Social Spider

Social Spider

Project: Social Investment Intelligence Network (SIIN)
City: London   Grant: £33,000

Social Spider is a social enterprise which carries out research, publishing and consultancy work for a range of social sector organisations. Social Spider carries out work on social investment infrastructure as part of Flip Finance – a partnership of organisations and individuals aiming to make social investment more accessible, attuned and responsive to the needs of social enterprises and charities.

The project will pilot the Social Investment Intelligence Network (SIIN) to review the demand-side perspective of UK social entrepreneurs and charity leaders. The Network of 10-12 social entrepreneurs will meet on a quarterly basis to review the social investment market, current demand, and consideration of what activities or initiatives are currently relevant to social enterprises, charities and other social sector organisations. The initial phase of this project will focus on publicising and recruiting diverse representatives from across the social enterprise and charity sector. The SIIN will also partner with Alliance for Social Innovation in Finance to provide intelligence on demand for investment from charities and social enterprises.

The SIIN should lead to better and more up-to-date understanding of demand for finance from charities and social enterprises, which can be used to spur innovation, adapt current models of investment provision, and engage a wider range financial innovators to meet needs appropriately. The SIIN can become a trusted resource for the UK social investment sector and give voice to the financial and operational realities facing the demand-side.