Social Investment Scotland

What Social Investment Scotland does

Social Investment Scotland (SIS) is an Edinburgh-based social enterprise and charity founded in 2000/2001 that provides loan finance and business support to social enterprises, charities, and community groups across the UK. Its core lending products — the SIS Community Finance Fund (£25k-£375k), Scottish Social Growth Fund (£100k-£500k, terms up to 14 years), SIS Bridging Loans, and the Growth Guarantee Scheme — generate interest income at 7-12% per annum on a £52m active loan book spanning 216 customers. Interest rates are assessed case-by-case and fixed for the loan term.

SIS operates a dual distribution model: direct relationship-based lending in Scotland through a team of ~15-25 staff, and fund management of the £72m Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF) deployed through four CDFI partners (BCRS Business Loans, Business Enterprise Fund, Finance For Enterprise, SWIG Finance) across England and Wales. SIS Ventures, the FCA-authorised equity arm formed in 2018, invests in impact-led businesses in healthcare, biotech, and sustainability but is currently focused on existing portfolio management rather than new deals.

The revenue model combines loan interest, arrangement fees, and fund management fees from CIEF, supplemented by grant income from institutional backers including Better Society Capital, Lloyds Bank, Triodos Bank, Virgin Money, NatWest, Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, and Zero Waste Scotland. All profits are reinvested into the mission. Non-financial support includes the Investment Readiness Tool, Ambitions leadership programme, and Business Associates Support Programme. The organisation is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by George Walker, with CEO Alastair Davis OBE leading the executive team.

Name

Social Investment Scotland

Legal name

Social Investment Scotland

Website

https://socialinvestmentscotland.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Social Investment Scotland is an Edinburgh-based charity and social enterprise that provides loan finance (£25k-£875k) and business support to UK social enterprises, charities, and community groups via direct lending in Scotland and fund management of a £72m CIEF programme through CDFI partners across England and Wales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Revenue: SIS generates revenue primarily through interest charged on loans provided to social enterprises, charities, and community groups. Interest rates are calculated on a case-by-case basis and range from approximately 7-12% per annum for term loans and around 12% per annum for bridging loans. As a social enterprise and charity, all profits are reinvested into the mission to support more impactful enterprises.
2. Loan Arrangement Fees: Arrangement fees are typically applied alongside interest rates for loan products. These one-time fees contribute to operational costs and are structured based on loan size and complexity.
3. Fund Management Fees (CIEF): SIS manages the £72 million Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF) on behalf of cornerstone funders including Lloyds Bank and Better Society Capital, deploying capital through CDFIs. Management fees from this fund administration contribute to operational revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Social Investment Scotland (SIS) is a charity and social enterprise that provides loan funding (£25k–£875k) and business support programmes to social enterprises, charities and community groups in Scotland and across the UK. It also manages the £72m Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF), deploying capital through a network of CDFIs in England and Wales, and operates SIS Ventures, an FCA-authorised impact equity investor.

Product overview

Social Investment Scotland offers a portfolio of loan funding products and business support programmes for social enterprises, charities, and community groups in Scotland and across the UK. The core offerings include the SIS Community Finance Fund (£25K-£375K loans), SIS Bridging Loans for grant-funded projects, Scottish Social Growth Fund (£100K-£500K), Growth Guarantee Scheme (up to £375K via British Business Bank), Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF - fund management for CDFIs), and SIS Ventures (equity investment for impact-led businesses). Beyond funding, SIS provides the Investment Readiness Tool (free diagnostic), the Ambitions Programme (leadership development), and the Business Associates Support Programme (expert consultancy support).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SIS Community Finance Fund Flexible, affordable loan funding for charities and social enterprises across Scotland, with both term loans and bridging loans ranging from £25,001 to £375,000. Fixed interest rates calculated on a case-by-case basis.
• SIS Bridging Loans Short-term cashflow loans for social enterprises and charities that have confirmed grant awards paid retrospectively, helping them deliver grant-funded projects on time. Fixed-rate, with no personal guarantees required.
• Scottish Social Growth Fund Flexible loan finance from £100K to £500K with terms up to 14 years for Scottish social enterprises and charities looking to scale, invest in assets, or improve financial resilience. Fixed interest rates with flexible repayment options.
• Growth Guarantee Scheme UK government-backed term loans from £25,001 to £375,000 for small businesses and third-sector organisations, with a 70% government guarantee against outstanding balance. Term loans available from 3 months to 6 years.
• Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF) Fund managed by SIS providing growth capital to micro and small businesses unable to access mainstream funding, deployed via regional CDFIs (BCRS Business Loans, Business Enterprise Fund, Finance For Enterprise, SWIG Finance) across England and Wales. Cornerstone funders include Lloyds Bank and Better Society Capital.
• SIS Ventures FCA-authorised impact investor investing equity and venture capital in high-growth impact-led enterprises tackling societal challenges in areas including healthcare, biotechnology, and environmental sustainability. Currently focused on existing portfolio management.
• Investment Readiness Tool Free-to-use self-evaluation diagnostic tool helping social enterprises and charities assess their readiness for social investment through a structured questionnaire.
• Ambitions Programme Structured leadership development programme for founders, CEOs and senior leaders of impact-driven organisations, focused on strengthening leadership, sharpening strategy and growing social impact through expert-led sessions, peer learning and practical support.
• SIS Business Associates Support Programme Programme offering up to four days of tailored consultancy support from experienced associates to help social enterprise leaders tackle practical challenges including operations, strategy, and financial planning.
• SP Energy Networks Community Benefit Fund Workshops Free workshops delivered in partnership with SP Energy Networks to help community groups understand and access the Community Benefit Fund for social, economic, and environmental projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6.1 million people benefited from SIS investee activities in 2024-2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.

• SP Energy NetworkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026Partnership to deliver free workshops helping community groups understand and access SP Energy Networks' Community Benefit Fund. Workshops cover capacity building and project development, tailored to support needs around financial resilience, educational inclusion, employability, social/digital inclusion, wellbeing, community spaces, green spaces, and sustainable transport.
• Postcode Innovation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Delivered Ambitions 2026 Programme in partnership with Postcode Innovation Trust. The programme supports leaders of impact-led organisations across Scotland to strengthen leadership, sharpen strategy and grow social impact. Built on success of previous cohorts with expert-led sessions, peer learning and practical support.
• BCRS Business LoanscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCDFI partner for CIEF deployment in West Midlands and Wales. Provided £175k MBO funding for Ridgeway Manufacturing. Has delivered £4m+ in CIEF loans supporting 49 SMEs, creating/protecting 669 jobs.
• Business Enterprise FundcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCDFI partner for CIEF deployment. Part of network providing growth capital to MSMEs unable to access mainstream funding.
• Finance For EnterprisecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCDFI partner for CIEF deployment. Contributing to £72m initiative supporting MSMEs across England and Wales.
• SWIG FinancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFourth CDFI partner joining CIEF in 2025 with £10m facility for South and West Country deployment. Enables expansion of geographical reach to support underserved smaller businesses.
• Zero Waste ScotlandkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental agency partner. Provided £850k grant funding to MiAlgae alongside SIS Ventures investment. Partner in sustainability-focused initiatives.
• WCVA (Wales Council for Voluntary Action)keyGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to deliver Funding Socials Cymru events in Wales. WCVA's inspiring in-person event series designed for charity and social enterprise leaders considering growth plans and social investment.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/socinvestscot
• Facebookfacebook.com/socialinvestmentscotland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/social-investment-scotland
• Xx.com/socinvestscot

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments6 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Social Investment Scotland