Social Business Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £8.49m (2023/24)
• Success Rate: ~1.6% (highly selective - 13 selected from 800+ ventures in first 5 years)
• Decision Time: Rolling basis with rigorous due diligence process
• Grant Range: £430,000 - £800,000 (typical support packages over 3 years)
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide
• Portfolio Size: 24 social enterprises (2023/24)

Contact Details

Address: New Wing, Somerset House, London, WC2R 1LA

Email: info@socialbusinesstrust.org

Alternative contact: joanne@socialbusinesstrust.org

Phone: 07733 432970

Website: www.socialbusinesstrust.org

Charity Number: 1136151

Company Number: 7242976

Overview

Social Business Trust (SBT) was founded in December 2010 by Sir Damon Buffini (founding partner of Permira) and Adele Blakebrough MBE, a leading social entrepreneur. The organization is a partnership of world-class businesses sharing a common goal: to use their combined resources and experience to help accelerate the growth of ambitious social enterprises. In 2023/24, SBT distributed £8.49m in charitable activities, supporting 24 social enterprises with £8m in business expertise and funding. SBT operates a unique leverage model - for every £100,000 donated, they on average grant £300,000 to social enterprises through combined cash and in-kind support from corporate partners. The organization has helped over 3 million people since its inception and maintains an extremely selective acceptance rate of approximately 1.6%, choosing only the highest-growth potential social enterprises through a rigorous private-equity style due diligence process.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Core Support Packages: £430,000 - £800,000 (typical range over 3 years)

• Combines cash grants with extensive pro-bono business support from corporate partners
• Tailored packages addressing specific organizational challenges
• Recent examples include:
• The Brilliant Club: £800,000
• Twining Enterprise: £485,000
• User Voice: £580,000
• I CAN: £515,000
• Brightside: £430,000

Digital Impact Fund: Supported by Permira Foundation

• £350,000 invested across nine social enterprises
• Over £190,000 in second round across seven organizations
• Focuses on accelerating digital transformation projects

SBT Design Programme: Application method not specified

• Hands-on support for high-growth potential social enterprises
• Helps plan and prepare for next phase of growth

Priority Areas

SBT focuses exclusively on three sectors:

• Education: Improving the education system and outcomes
• Employment: Helping people from disadvantaged backgrounds into jobs
• Health and Wellbeing: Supporting better health outcomes for all age groups

Key Selection Criteria:

• Compelling mission aligned with priority areas
• Inspiring leadership with ambition to grow
• Annual revenues greater than £1 million (or on track to achieve in 18 months)
• Significant proportion of earned income (not from donations or grants)
• Based mainly in the UK
• Registered charities or organizations with clear charitable purpose (e.g., CICs with asset lock)
• High growth potential and ability to scale impact

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations outside education, employment, and health/wellbeing sectors
• Social enterprises with revenues under £1 million (unless clearly on track to reach this in 18 months)
• Organizations primarily funded by grants and donations (must have significant earned income)
• Organizations based outside the UK
• Organizations without clear charitable purpose or asset lock

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Governance and Leadership

CEO and Executive Team

Joanne Hay, Chief Executive

• Appointed CEO in late 2022 after serving as Deputy CEO
• PhD in environmental science from Kings College London
• Previously worked in Prime Minister's delivery unit, advised Number 10 on reforms
• Led strategic reforms at NSPCC and was CEO of education charity Power2

Adele Blakebrough MBE, Co-Founder and Senior Advisor

• Co-founded SBT with Damon Buffini in 2010
• Served as CEO for almost 12 years until 2022
• Quote: “I get excited every day by their successes and the way that I see them developing. The money that we have given them is a gift. The time that we have given to them is a gift. The reward is seeing those beneficiary numbers grow.”
• Known as “a witty and highly engaging speaker, who is never afraid to tell stories about things that have gone wrong in order to help people understand how to improve their chances of getting things right”

Board of Trustees

Larissa Joy, Chair

• Non-executive Director
• Quote: “I am struck by the expertise and energy of SBT working with its corporate partners.”

Harry Nicholson, Treasurer

• Strategy consulting background
• Quote: "SBT's ability to focus skills and resources gives huge leverage."

Simon Milton, Founding Trustee

• Founder and CEO of Pulse
• Quote: “Helping highly innovative social enterprises identify key areas of development.”

Other Trustees:

• Paul Armstrong, Partner at Ropes and Gray LLP
• Michael Crossan, Former Partner at Clifford Chance LLP
• Guy Davies, Former Partner and Head of Financing at Permira
• Anne Drakeford, Partner at Clifford Chance
• Jan-Coos Geesink, Former Chief Revenue Officer at Refinitiv
• James Hadley, UK Managing Partner at Bain & Co
• Madeleine Hale, Senior Advisor at Dell Technologies

Corporate Partners

SBT's unique model leverages expertise from leading firms including:

• Bain & Company
• Charles Russell Speechlys
• Clifford Chance
• EY
• Financial Times
• Permira
• Permira Credit
• Refinitiv (now part of Thomson Reuters)
• Schroders
• Thomson Reuters

These partners provide both financial resources and professional staff for secondments, strategic advice, legal support, HR, finance, IT, and other business services.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Rolling Applications: Applications can be submitted at any time by emailing the Trust

Selection Process:

1. Initial expression of interest via email to info@socialbusinesstrust.org
2. Review of eligibility criteria and organizational fit
3. Detailed private-equity style due diligence process
4. Final decision by Investment Committee (composed of senior executives from corporate partners)

SBT operates a “disciplined venture-capital style model – to invest in high growth potential, with a highly selective due diligence process to pick winners.”

Note: SBT states "We can't work with all the social enterprises we meet" - they are highly selective by design.

