By offering both financial investments and expert business support, Adventure Capital Fund gives community enterprises the opportunity to excel. On its website, Adventure Capital Fund stresses the importance of getting a social and financial return on its investments. The end goal is that the community enterprises the company funds are given the tools needed to become a long-term organization that is able to support itself.
Founded in December 2002, Adventure Capital Fund’s initial goal was to experiment using venture capitalist-style funding for community enterprises. In its first years, it boasted £9 million of investments.
Eligible organizations must be a community-led enterprise located in England and must employ at least one full-time staff member. Furthermore, eligible organizations must be involved in trading or other income-generating activities, and that income must be put back into the organization in order to further benefit the community. What is more, Adventure Capital Fund has identified certain "Priority Areas" that are of particular interest to their investments, including organizations led by minority groups and organizations located in rural areas.
One example of where Adventure Capital Fund’s resources go is ‘Be Totally You,’ a community-sector organization that works with disenfranchised youth in the creative arts. Be Totally You received financial support, capacity-building support and business development, and they continue to plan to make a community impact and serve as a role model. Other organizations who have received Adventure Capital Fund’s Business Development Grant include Cambridge House and Elite Youth.
Adventure Capital Fund gives third-sector organizations the tools and financial resources to succeed and make a long-term difference in their communities.
Contact Information:
Adventure Capital Fund Website
6 St Andrew Street, 5th Floor
London EC4A 3AE
Telephone: 020 7 842 7760
Fax: 020 7 842 7761
Community Enterprise Investors
Adventure Capital Fund Aims to Improve U.K. Neighborhoods
Trend Themes
1. Community-enterprise Collaboration - The trend of community enterprises collaborating with investors opens up opportunities for disruptive innovation in creating sustainable and impactful organizations.
2. Socially Responsible Investing - The trend of socially responsible investing presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in funding organizations that prioritize both social and financial returns.
3. Empowerment Through Financial Support - The trend of empowering community enterprises through financial support provides an opportunity for disruptive innovation in enabling self-sustainability and long-term impact.
Industry Implications
1. Non-profit Management - The non-profit management industry can leverage the trend of community-enterprise collaboration to drive disruptive innovation in sustainable funding models and community impact.
2. Social Impact Investing - The social impact investing industry can seize the trend of socially responsible investing to foster disruptive innovation in funding organizations that prioritize social and financial returns.
3. Community Development - The community development industry can embrace the trend of empowering community enterprises through financial support to drive disruptive innovation in creating self-sustainable organizations that make a long-term difference.