Investing in growth
Could Social Investment be for you?
Are you curious about social investment but aren’t really sure what it is? Ever heard of blended finance (loan plus grant) and wondered if it’s the right fit for your organisation?
If you think Social Investment might be the financial support you’re looking for to grow, we’d welcome an introductory chat.
You can email our friendly team to arrange a call, and they’ll talk you through anything you need to know: [email protected]
And here is a quick introduction...
Since 2013, our Social Investment Fund has invested over £15 million in charities and social enterprises across Scotland — from community bakeries and youth centres to 3G pitches and water sports projects.
Social investment is about providing financial support to charities, social enterprises, and mission-driven businesses who want to create positive social impact that addresses local issues and needs. Unlike traditional grants, social investment is repaid over time at an affordable rate, which means the same money can be recycled and used again to help others.
But Foundation Scotland goes one step further, offering a blend of 25% grant and 75% loan, meaning that only a portion of our investment is repayable, and loan repayments are spread over a term suited to individual social enterprises.
Through social investment, we help organisations build resilience, scale their impact, and create lasting change in their communities. Most importantly, our team get to know the people behind the businesses that we invest in, creating relationships and partnerships.
Angela Moohan, CEO of The Larder on their releationship with Foundation Scotland:
The support we’ve received from Foundation Scotland, from the very beginning of our journey at The Larder, has been critical to our growth as an organisation and ultimately to our mission of helping transform local lives. We set up the charity to help practically tackle rising youth unemployment in West Lothian and we know we’ve changed lives, but we couldn’t have achieved this level of success without the partnership with Foundation Scotland. It’s not just about money, it’s the guidance, understanding and above all else their belief in our mission which has helped us continue to grow and develop our support at a time when our services have never been needed more.