Investing for third sector development

As of 31 April 2009, we had offered investments of £111.6m to 331 organisations, with a further £11.11m of agreements in principle made to seven organisations.

Over the next three years, it is our goal to increase the number and range of public sector contracts won by the third sector. We want to be as flexible as we can with our support, financing and investment loan funding in order to achieve this goal and ensure third sector development in this area.

Investment database

We invest in a wide range of third sector organisations, varying in size, location and stage of organisational development – from small start-ups to large national charities. About a quarter of our investees are small organisations with an income of less than £100,000 a year and nearly half of our investment loan funding is unsecured.

Our investment database contains overviews of investments we have made in the third sector – providing a breakdown of the investment loan or grant, an outline of how the organisation benefitted from it and the public sector contracts it has secured as a result.

Search the database of investments we have made

Success stories

We know that third sector commissioning works. In the last three quarters of 2008, for example, our investees won 90 contracts worth over £16 million. The third sector organisations that have received an investment loan from us say that a Futurebuilders investment gives them increased credibility with commissioners and a better chance of winning public service contracts.

Read a success story