Access - The Foundation For Social Investment

Charity Number: 1159699

Annual Expenditure: £57.0M
Geographic Focus: Throughout England

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £57 million (Access grant deployed by end of 2024)
  • Total Investment Enabled: £153 million to VCSE sector
  • Grant Range: £5,000 - £15,000 (Reach Fund average)
  • Geographic Focus: England, with 65% of grant funding reaching the 40% most deprived areas
  • Organizations Supported: 2,700+ charities and social enterprises

Contact Details

Website: http://access-socialinvestment.org.uk/

Email: info@access-si.org.uk

Phone: 020 7738 2718

Charity Number: 1159699

Company Number: 09153909

For funding enquiries: Organizations seeking investment should visit Good Finance to explore options with Access Point social investors.

Overview

ACCESS - The Foundation for Social Investment was established in 2015 by the UK Government, Big Society Capital, and The National Lottery Community Fund with a mission to “disrupt” the social investment market and make charities and social enterprises in England more financially resilient and self-reliant. By the end of 2024, Access has enabled over £153 million of investment to flow to the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, supporting more than 2,700 organizations through 11 programmes delivered by 122 partners.

Operating as a wholesale funder, Access works through social investment intermediaries rather than making direct grants to end-user organizations. Their innovative approach combines grants with loans into “blended finance” packages, enabling intermediaries to provide smaller-scale, higher-risk, more patient, and flexible finance to charities and social enterprises—particularly smaller organizations in disadvantaged areas. The foundation received £87.5 million from the expanded Dormant Assets Scheme for 2024-28, cementing its role in developing an inclusive social investment market. CEO Seb Elsworth MBE leads the organization, which is chaired by The Rt Hon Nick Hurd, former Minister for Civil Society.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Reach Fund (Managed by Social Investment Business)

  • £5,000 - £15,000 (average; exceptional cases may receive more)
  • Investment readiness grants for charities and social enterprises close to raising repayable finance
  • Must be referred by an approved Access Point (social investor)
  • Supports organizations needing help providing information investors require
  • Rolling application through Access Points

The Growth Fund (2016-2023)

  • Up to £150,000 of flexible finance combining grants with loans
  • £48.6 million deployed to support charities and social enterprises
  • Average investment size approximately £60,000
  • Median borrower turnover just £250,000
  • Successfully made social investment accessible to smaller organizations

Enterprise Grants

  • Grants to help smaller charities and social enterprises access expertise
  • Strengthens business models and builds long-term sustainability
  • Delivered through intermediary partners

Blended Finance Programmes

  • Access provides grants to social investors who match them with loan funding
  • Enables up to 40% grant element where justifiable for cost stabilization or reduction
  • Investment range typically £10,000 - £150,000

Local Access (2019)

  • £10 million from Dormant Assets plus additional funds from Big Society Capital
  • Targeted support for local and regional organizations

Cost of Living and Energy Resilience Programmes (2023)

  • £11 million cost-of-living programme
  • £20 million energy resilience programme
  • Emergency response to sector needs

Priority Areas

  • Geographic equity: Organizations in England's most deprived communities (30% most deprived neighborhoods)
  • Size inclusivity: Smaller charities and social enterprises typically new to social investment
  • Financial resilience: Organizations seeking to diversify income streams and build sustainability
  • Enterprise development: Social enterprises growing impact through business activities
  • Investment readiness: Organizations close to being investment-ready but requiring final capacity building
  • Community impact: Grassroots organizations creating jobs and tackling social problems entrepreneurially

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations outside England
  • Sole traders (minimum of 2 independent Directors required)
  • Organizations distributing more than 50% of post-tax profits (must reinvest at least 51% into social mission)
  • Organizations without asset lock (must have constitutional or contractual lock on social mission, dividend, and surplus distribution)
  • Organizations without good governance
  • Direct applications from charities/social enterprises (must work through Access Point intermediaries)
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Governance and Leadership

Chair

The Rt Hon Nick Hurd

Former Minister for Civil Society and Charities. On his appointment as Chair in 2020, Hurd stated: “I am pleased to rejoin the collective effort to make it easier for our charities and social enterprises to access the capital they need. Access fills an important gap and I am a great admirer of both what they do and how they do it.” He has emphasized: “You want these people to be leading their businesses, not endlessly going around cap in hand and bending to the prejudices of funders.”

