About the Connect Fund
What is the Connect Fund?
The Connect Fund has been set up to strengthen the social investment market in England to better meet the needs of charities and social enterprises. The fund provides grants to develop resources and infrastructure for a market that supports mission.
The Connect Fund, also known as the ‘Social Investment Infrastructure Fund’ is a £6 million fund for grants and investments that the Barrow Cadbury Trust manages in partnership with Access – the Foundation for Social Investment.
The Access Foundation chose the Barrow Cadbury Trust to deliver the Connect Fund because of its experience in social investment, expertise in voluntary sector infrastructure, and its approach, which is to work in partnership with those its funds towards a common goal.
Social investment is one tool for charities and social enterprises to consider as they explore ways to generate income through assets or trading.
If you would like general information about social investment, please see the Good Finance website.
What is the Connect Fund Trying to Achieve?
The Connect Fund provides funding to build a better social investment market by:
- Improving the social investment market to charities and social enterprises
- Advancing a more open, diverse and accessible social investment market
- Connecting voluntary sector infrastructure to the social investment market
- Connecting social investment intermediaries through partnerships, tools, resources and learning
The Connect Fund closely aligns its funding with the strategic objectives of the Access Foundation and its programmes – Local Access Programme, Enterprise Development Programme, Reach Fund, Growth Fund and Flexible Finance for the Recovery Fund.
What Has the Connect Fund Achieved So Far?
The Connect Fund was set up to build a better social investment market in England. In September 2019 the Connect Fund launched its Interim Learning Report, produced by NPC (New Philanthropy Capital), which you can read here.
You can find more details on the previously funded rounds and the projects we currently support on the Funded Work section of this website.