Launched as a two-year grant programme in 2016, The Reach Fund, helps charities and social enterprises raise investment, typically for the first-time. These organisations may have the potential to grow or diversify their income and develop stronger balance sheets, but are not yet investment ready.

Following the successful piloting of the Reach Fund over the last two years, Access is seeking to contract a provider to deliver the Reach Fund for at least a further three years, with a possible extension of two more, from 13th October 2018.

Access is looking for an experienced partner who can provide robust systems and processes for managing grant programmes and can demonstrate an understanding of the aims of the Reach Fund in the context of Access’s broader strategy. An ideal grant administrator will have creative ideas about how the programme can best operate, including how to incentivise applications from geographical “cold spots” and how best to improve awareness of the programme.

The grant manager will have the key role of managing relationships with current Access points (who refer charities and social enterprises to the Reach Fund) and maintaining the application process for social investors looking to become Access points for the Reach Fund. They will maintain the Reach Fund’s dedicated website, which provides crucial information to potential Access Points and to charities and social enterprises about how to access the programme.

Access anticipates the total number of organisations to benefit from Reach Fund support over the next three years to be 480 with a total grant spend of £7.2m.  

Access invites organisations who are interested in applying or finding out more, to read the Invitation to Tender for the Reach Fund and submit a proposal of no more than 20 pages to applications@access-si.org.uk by noon on Monday, 6 August 2018. Proposals should include a quote based on the anticipated grant spend and should address each of the assessment criteria.