Chief Executive

Seb Elsworth MBE

Awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2022 for services to Social Investment. Elsworth joined Access from inception and brings extensive experience in social investment and public policy. On Access's mission, he states: “Our grants allow social investment fund managers to attract other financing. We are an enabler of further financing by providing the key to removing barriers. The grants we give effectively absorb any potential losses and allow finance to flow.”

Senior Leadership Team

  • Chloe Stables - Director of Partnerships and Advocacy
  • Lydia Levy - Director of Impact and Evaluation
  • Neil Berry - Director of Programmes
  • Mel Palmer - Director of Finance and Operations
  • Helena Tuxworth - Head of Blended Finance

Trustees

  • Kate Kuper - Senior Independent Trustee
  • Franz Ranero - Trustee and Chair of Investment Committee
  • Emilie Goodall - Trustee and Chair of Endowment Committee
  • Sue Cooper - Trustee and Chair of Audit and Risk Committee
  • Rob Williamson - Trustee
  • Jane Ide - Trustee
  • Heather Hilburn - Trustee
  • Roshana Arasaratnam - Trustee
  • Hamzah Sarwar - Trustee
  • Simon Hewett-Avison - Trustee
  • Felicia Mattis-Rome - Trustee
  • Whitni Thomas - Trustee

The board brings experience from charities, social enterprises, social investment, business, and finance. Trustees serve three-year terms with a maximum of three terms. Governance includes an Audit and Risk Committee, Endowment Committee, and Investment Committee.

How to Apply to Access - The Foundation For Social Investment

How to Apply

ACCESS DOES NOT ACCEPT DIRECT APPLICATIONS from charities or social enterprises. Access operates as a wholesale funder, working exclusively through approved social investment intermediaries and Access Point partners.

For Charities and Social Enterprises Seeking Funding:

  1. Visit Good Finance (www.goodfinance.org.uk) - Access's funding seeker platform to explore investment opportunities
  2. Connect with an Access Point - A list of approved Access Point social investors is available through Social Investment Business
  3. Work with a Social Investor - Access Points include organizations like Resonance, Key Fund, Sporting Capital, Social Investment Business, and others
  4. Access Point Referral Required - For the Reach Fund, your Access Point will refer you if you meet eligibility criteria

For Social Investors and Intermediaries:

Access is currently accepting applications for the 2025-28 funding round following the Government's allocation of £87.5 million from the Dormant Assets Scheme. Social investors and intermediaries should visit the Access website for application guidance.

Eligibility Criteria (for organizations working with Access Points):

  • Located in England
  • Charity or social enterprise with asset lock
  • Reinvests at least 51% of surpluses into social mission
  • Distributes less than 50% of post-tax profits
  • Good governance with minimum of 2 independent Directors
  • Not a sole trader

Reach Fund Specific Criteria:

  • Close to raising repayable finance (within 6-12 months)
  • Working with an Access Point who has indicated missing information preventing investment
  • Specific investment goal (not general capacity building)

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary depending on the specific programme and Access Point partner involved. The Reach Fund operates on a rolling basis once referred by an Access Point, with decisions typically made within weeks rather than months. Organizations work directly with their Access Point on timelines.

Success Rates

By end of 2024, Access deployed £57 million in grant funding and enabled £96 million in repayable investment, reaching 2,700+ charities and social enterprises. Specific application success rates are not published as Access works through intermediaries rather than direct applications. However, key outcomes include:

  • 600 grants and loans deployed through the Growth Fund by 14 social investors
  • 44% of funding goes to organizations not previously funded by major funders/investors
  • Average investment size approximately £60,000 across programmes
  • Median borrower income just £250,000 (significantly smaller than typical social investment recipients)

Reapplication Policy

As Access funds through intermediaries, reapplication policies are managed by individual Access Point partners. According to general Access guidance, unsuccessful applicants can reapply, and new applications are “considered on their own merits” without preferential or adverse treatment based on previous outcomes.

