Contact person
Linda Wickstrom
Contact email
Website
Impact Report

Big Issue Invest, the investment arm of Big Issue Group, supports social enterprises and charities to deliver social, economic and environmental impact across the UK. 
 

Since 2005 we have supported hundreds of organisations with £80+ million in funding. Our investments are tailored to fit the needs of our investees, who we work closely with throughout their journey to grow and deliver positive impact for individuals, in their local communities and wider society.
 
We offer a range of repayable finance options, from loans as small as £20,000 to larger investments of up to £4 million. Alongside this we offer investment-readiness grants, corporate mentoring, impact measurement and a dedicated account manager support to help your organisation make the most of the investment.
 
To find out more about the Big Issue Invest and our investment options, visit us on https://www.bigissue.com/invest/investments-funds-programmes/ 

Our Funds

Growth Impact Fund

The Growth Impact Fund offers businesses investment and support to entrepreneurs to grow their impact and sales. They support organisations with diverse representation at board and leadership level.
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Impact Loans England

Through our Impact Loans England programme, Big Issue Invest is offering loan finance between £20,000 and £400,000 to social enterprises and charities in England. Some of our funds also have non-repayable grant layers included of up to 20%.
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London Housing Fund

With support from the Greater London Authority, Big Issue Invest launched a £10 million Fund to finance the provision of new affordable housing in London.
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Social Impact Debt Fund IV

The Big Issue Invest Social Impact Debt Fund IV lends £1m-£4m to established socially impactful organisations in the UK, with a history of revenue generation, profitability, and assets to support secured debt.
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Our Case Studies

Hemlington Lake Recreation Centre
Hemlington Lake Recreation Centre

Tees Valley Community Asset Preservation Trust is a registered charity (CIO) which was established in 2015 in response to local government spending cuts.

 

Duration
7 years
Cost of capital
6.5%
Turnover
£126,000
Amount invested
£35,600
Investor
Big Issue Invest
  • Product type
    Blended – part grant, part loan
View details
Image shows 3 people behind the desk at a cafe
Cafe van Gogh

Café van Gogh is a restaurant with a social and environmental mission in Brixton. Apart from serving delicious vegan and seasonally changing food, the restaurant also provides employment and training opportunities for people additional needs, like learning disabilities and mental health challenges.

Duration
3 years (extended to 5 due to the pandemic)
Cost of capital
7.5%
Turnover
£427K
Amount invested
£19,200 (unsecured)
Investor
Big Issue Invest
  • Product type
    Unsecured loan (incl. overdrafts)
View details
Wolverton Communtiy Energy - outside of a building with solar panels on
Wolverton Community Energy

Wolverton Community Energy are based in Milton Keynes. They develop and manage community-owned solar PV and supply greener, cheaper solar energy to local businesses, the majority of which are charities and social enterprises. In addition, they run projects which help to improve energy efficiency within their community. This includes the Home Energy MK programme, supporting homeowners wishing to stop heat loss from their homes and cut energy costs.

Duration
14 years
Cost of capital
5-6%
Turnover
£55,000
Amount invested
£257,000
Investor
Big Issue Invest
  • Product type
    Blended – part grant, part loan
View details