The Key Fund

Key Fund can support a range of activities including:

• Increasing the staff team
• Paying for IT maintenance and upgrades
• Energy efficiencies, e.g. Solar panels
• New websites
• Marketing and promotion
• Growing your business
• Refurbishment – repairs and maintenance
• Building an asset
• Buying a property

Funding options include:

Flexible Finance Fund – The Flexible Finance Fund is for established community and social enterprises, to complement existing blended funds, with investments up to £150,000

Northern Impact Fund 2 – Providing finance to support the development or growth of trading activity, including cash-flow, working capital, and asset development or purchase, with investments from £5,000 to £150,000

Regional Growth Fund – The fund aims to support the development and growth of economic activity and employment in disadvantaged areas or for disadvantaged groups, by investing in enterprises, and is not restricted to social or community focussed organisations – although KFI will target these organisations with this fund. Investments up to £150,000

Community Business Fund – This fund supports community businesses operating in the North and Midlands, looking to grow or develop trading activity. Loans from £5,000 to £250,000

More than a Pub – This fund aims to support the development of community owned pubs across England, that are incorporated ‘not for profit’ business with clear geography of benefit and be able to demonstrate local engagement in ownership or governance. Investments from £5,000 up to £100,000

Energy Resilience Fund – Is finance to enable community and social enterprises to retrofit energy generating/saving technology on community owned or managed buildings, with an initial focus on stabilising or reducing energy costs. Investment amounts from £10,000 to £150,000

• Your business or social enterprise is based in the Midlands, and are, or intend to form a legal company that’s registered at Companies House
• Your business has a direct social mission at its heart
• You have been declined by a mainstream bank

If they think you could use some additional support in getting ready to apply for investment, they will connect you with the Reach Fund, a grant programme providing free ‘investment readiness’ support to charities and social enterprises.