Finance For Social Enterprises

Big Issue Invest provides medium-term, growth capital for social enterprises that have a clear social purpose, compelling business model, strong management and which can demonstrate a sustainable revenue stream and growth potential. We look mainly to finance the growth of established social enterprises, but will also consider financing some early stage businesses.

We provide short-to-medium term loans at competitive rates of interest.

We are also able to offer participation loans in which repayments are linked to growth in turnover or profitability such that the investment risk and reward is shared between BII and the social enterprise.

If legal structures allow, we may also provide equity finance.

BII seeks to provide more than just capital to the social enterprises that it invests in. We seek to be actively involved as a strategic partner, supporting the enterprise in its growth and development, including through the provision of advice and business mentors.

Typically our partners are social enterprises or trading arms of charities that have been trading for three years and have an annual turnover of over £250,000. We may consider financing for-profit businesses where the public benefit is clearly demonstrated to outweigh any private gain.

Our investments have included transformational social enterprises such as "15", 4Children, Active Life, Barnardos, Belu, Digartref Ynys Mon, HCT, Pathfinder Healthcare Developments, SCA Healthcare, Pines Calyx, Stevenage CAB, Training for Life, Turning Point, the Venture Partnership Foundation, Mow and Grow and War Child.

See our investment portfolio of social enterprises.

Latest News

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    Over the last week I have been asked on several occasions how BHT first got in touch with Blue Rocket, the PR company that we bought a couple of weeks ago.

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  • OBE for CEO in New Year's Honours List

    Nigel Kershaw, the Chairman of The Big Issue and Chief Executive of Big Issue Invest, has been made an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List, for his services to social enterprise.

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  • Guardian news feature

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