Social enterprise investor expands to North West
Howard Lake | 26 July 2012 | News
The Key Fund, the Sheffield-based investor in social enterprises, is expanding its team to serve enterprises with social aims in the North West of England.
The Key Fund is itself a social enterprise. It offer advise and finance solutions to social entrepreneurs and community groups, helping only those who have been turned down by traditional banks.
Its funding and support has helped community-owned assets such as failing pubs and swimming pools restored by community groups and turned into social hubs.
It provides investments from £2,500 to £150,000 to social enterprises based or working in the North and North Midlands.
It has been making loans for ten years, during which time it has invested over £25 million in over 2,000 third sector organisations, funding over 6,500 training opportunities and 146 new business start-ups.
Matt Smith, Fund Manager at the Key Fund, said: “In light of the Libor scandal and the general anger around mainstream banks, we’ve experienced a growing demand for finance and business with a social heart. The organisations we help not only become sustainable social enterprises but give something back to their communities.”
The Key Fund celebrates the tenth anniversary of its first loan this year and has to date awarded over £25m in over 2,000 third sector organisations, funding over 6,500 training opportunities, 146 new business start-ups creating 813 jobs while and safeguarding 716 jobs.
www.thekeyfund.co.uk
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.