Social EnterpriseFinance
Supporting social enterprises to build a better tomorrow
A Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) exists to support organisations creating positive social or environmental impact, locally or across the UK, through a blend of grants and investments. They recognise the challenge of balancing the important work your organisation is doing, striving to create meaningful change, with financial stability.
A Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) exists to support organisations creating positive social or environmental impact, locally or across the UK, through a blend of grants and investments. They recognise the challenge of balancing the important work your organisation is doing, striving to create meaningful change, with financial stability.
How a CDFI Evaluates Your
Funding Application
A CDFI will consider:
How a CDFI Evaluates Your Funding Application
A CDFI will consider:
Who Can Apply
For a Loan From a
Social Enterprise
CDFI?
Social enterprises of all sizes and sectors can apply for funding from a CDFI social enterprise lender. These are especially suitable for social enterprises that:
- •Struggle to access finance from mainstream lenders
- •Have a mission to create social and/or environmental and/or community impact
Who Can Apply For a Loan From a
Social Enterprise CDFI?
Social enterprises of all sizes and sectors can apply for funding from a CDFI social enterprise lender. These are especially suitable for social enterprises that:
- •Struggle to access finance from mainstream lenders
- •Have a mission to create social and/or environmental and/or community impact
What Types Of Funding Does A Social Enterprise CDFI Offer?
Social enterprise CDFIs offer flexible, mission-aligned funding designed to help purpose-driven organisations grow and thrive. They typically provide a mix of the following:
What Types Of Funding Does A Social Enterprise CDFI Offer?
Social enterprise CDFIs offer flexible, mission-aligned funding designed to help purpose-driven organisations grow and thrive. They typically provide a mix of the following:
How Will A Social Enterprise CDFI
Evaluate My Funding Application?
Unlike traditional lenders, CDFIs take a mission-driven approach to funding social enterprises. They look beyond the numbers to understand what your organisation does, why it matters, and its long-term financial viability. When assessing an application, they typically consider:
This approach enables CDFIs to support a wide range of purpose-led organisations, including those that may not qualify for mainstream finance.
How Will A Social Enterprise CDFI Evaluate My Funding Application?
Unlike traditional lenders, CDFIs take a mission-driven approach to funding social enterprises. They look beyond the numbers to understand what your organisation does, why it matters, and its long-term financial viability. When assessing an application, they typically consider:
- Grants to support specific projects or initiatives
- Loans with fair and affordable terms
- Customised financial solutions to meet the unique needs of social enterprises
This approach enables CDFIs to support a wide range of purpose-led organisations, including those that may not qualify for mainstream finance.
Our Member CDFI
Barley Café | A pathway to employment for Prestwich residents
Prestwich's Barley Café offers users of local substance misuse centres and people recovering from addiction a pathway in... Read more
HQ Creative Arts Network | From drugs with wrong crowd to social entrepreneur of the year
Yasin El Ashrafi grew up on an inner city estate and never met his father who was deported before he was born. Expelled... Read more