Social Investment Business reopens £4M fund for Black-led charities
What's the deal? Social Investment BusinessDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, The Ubele Initiative, and Create Equity have reopened the Flexible Finance Fund, a £4 million blended-finance programme for Black and racially minoritised-led charities and social enterprises in England. The grant funding comes from Access — The Foundation for Social Investment.
How it works: The fund pairs loans of £50,000 to £1.5 million with grants worth 50% to 100% of the loan value, capped at £200,000. It aims to reach 15 to 25 organisations, with the three partners offering support throughout the application process.
Why now? The refreshed fund follows the previous four years of Flexible Finance, which closed earlier this year. Research led by Social Investment Business found lower rates of social investment among Black and racially minoritised-led organisations — a gap the fund is designed to narrow.
What's the endgame? The programme targets organisations that have struggled to access conventional borrowing, helping them invest in growth, assets, and resilience. London-based ARK Resettlement Services, which supports people leaving prison, used earlier funding to buy a five-bedroom property and expand its housing capacity.
"Flexible Finance is designed to address some of the barriers that have historically made investment harder to access, combining grant and loan funding in a way that better meets organisations' needs," said Rob Benfield, director of investments at Social Investment Business.
What could go wrong? This is a blended offer, not a grant pot: the loan element still requires repayment, at a stated fixed rate of 7.9%. The fund's scale is also modest against sector-wide need.
The signal: The programme joins recent efforts to steer capital towards Black- and Global Majority-led organisations, including a £1.5 million social-investment pilot from Trust for LondonDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, City Bridge Foundation, and Esmée Fairbairn FoundationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → in 2025. Its dedicated, grant-backed structure stands out, even if the money involved remains limited.
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