Project: Sustainable LGBT Futures

Grant: £50,000

The project aims to train LGBT Consortium staff to build knowledge in social investment finance and support VCSE members to achieve social investment. The project will listen to members and learn what the specific issues are that prevent them from accessing social investment finance. The learning will be translated to an LGBT Investment Strategy and LGBT Consortium will create LGBT social investment networks, offer brokerage between potential LGBT investors and members, training and online resources, and consider establishing itself as a social investment intermediary.

Resources will be made LGBT-friendly and published for the sector along with examples of how other equality sector organisations have used repayable finance. Social finance and investment will be seen as an integral part of a sustainable funding mix by different types of LGBT organisations.  Key outcomes of the project are expected to be: connections will be made to investors and funders; the wider social investment market better understands LGBT, creating diversity and innovation and; LGBT organisations are confident when accessing specialist advice around social investment.