OPINION: The £28bn National Wealth Fund’s new strategy firmly closed the door on social enterprises and charities, says Social Investment Business’s Jack Wakefield. The social economy should have equal access to public finance.
Quadrennial review praises Access for its success in providing wider access to social investment but highlights challenges as mobilising new sources of funding beyond dormant assets proves increasingly urgent.
Independent review finds UK's social investment wholesaler has driven growth in lower-risk funds but frontline social investors say more catalytic capital is needed.
Low-key government announcement of latest £350m dormant assets funding allocation falls short of what social investment leaders had been campaigning for, as money will be evenly split between four ‘good causes’.
Cross-sector collaboration – and government money – are needed as funding gap left by mainstream investors prevents the social economy from reaching its full potential, shows first in-depth study of catalytic capital in UK.
Social investment firms report just a small improvement in gender diversity among decision-makers – but the typical board director is still male, white and privately-educated.
An independent review argues that the UK stands at a critical point with the potential to develop social investment for the wider public and maintain its position as a world leader in the sector.