Social investment fund tackling UK social inequality hits the £1m mark with latest investments

A social impact investment fund developed by Big Issue Invest (BIIFM) and UnLtd, has provided a further £500,000 in investment to two social purpose organisations, taking the Fund’s total investments made to £1m. The Growth Impact Fund is a £25m evergreen fund, investing in early and growth stage organisations, delivered by UnLtd: The Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs and BIIFM, to help create a more equitable Britain. The Fund has attracted close to £10 million of capital so far, including grant capital from cornerstone investors Access – the Foundation for Social…

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Social Enterprise leading the charge in tackling prisoner education secures £150,000 of investment

Doing What Really Matters (DWRM), a social enterprise that works with universities to offer degree courses to facilitate prisoner rehabilitation, has received £150,000 in funding. The Growth Impact Fund, a social impact investment fund developed by Big Issue Invest (BIIFM) and UnLtd has provided the backing in order for the organisation to increase the number of students in prison accessing Further and Higher Education to 25% of the prison population within 10 years – an increase of 20,000 students.  It is well-documented that both prisoners and prison leavers have limited…

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New investors announced for social impact investment Fund that backs people the mainstream does not reach

A social impact investment fund developed by Big Issue Invest (BII), UnLtd and Shift, aimed at social enterprises and organisations from underrepresented backgrounds, has welcomed a host of further investors onboard, as the fund’s completed on its first close of £8.2m towards its £25M target size.  The fund has welcomed the following additional backers:  Big Society Capital, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the University of Edinburgh, Scope, Trust for London, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Charities Trust, Barrow Cadbury Trust and Nick Marple, the renowned philanthropist. The backers will join the existing major…

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Social investment fund announced to tackle inequality as wealth gap widens  

A new potential £25M social investment fund has been announced recently, offering flexible and patient capital for early-stage social businesses to grow their impact, ringfencing a minimum of 50% of funding for leaders from underrepresented backgrounds. Big Issue Invest, UnLtd and Shift have come together to announce the Growth Impact Fund, to level the social investment playing field.   This landmark fund is built in coalition with social investment experts, and is backed with funding from supporters including Bank of America and Access Foundation. Big Issue Invest, UnLtd and design agency…

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Major investors come on board to tackle inequality through Growth Impact Fund

Bank of America and Access – the Foundation for Social Investment have come on board as major backers of the upcoming Growth Impact Fund, a potential £25M social investment fund being developed by UnLtd, Big Issue Invest and Shift. The potential fund, which will only be available to professional investors, aims to tackle inequality and promote racial justice by being built around the needs of entrepreneurs historically locked out of social investment, as highlighted by the recent Adebowale Commission on Social Investment. The potential fund will offer flexible and patient…

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