We’ve highlighted a few examples of organisations (some with an SSE fellow at the helm!) using social investment to secure fundamental amenities and resources, allowing them to reach and support far more people, generating a wider range of benefits. From affordable housing to community energy and community development – social investment has unlocked further potential.

Contento Social Homes

• Impact theme: Domestic Abuse and Social Housing
• Amount invested: £267,500
• What it bought: A home suitable to house women fleeing abuse, with security of tenure, and a van to transport residents

Contento Social Homes aims to provide high-quality, affordable housing for women fleeing domestic abuse in the midst of the UK’s growing housing crisis. The organisation focuses on reducing homelessness and helping female service users to reintegrate into society as well as providing additional support services such as employment training and financial management skills, which are crucial for long-term stability and independence.

By partnering with social investors, Contento secured funding to acquire and maintain homes, providing women with safe, sustainable, and affordable housing, with security of tenure. They were also able to purchase a van to transport residents and fund vital maintenance for the continuation of their service.

Read more about their experiences with social investment via the Contento Social Homes casestudy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Projekts Manchester

• Impact theme: young people
•  Amount invested: £50,000
• What it bought: Ownership of their operational space, securing the park, a café, a meeting room and all the other amenities required for the hub

Projekts MCR is a community-centered skatepark in Manchester that offers a safe, inclusive space for young people and their families to engage in skateboarding while accessing a broader range of social support.

With social investment from GMCVO, Projekts MCR secured and expanded its facilities, such as their café, a meeting space, AND one of the UK’s largest outdoor skateparks! The investment allowed them to increase their outreach, making sports and social development more accessible to underserved youth – in fact, Projekts MCR have seen attendance increase three-fold, while the proportion of female skaters has grown from 1% to over 24%. This growth meant that turnover increased by over 70% and more jobs were created within the core team.

Learn more via the Projekts Manchester casestudy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grace Enterprises

• Impact theme: unemployment
• Amount invested: £60,000
• What it bought: A van for Jubilee Events, enabling them to save money and streamline operations

Grace Enterprises is a social enterprise dedicated to helping individuals often categorised as long-term unemployed. The main aim is to reduce unemployment and encourage sustainable job creation.

Upon receiving social investment, Grace Enterprises expanded its operations in buying a van for Jubilee Events, one of their three trading subsidiaries. This enabled them to save money, streamline operations, and take on more work in the form of smaller, more frequent jobs.

Social investment also allowed Grace Enterprises to grow Radiant Cleaners, another of their subsidiaries, by reinvigorating cashflow and building reserves.

Read the full Grace Enterprises casestudy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wolverton Community Energy

• Impact theme: sustainable communities
• Amount invested: £257,000
• What it bought: The first community owned solar installations in Milton Keynes

Wolverton Community Energy focuses on creating renewable energy projects within the local community, contributing to both environmental sustainability and local economic resilience. Their income streams include offering professional partnerships, providing investment opportunities and supplying greener, cheaper solar energy to local businesses, the majority of which are charities and social enterprises.

Funds from Big Issue Invest funded the first community owned solar installations in Milton Keynes, thus providing a solid foundation for long term revenue. As profits are reinvested, social investment supported the overall aims of the co-operative, supporting community renewable energy, improving energy efficiency and cutting carbon emissions.

Learn more about their experiences with social investment via the Wolverton Community Energy casestudy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miss Macaroon

• Impact theme: youth unemployment
• Amount invested: £50,000
• What it bought: A retail store, allowing growth in trade which facilitated the debut of the Aspire scheme

Miss Macaroon is a bakery with a social mission to support young people facing challenges related to long-term unemployment, particularly those with disabilities or mental health conditions. They provide a wealth of skills and personal development opportunities, helping individuals gain confidence and improve their employability.

Social investment from BCRS Business Loans enabled the growth of Miss Macaroon's retail business and scale operations. This in turn expanded its training programs and allowed for the establishment of the Aspire scheme.

'Without the loan we wouldn't have been able to set up our store. It's enabled us to provide a lot more training and job opportunities for young people with multiple and complete needs'.

- Rosie Ginday MBE - CEO and Founder, Miss Macaroon

Understand more about how they harnessed the power of social investment via the Miss Macaroon casestudy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Social investment can enable impact-led organisations to address a range of social, environmental, and economic issues. By blending this type of financial support with an increase in traded income, these ventures are not only transforming lives today, but creating sustainable business models, which are likely to benefit generations to come.

Got you interested? You can learn more about access to finance at Unlocking Social Investment The School for Social Entrepreneurs (the-sse.org) on 7 November, AND while you’re here, why not read some more inspiration stories of the impact of social investment on Good Finance’s Case Studies page.