# Raising funds to support people with learning disabilities may have just gotten easier

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/03/01/raising-funds-support-people-learning-disabilities-may-have-just-gotten-easier/
- Published: 2011-03-01T18:06:59+00:00
- Author: Simon George

One of the best parts of my job is that people bring new ideas to me to develop 
into workable, real-world solutions for the charity sector.  Sometimes they don’t
take off but occasionally, I come across people who are thinking really creatively
about how to help others.  

I want to share one such idea with you in this blog which potentially sees the financial‘
system’ working for vulnerable individuals and investors alike.
Raising funds to
provide homes for people with learning disabilities is a tough ask as the need isn’t
perceived as ‘sexy’ and there are no puppies involved to create heart-wrenching 
campaigns (I’m not being flippant, we love this in the UK).  

At the same time, there are many suitable properties available in the UK that would
make secure and comfortable homes and there are investors willing to invest in property.
Therefore, bringing these investors together in a way that meets their needs, to
create a fund which can buy homes with people with learning disabilities, seems 
a great way to bridge this divide.

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![Money house](http://www.rgmdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/property_investment.
jpg)

Previous Shared Ownership schemes are no longer available due to the coalition government’s
recent financial measures but a new scheme [‘Buy to Help’](http://www.sharedownershiphomes.org/blog)
has been set up to get the ball rolling.

The team has created an investment fund which will be used to do the following:

 * enable people with learning disabilities to have security, living in their own
   homes
 * give investors a decent rate of return (tough to get these days) whilst directly
   supporting people with learning disabilities
 * ensure growth in the overall pot of money available to invest in more properties
   and provide a regular income to investors

It looks a bit like the popular buy to let schemes but with more vulnerable people
benefitting, whereas they couldn’t previously.  That seems like a win:win.

The huge win will be when the big institutional investors (the groups that control
our pension funds, unit trusts and other investments) see the scheme working and
start to invest some of their billions on behalf of all of us.  But, they are conservative
by nature (apparently) so the team behind ‘Buy to Help’ have already been speaking
with several charities, including Mencap, and smaller investors who have expressed
an interest in the scheme, to show it working.

The launch scheme is aimed at anyone or any organisation who wants or needs to support
people with learning disabilities and get reasonable investment returns into the
bargain.  That means individuals, philanthropists, Local Authorities, grant making
trusts as well as charities and corporate supporters.

I know this is new but just ask yourself whether your current high value donation
propositions or property services arrangements can offer a return as well as provide
support for your beneficiaries.

It’s all explained at [Shared Ownership Homes](http://www.sharedownershiphomes.org/blog)
but bear in mind if you are interested in taking this forward with your organisation,
you need to register your interest before 31 March 2011.

What do you think?

(original image source: Mike Jones, Investor Today, http://www.rgmdigital.com/best-
locations-for-property-investment-in-2011/)