Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be working on a first draft strategy for our capacity building programme. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, we’ll be sharing this at the beginning of October for feedback. As a preliminary to this, we’ve got some more specific questions which have come out of what we’ve heard so far. They’re listed below, directed towards different groups of organisations in (or at the edges of) the social investment community. To ring the changes, I’ve dispensed with the google form: simply click on any question and it will open an email to our ‘info’ address, with the appropriate subject line filled in. I’ll then hoover up the responses and present them back in a fortnight’s time – unless you tell me otherwise, I’ll assume you’re happy for your response to be shared openly….

n.b. feel free to pick and choose: just dip in and answer any which strike a chord. 

Charities and Social Enterprises who have never taken on any form of social investment:
1) What are your most crucial questions or concerns about social investment?
2) Where would you most like to access support and advice about social investment, in what form, and from whom?
3) What words would you use to describe the relationship you would want with an investor?
4) Thinking more broadly, what does your organisation need to sustain and increase its social impact?
5) Where do see the best opportunities for your organisation to secure its medium-long term future, and how could social investment help?

Charities and Social Enterprises who have already taken on social investment in some form:
1) How has your organisation been affected by taking on social investment: what changes have you seen to your ability to deliver social impact, your business model and sustainability, anything else?
2) What role, if any, did capacity building support play in securing social investment?
3) What approach have you taken to social impact reporting, and how valuable has this been for your organisation?
4) What words would you use to describe the relationship you have (had) with your investor(s)?
5) Would you consider taking on social investment again in the near future? If so, what would you do differently next time?
6) Where do see the best opportunities for your organisation to secure its medium-long term future, and how could social investment help?

Social Investment and Finance Intermediaries (fund managers):
1) What do you want the social investment market in England to look like in 2025, and how will your organisation’s role have changed?
2) What are the gaps in your own capacity which need to be filled, over the next 2, 5 or 10 years, in order to achieve sustainability and growth?
3) What lessons have you drawn from organisations which you have turned down for investment – particularly those which have had some form of capacity building support?
4) Given the resources, what support would you provide to less strong potential investees, to get them ‘over the line’?
5) Where do you feel social impact can be most effectively scaled in the next 10 years?

Social Investment and Finance Intermediaries (support/consultancy providers):
1) What do you want the social investment market in England to look like in 2025, and how will your organisation’s role have changed?
2) What are the gaps in your own capacity which need to be filled, over the next 2, 5 or 10 years, in order to achieve sustainability and growth?
3) How would you extend the current scope of grant-subsidised capacity building support, and why?
4) Where do you feel social impact can be most effectively scaled in the next 10 years?

Umbrella/Infrastructure Organisations (national, regional or local):
1) What do you want the social sector in England to look like in 2025, and how will your organisation’s role have changed?
2) What are the gaps in your own capacity which need to be filled, over the next 2, 5 or 10 years, to fulfil your core mission and be financially sustainable?
3) What percentage of your membership might successfully take on a social investment in the next 3-5 years?
4) Capacity building support can broadly be characterised as ‘demand-led’ or ‘supply-led’. Which approach do you favour, and why?

We’d be really grateful for responses to any or all of the above.

The observant amongst you will notice this is not the incisive summary of my research reading list I promised in previous posts – events and pressing priorities having put me behind schedule, I shall carry on working through the list and construct my thoughts forthwith. No doubt you are agog…