Application Success Factors

What Access and Their Partners Look For:

1. Organizations Demonstrating Financial Resilience Goals

Access prioritizes organizations seeking to build long-term sustainability rather than dependence on grant funding. As Seb Elsworth explains: "You want these people to be leading their businesses, not endlessly going around cap in hand and bending to the prejudices of funders. That's always underlined to me the importance of developing access to social investment."

2. Investment Readiness with Specific Goals

For the Reach Fund, organizations must have a specific investment purpose (not general capacity building) and be close to raising repayable finance within 6-12 months. The grants help organizations provide information that investors need to make decisions.

3. Geographic Priority Areas

Access has succeeded in its equity mission: 65% of grant funding reaches the 40% most deprived areas in England, with 24% reaching the 10% most deprived areas. Organizations in underserved communities align with Access's founding mission to “disrupt” the social investment market.

4. Smaller, Grassroots Organizations

Access explicitly targets organizations typically excluded from social investment. The median turnover of borrowing organizations is just £250,000, and organizations are “on average half the size and have an eighth of the asset base” compared to typical social investment recipients.

5. Entrepreneurial Approaches to Social Problems

Nick Hurd emphasizes Access's focus on “charities and social enterprises that take entrepreneurial approaches to tackling social problems and creating jobs and growth.” Organizations should demonstrate business thinking alongside social mission.

6. Strong Governance and Asset Lock

All organizations must have good governance (minimum 2 independent Directors), an asset lock ensuring at least 51% of surpluses reinvest in social mission, and distribute less than 50% of post-tax profits.

Case Study Examples of Funded Organizations:

The Skill Mill - Social enterprise reducing youth reoffending; employed 225 young people over seven years with 75% moving to employment, education, or training

Ebikebrum (Birmingham) - Community cycle café secured £83,000 under the Growth Fund to expand community activities and purchase equipment for cycling programmes in deprived communities

IndiRock (Southend) - Transformed empty shopping center unit into community hub with bouldering wall and coffee shop. Leadership quote: “We wanted to be part of a future where Southend got its soul back.”

KYP (Rochdale) - Post-COVID support helped rebuild expertise and track record to secure funding again. Quote: “Our building needed repairs and our funding applications were put on hold.”

CAST - Expanded reach helping young people develop skills through fishing and nature work. Quote: "If we hadn't got the loan, we'd have developed much more slowly."

Library of Stuff (Hull) - Enterprise grants and social investment helped expand the CIC. Quote: “We want people to buy less, and repair, reuse and recycle.”

TellJO - Tech startup supporting people facing problem debt. Quote: "It's hard to invest for the long term when you're living hand to mouth."

Language and Terminology to Use:

  • Blended finance (combining grants with loans)
  • Investment readiness
  • Financial resilience and sustainability
  • Asset lock and social mission
  • Repayable finance
  • Enterprise development
  • Disrupting the market (Access's founding mission)
  • Patient capital and flexible finance

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • You cannot apply directly to Access - You must work through an approved Access Point social investor. Visit Good Finance (www.goodfinance.org.uk) to find appropriate social investors.
  • Access prioritizes equity and inclusion - 65% of their grant funding reaches the 40% most deprived areas in England. Organizations in underserved communities and smaller organizations (median £250k turnover) are exactly who Access was founded to support.
  • Demonstrate investment readiness, not just need - Access exists to help organizations access repayable finance, not replace grant dependency. Show you're moving toward financial sustainability with specific investment goals.
  • Asset lock and governance are non-negotiable - You must reinvest at least 51% of surpluses into your social mission, have an asset lock, and maintain good governance with minimum 2 independent Directors.
  • The Reach Fund is for the final stretch - If you're 6-12 months away from being investment-ready and need help providing specific information an investor requires, the Reach Fund (£5k-£15k) can bridge that gap.
  • Think blended finance - Access pioneered combining grants with loans to create flexible financial products. Be open to mixed funding structures rather than grants-only thinking.
  • Access is a systems-change organization - They're focused on market development and removing barriers, not just funding individual organizations. Understanding their wholesale model and mission to “disrupt” the market will help you connect with the right intermediaries.

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