Repayable finance from Venturesome

At CAF, we understand the financial challenges that social enterprises and charities face.

That's why, where other lenders may be unable to help, our social investment loans are often unsecured and are a source of affordable, flexible finance to help you reach your goals.

Last year we made social investments to 31 organisations worth £3m. Read our 2021-22 annual performance summary to find out more.

View our latest impact report to read the stories of social organisations who have sustained and amplified their social impact with Venturesome or explore our current social investment funds below.

Venturesome funds

Our range of social investment products means that we can lend anything between £10,000 and £600,000+ depending on the fund.

The Development Fund

Our Development Fund loans from £25,000 to £600,000+ up to 10 years at a fixed rate of 6.5% and in some cases we can offer a grant alongside our loans to support your high impact social organisations adapt and/or strengthen the resilience of your business model.

Get in touch about this fund

Social Business Impact Programme

Our Social Business Impact Programme is specifically for social businesses in London led by women and other marginalised genders, from minority-ethnic backgrounds. Working with Hatch Enterprise and with support from by JPMorgan Chase, we are offering social businesses up to £70,000 in blended finance.

Get in touch about this fund


Community Led Housing Fund

Our Community Led Housing Fund offers loans and blended finance from £20,000 to £400,000+ to organisations building affordable homes in the community.

Get in touch about this fund


SE-Assist Fund

Our place-based SE-Assist Fund works with businesses, the community and the public sector to help early stage social enterprises with interest free loans, including blended finance (part loan/part grant) packages up to £30,000.

Please click here to register your interest

Think social investment could be for you?

Get in touch with our team to see how we can help your organisation get started with your application for social investment.

"The relationship with Venturesome is very open, honest and very supportive. I didn't realise when I first applied for a loan that you would get more than just money."

Caroline Morgan, CEO of Local Food Links

Need extra support?

We are an access point for the Reach Fund. We can help you get a grant of up to £15,000 to help you prepare for social investment. 

 

Frequently asked questions

  • How does social investment with CAF Venturesome work?

    Here's our simple five step process:

    1. Get in touch with us via call or email. We’ll then arrange a time to talk through your needs to make sure social investment is the right option for your organisation.
    2. We'll look at your organisation’s finances and projections to understand how we can support you.
    3. We’ll meet with you and your trustees to get to know your organisation and understand your social impact.
    4. We'll write the application for you.
    5. Our investment committee will review your application and we’ll let you know our decision right away.  We will then help you to draw down the funds as soon as possible.

    We're with you every step of the way.

  • Is my organisation eligible for social investment?

    The main CAF Venturesome funds help organisations that:

    • are incorporated in the UK
    • have a clear social mission
    • have been trading for at least one year
    • have an annual turnover of at least £60,000

    If you meet this criteria we would love to hear from you

  • What type of social investment is available from CAF Venturesome?
    Most of our social investment loans are unsecured (which means we don't take a charge or security against your assets). Our investments are tailored to the needs of the organisations we finance and can be used for specific projects or to support day-to-day working capital..
  • Are you able to provide social investment across the UK?
    Yes, CAF Venturesome can support organisations across the UK. Read more about our geographical reach here.
  • How long will it take you to review our application?
    The length of the application process depends on how quickly you can provide the information we require. We contact applicants quickly so we can better understand your situation and give you a clear indication of what information will be needed. On average our process from application to approval takes two months, although it can be quicker than that.
  • What happens if our application for funding is successful?

    If your application is successful, we’ll offer you a tailor-made funding package to meet your organisation’s agreed needs. One of our expert team is assigned to support your application and will remain in regular contact throughout the process.

  • Who decides if I receive a social investment loan?

    We hold a monthly investment meeting where the applications we write for you are reviewed and can be approved by a dedicated committee. The discussion will focus on understanding the social impact of your organisation and how our investment will help to increase it, as well as assessing the financial risks of the proposed loan. 

  • What happens if our application for funding is unsuccessful?

    If your application is unsuccessful we’ll do our best to signpost you to other potential sources of funding that may suit your needs.

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