On March 4, 2025, Voice4Change England hosted an enlightening webinar titled "Cracking the Code: Understanding Social Investment." The event brought together experts from various sectors to demystify social investment for charities and social enterprises seeking to enhance their financial resilience and drive social impact.
Kunle Olulode MBE, Co-Founder of Pathway Fund and Director at Voice4Change England, kicked off the session by introducing the concept of social investment. He emphasised how it can be a powerful tool for organisations to sustain and grow their earned income, particularly for those serving Black and Ethnic Minoritised communities.
Asher Craig, Chief Executive of Pathway Fund, shared insights on the fund's mission to raise £65m-£100m to support social investments benefiting Black and Ethnically Minoritised communities. She discussed social investment providers, introduced Pathway Fund, and highlighted challenges faced by minority-led organisations in accessing funding. She emphasised the importance of equitable and inclusive finance, addressed common misconceptions and barriers in social investment, and explored strategies for organisations to overcome these challenges and achieve long-term sustainability.
Izzy Obeng, Co-Founder and CEO of Foundervine, brought her extensive experience in supporting over 1,200 businesses to start, scale, and raise capital. Izzy Obeng explored the criteria for investment readiness and common barriers faced by charities and social enterprises seeking funding. She shared insights on how Foundervine supports businesses in overcoming challenges to access investment and scale, emphasising strategies for organisations to navigate these hurdles effectively.
Chris Colwell, Lead Investment Manager at Key Fund Investments Limited, provided valuable insights into the assessment process for blended finance investments and he provided an overview of social investment, including its various types. He outlined practical next steps for organisations considering social investment.
Attendees gained a comprehensive understanding of how social investment can be leveraged to achieve their mission and drive meaningful social impact. Feedback from attendees of the webinar was overwhelmingly positive. Participants appreciated the informative speakers, useful advice, and the clear presentation of knowledge and opportunities. Many found that the session provided a comprehensive understanding of social impact funding investment opportunities. The format was praised for its balanced allocation of time between speakers and questions, and for being pitched at an appropriate level for beginners in social investment. Attendees particularly valued the foundational information provided and the explanation of different types of social investment.
Suggestions for improvement included extending the session duration and potentially developing it into a series. Participants expressed interest in future workshops covering topics such as funding for non-profits, pitching techniques, becoming social investment ready, fundraising strategies, corporate investment, and mentoring for organisational development. The desire for more in-depth, practical guidance was evident, with requests for mentoring, one-on-one advice, and a detailed walkthrough of the process to become social investment ready. Overall, the workshop successfully met its objectives while also revealing a strong appetite for further learning opportunities in this field.
This event was part of Voice4Change England's Catalyst Programme, funded by the City Bridge Foundation and the National Lottery Community Fund, aimed at developing resilience and influence in the Black and Minoritised Ethnic (BME) sector.
As the social investment landscape continues to evolve, events like "Cracking the Code" play a crucial role in demystifying the process and empowering organisations to leverage these financial tools for greater social impact.
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