Project: Social Investment Forum: Growing and Sustaining
City: London   Grant: £30,000

Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) functions as the representative body and membership network for social enterprises with a mission to create a favourable environment in which social enterprises can start up, survive and thrive.

For 5 years SEUK has chaired and co-ordinated the Social Investment Forum. The Social Investment Forum is a group of 26 social investment intermediaries which provides an existing route to achieve buy-in and collaboration on data sharing across social investment intermediaries, and can function as a peer-led forum for this work to develop. SEUK will strengthen, formalise and develop the work of the Social Investment Forum over an 18 month period in order to clarify the role and function of the network, define its priorities, and develop a sustainable business model with social investment member institutions.

SEUK anticipates that setting up a sustainable trade association will improve joint working and collaboration across the sector, leading to better outcomes for the intermediaries and investee organisations. The intent is to create a more open, accessible marketplace with clear standards and principles of operation. Improved knowledge sharing and intelligence should result in better methods to meet the financial needs of charities and social enterprises.