Project: Sefton Social Investment Development Project

Grant: £51,500

Sefton Council for Voluntary Service will explore and test local social investment models that increase community resilience through prevention and early intervention. It will help to develop the Sefton Social Investment Development Partnership (SSIDP), a collaboration between Sefton CVS, Capacity: the Public Services Lab, Sefton Council and the Social Stock Exchange, to develop “new ways of working and new models of finance”. Other SSIDP focused activities will include: building the interest and engagement of social investors in the challenges and opportunities in Sefton; work with the Community Foundation for Merseyside to encourage new entrants (investors and investees) into the social investment market; develop social market potential by mapping potential investment opportunities; bring networks together to consider and respond to potential opportunities.

Sefton CVS also plans to identify ten groups with growth potential for which it will provide intensive capacity building support. The expectation is that this will give rise to five proposals that are feasible for social investment. It will also: develop information and training packages; create a forum for under-represented groups; integrate social investment into its standard support package; and hold social investment workshops for commissioners. It will also establish a local social investment forum of commissioners, providers, communities and investors to collaborate on better solutions for local people. The Merseyside Funding Information Portal, which currently provides grant and contract information and resources, will be updated to provide similar information about social investment.

Sefton CVS expects the project will lead to a more accessible, mission driven, social investment market; lower social investment transaction costs; a more resilient VCSFE sector; wider access to social investment; an increased number of social businesses; a greater number of joint ventures; and a more informed social investment market.