mental health and well-being.
FAQs
Why Big Issue Invest?
We are a social enterprise ourselves and our surpluses are used to support the work of The Big Issue. We have an experienced team of staff and a 12 year track record of investing in social enterprises and charities. We will offer support and guidance throughout the application process and provide a response as quickly as we can.
How do I apply for investment?
Please apply through our online investment enquiry form above. Once we receive your details, a member of staff will be in touch to discuss your request. If we think that your application is fundable by Big Issue Invest, we will ask you provide further information. We will check the information provided, meet people from your organisation including beneficiaries, visit you and your team and find out more about what you do and how you create social impact. Our staff present their recommendations to provide funding to one of our Investment Committees. The time taken to progress from application to final decision can vary from application to application. A simple loan of £25,000 can take a little as a month with larger investment requests taking longer.
What information do you require?
We try to be very clear at the outset of the process about the range of documentation and other information we will require and will only ask for what is needed to complete a fair assessment of your application. The information we require will vary from case-to-case but will almost always include:
– Historical annual accounts;
– Current management accounts;
– Financial forecasts for the next two years;
– A business plan or business summary;
– Details of your key personnel.
What happens if my application is unsuccessful?
If we are not able to support you at this time, we will try to provide constructive feedback and, if possible, point you to others who may be better suited to supporting your organisation.
What organisations do you support?
We invest in organisations who deliver positive social impact. These tend to be organisations that have the following legal structure; charities, CICs and Community Benefit Societies. In some circumstances we may invest in for-profit social sector organisations.
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©2017 The Big Issue Invest, 113-115 Fonthill Road, Finsbury Park, London, N4 3HH.
Company limited by guarantee registered in England 3049322 | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
Company limited by guarantee registered in England 3049322 | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use