Decision Timeline

• Application method: Rolling basis
• Typical timeline: Not specified, but involves rigorous due diligence process
• Support duration: Typically 3 years for major support packages
• Leverage model: For every £1 in cash donations, SBT grants £3 in total value through combined cash and services

Success Rates

Extremely Selective: Of more than 800 ventures considered in the first five years, SBT chose to work with just 13 social enterprises, representing approximately 1.6% acceptance rate.

Portfolio Growth:

• 2015 (5 years): 13 social enterprises
• 2014/15: 250 enterprises reviewed
• 2023/24: 24 social enterprises supported
• 2023/24 Impact: 100% of CEOs reported organizational impact growth

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly available. Contact SBT directly for guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

What SBT Looks For

Essential Characteristics:

• Compelling Mission: Clear social purpose aligned with education, employment, or health/wellbeing
• Inspiring Leaders: Strong leadership with vision and capacity for growth
• Ambition to Grow: Demonstrated potential to scale impact significantly
• Business Model: Significant earned income (not grant-dependent)
• Financial Scale: £1m+ annual revenue or clear trajectory to reach this in 18 months
• Growth Readiness: Ability to absorb and benefit from intensive business support

Recent Portfolio Examples

Organizations recently or currently supported include:

• LEYF (Largest investment to date): Growth strategy, IT strategy, business mentoring since 2011
• Bikeworks CIC: Since 2022; provided 50,000+ unique cycling experiences and 14,000+ all-ability sessions
• Hestia Charity: Services for adults living beyond crisis
• City Harvest: Food redistribution
• Jamie's Farm: Residential farming experiences for vulnerable young people
• Leap Confronting Conflict: Conflict resolution
• West London Zone: Coordinated support for children

Strategic Approach

SBT works closely with leadership teams to:

• Understand plans for sustainable growth
• Identify challenges and opportunities ahead
• Provide matched expertise from corporate partners
• Co-invest in specific initiatives (new roles, systems, ventures)
• Build long-term, trust-based partnerships

Language and Terminology

SBT uses business-focused language reflecting their corporate partnership model:

• “Scale-up” and “growth potential”
• “Due diligence” and “investment committee”
• “Earned income” and “trading”
• “Beneficiary numbers” and “impact growth”
• “Strategic support” and “business expertise”

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Only apply if you meet the £1m revenue threshold - This is a strict requirement unless you can demonstrate a clear path to reach £1m within 18 months. SBT is designed for social enterprises ready to scale, not early-stage organizations.

1. Demonstrate earned income model - SBT specifically looks for organizations with significant trading income, not those primarily dependent on grants and donations. Show strong business fundamentals alongside social impact.

1. Prepare for rigorous scrutiny - With a ~1.6% acceptance rate and private-equity style due diligence, expect a thorough examination of your business model, leadership, growth strategy, and impact measurement.

1. Show ambitious growth plans - SBT wants to see organizations that can significantly increase their beneficiary reach and social impact. Be ready to articulate how you'll grow 50-70% or more with their support.

1. Focus on one of three sectors - Ensure your mission clearly aligns with education, employment, or health and wellbeing. Applications outside these areas will not be considered.

1. Emphasize leadership capacity - With their focus on “inspiring leaders,” demonstrate your leadership team's vision, experience, and ability to manage rapid growth and absorb intensive business support.

1. Articulate specific business challenges - SBT's support packages are tailored to address specific organizational needs (IT, HR, strategy, legal, finance). Clearly identify where business expertise would accelerate your growth.

1. Don't be intimidated by the corporate model - While SBT uses venture capital language and processes, they are mission-driven and committed to social impact. Show you're business-minded but social-purpose led.

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• Postcode Innovation Trust
• Trust for London
• JOHN LYON'S CHARITY
• The Westminster Foundation
• THE CHILDHOOD TRUST
• The Rayne Foundation
• Greater London Authority
• Kent County Council
• Garfield Weston Foundation
• CITY HARVEST
• HIGHBURY
• THE DE BRYE CHARITABLE TRUST
• THE HARDY FAMILY FOUNDATION
• ALL OUR CHILDREN
• SUPPORT FOR SURVIVORS
• THE LEWIS FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST
• Google
• People’s Postcode Lottery
• Bank of England
• Financial Times

References

1. Social Business Trust official website: https://socialbusinesstrust.org/
2. Charity Commission Register - Social Business Trust (1136151): https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5009866 - Financial data for year ending 31 May 2024
3. “The story of Social Business Trust,” Pioneers Post, October 7, 2015: https://www.pioneerspost.com/news-views/20151007/the-story-of-social-business-trust
4. Social Business Trust - Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Business_Trust
5. Social Business Trust - Funding Scotland: https://funding.scot/funds/a0Rb00000097Cs6EAE/social-business-trust
6. “Adele Blakebrough MBE hands the SBT CEO baton to Joanne Hay,” Social Business Trust: https://www.socialbusinesstrust.org/news/adele-blakebrough-hands-the-sbt-ceo-baton-to-joanne-hay
7. "SBT and Permira Foundation's Digital Impact Fund," Social Business Trust: https://socialbusinesstrust.org/news/digital-that-does-good-sbt-and-permira-foundations-digital-impact-fund/
8. "Bain & Company and EY partner of Social Business Trust," Consultancy.uk, February 13, 2013: https://www.consultancy.uk/news/3069/bain-company-and-ey-partner-of-social-business-trust
9. Social Business Trust Trustees page: https://socialbusinesstrust.org/people/trustees/
10. “Valuable Support from Social Business Trust,” Twining Enterprise: https://www.twiningenterprise.org.uk/about_us/news/407_valuable_support_from_social_business_trust