More support available on social investment for charity and social enterprise boards
Howard Lake | 20 September 2016 | News
Charity trustees and social enterprise non-executive directors will be able to get free information and support as part of a new campaign to help boards understand the opportunities and risks of social investment.
Get Informed is presented by Big Society Capital, The Charity Commission, Trustees Unlimited, Association of Chairs, Honorary Treasurer’s Forum, Reach Volunteering and Cass Centre for Charity Excellence.
The campaign has been developed following reports from the Association of Chairs that showed a clear need for better support for board members in their personal development, and from the Charity Commission that highlight the need for a skilled and engaged board to be able to consider alternative funding methods.
It will explain:
- whether social investment could be relevant for an organisation’s strategy
- how charities and social enterprises are using it in practice
- issues that should be considered from a board perspective.
The campaign will consist of free practical support, guidance and information via events and workshops, resources and materials on social investment, peer-to-peer networks, board facilitated sessions and mentors.
Azlina Bulmer, Vice-Chair of The Works Charity and one of the ‘faces’ of the campaign involved said:
“Social investment has provided us with the working capital needed to grow and meet the needs of the charity. Whilst it might not be right for every organisation, it is important that boards better understand the various options available and explore whether social investment can support their charitable mission.”
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Geetha Rabindrakumar, Head of Social Sector Engagement at Big Society Capital said:
“We consistently hear that charity and social enterprises boards need more support if they are to engage meaningfully with alternative funding models – Get Informed is our response to help address this. We’re delighted to be collaborating with a group of organisations who all have expertise and an interest in strengthening governance in the sector, and their input has been invaluable.”
The free support is available by signing up at Big Society Capital.
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.