One of the largest Voluntary Service Councils in the country, providing essential support to the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise sector in Birmingham.
Key fund has been instrumental in enabling us to complete refurbishment works on two floors of BVSC’s offices. These floors will be rented out, helping generate income that helps sustain BVSC and our charitable aims and activities in Birmingham. Key Fund have been exceptionally supportive throughout the process of application and we are happy to recommend them to other charities and social businesses that need to access to social finance.
Challenge
BVSC previously owned a freehold building in Digbeth, Birmingham, which was sold as part of the Beorma Quarter development in 2022. In 2023, BVSC acquired a new freehold building – Latham House - in the heart of Birmingham’s city centre. This provides the charity with significant potential for development to support its mission.
Solution
BVSC are looking for funding to 1) Renovate two of their six floors and 2) Improve the energy efficiency of their lighting helping improve their financial sustainability and have a better premises to serve their beneficiaries. Their main concern is that costs for energy are (and going to continue to be) disproportionately higher.
Revenue
Multi-faceted. Primarily via project work and regeneration programmes.
Impact
BVSC are instrumental in supporting the third sector in Birmingham, these organisations are tackling key target areas. The refurbishment of the premises promotes long term financial resilience enabling them to carry on their vital work. Coupled with the Energy savings via the LED lighting only supports the enterprise financially via the ERF Fund.
I have had the pleasure of working with BVSC over the last 2 years, particularly in raising awareness of social investment and how blended finance can open doors for enterprises in the West Midlands. It’s clear that BVSC are the backbone for the sector and offer a multitude of vital support mechanisms to hundreds of impactful social enterprises who are helping those most in need. It’s critical that Key Fund equip the sector with as much support as possible, in these challenging times, helping organisations become more resilient which in turn helps them reach the communities who are most in need. .