Do investors care about impact? Often, no: they're more focused on the warm fuzzy feeling of 'doing good'. But some are accepting moderate returns for more impact, and they're crucial to the growth of early-stage social enterprise.
Online marketplace giant says eBay for Change programme will help it support post-pandemic recovery by getting community businesses in front of its 29 million UK shoppers.
The Women in Safe Homes fund, from UK impact investment firm Resonance and real estate manager Patron Capital, aims to buy 650 homes and lease them to charities helping women at risk of homelessness.
Look beyond the corporate grant-based funds and government relief programmes and you'll find a whole range of ways to back social enterprises – some more unexpected than others. Here are just a few of them.
PLUS: US philanthropy heavyweights back new ‘Tipping Point Fund’; new blended finance agribusiness fund makes first investment, UK universities set up responsible investment network, and more.
The microfinance success story isn’t as clear-cut as it seems – but there’s plenty we can learn from it when it comes to investing in other sectors. FSG’s Harvey Koh sets out a pragmatic approach.
PLUS: Record profits for Belu and Unity Trust Bank; innovative finance for community land trusts; new blended finance for tech companies in emerging markets, and more.
Investors big and small took the leap this week to make a difference. Highlights included £25m being raised in 24 hours for affordable housing, financial inclusion being backed by some big guns and the proliferation of advisors.
