This month at Access

Creating a more inclusive financial ecosystem
Access Programme Manager, Josh Robinson, explores the impact to date of our Flexible Finance programme. Working closely with our partners, this programme has delivered 3.5 times more investment to Black and minoritised communities than other Access programmes. Find out more.

New data from Access on Blended Finance
Some more number crunching from the Access team on how we know we’re expanding the reach of social investment. Read how blended finance via Access:

Enables investments 10X smaller than the rest of the social investment market.
Delivers for charities and social enterprises through a large number of small deals.
Targets areas of high deprivation, with more than 50% of our investments in the 30% most deprived areas of England

Let’s fix our future
We’re a proud member of the Future Economy Alliance, a mission-led movement that brings together social enterprises, co-operatives, mutuals, employee-owned and community-led businesses and many more. They recently launched their Business Plan for Britain setting out the national policy changes that can empower mission-led business to create a stronger, fairer, greener economy.

Social Investment Stories

How social investment helped Fareshare Midlands to improve their service delivery.

“The Cost of Living Fund has enabled us to do is almost reorder what Fareshare Midlands does. It’s basically giving us a bit of space to think about what do we want to do in the future, how big do we want to be? But ultimately, how can we be a more efficient, financially viable and sustainable organisation.”

Introducing the Blended Finance collective
Introducing the Blended Finance Collective – a new UK-based community to learn, connect and collaborate on blended finance. Alongside Better Society Capital, EBRD, Save the Children Global Ventures and others we are working to bring together blended finance practitioners from every corner of the globe, across sectors and geographies. Find out more.

New research highlights energy efficiency problem for vital community buildings
Most community buildings in England do not meet basic energy efficiency standards, according to newly published research by the Social Investment Business. The report found that 7,375 of 13,171 community buildings in the country do have a basic energy performance certificate (EPC) rating C, commonly suggested as the minimum required for sale or let by 2035. More here.

Yet all is not lost

The all-new Procurement Pathway is for any organisations looking at using social investment to retrofit their build. It will empower social enterprises and charities in making informed decisions when selecting providers for retrofitting energy efficiency measures. Find out more.
The VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme is available to support community buildings to become more energy efficient and save money. FREE Independent Energy Assessments are available now – with up to £150,000 also available to eligible organisations to install identified energy efficiency measures. Find out more.
Cooperatives UK, Crowdfunder UK and Access – The Foundation for Social Investment have launched a new fund to support community businesses to ‘go green!’. More here

Reasons to be cheerful

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is increasing their allocation to social investment to £60m, supporting organisations and projects where traditional finance is unsuitable or inaccessible.
The National Lottery Community Fund has announced its largest expansion of grassroots funding in three decades. More here.
Power to change has been looking in detail at how we can unlock access to affordable, flexible and accessible finance funding. The blog by report author, Jessica Craig, is worth a look.

Did you know?

Access is a wholesaler of grant subsidy into social investment funds and other initiatives. We do not make funding available to charities and social enterprises directly. If you are a charity or social enterprise looking for support or to find out more about social investment please visit Good Finance.