Financial support for social enterprises in Northern Ireland
Guidance on how to access the right financial support to help a social enterprise grow, strengthen operations, and build long‑term sustainability.
Accessing the right financial support can help your social enterprise grow, strengthen operations, and achieve long term financial sustainability. The right funding can enable you to reach more people and communities, improve how your organisation is managed, enhance your services, and build a more resilient business model that supports your mission and future growth.
This guide explains the main financial schemes available to social enterprises in Northern Ireland, including grants, loans, social investment and community finance. It also outlines the key steps to becoming funder ready, helping you prepare your organisation, understand what funders are looking for, and approach funding applications with greater confidence and success.
Prepare your social enterprise for funding
Prepare your social enterprise for funding with clear missions, business plans, impact tools, and strategic partnerships.
Preparing your social enterprise for funding starts with understanding what funders need to see. Whether you are applying for grants, social investment, community finance or crowdfunding, strong foundations help demonstrate that you know your mission, your market and your financial position.
Taking time to prepare will strengthen your funding applications and make it easier for funders to recognise your potential and the impact their support will help you achieve.
A well‑prepared social enterprise can show:
- who you are – your social mission, values, legal structure and the issue you aim to address
- what you do – the activities you deliver and the evidence of impact you can demonstrate
- how you operate – your business model, finances, governance and long‑term plans
Define your social mission and measure impact
Your social mission is the purpose of your enterprise — the change you aim to create and why your work matters. Funders expect this mission to be linked to measurable outcomes, clear indicators and evidence of impact.
Be specific about:
- the issue you’re addressing and who benefits
- the outcomes and indicators you intend to track
- how you collect, analyse and use data to improve performance
Gathering impact evidence, such as testimonials, case studies or before‑and‑after data, helps funders see the difference your work makes.
Develop a clear and realistic business plan
A business plan sets out your aims, market research, products or services, income streams, financial forecasts and social impact metrics. It helps you test ideas, plan your growth and demonstrate how funding will support long‑term sustainability rather than short‑term survival.
A strong business plan should include:
- your value proposition – what makes your enterprise unique and valuable
- your target customers, pricing and market position
- a realistic route to long‑term financial viability
Using templates or checklists can help you structure your plan, and simple impact frameworks allow you to track performance. Creating a short funding summary or pitch based on your plan makes it easier to apply to different funders’ application formats.
Strengthen your governance and operational systems
Good governance shows funders your organisation is well‑run and capable of managing funding responsibly.
This includes having:
- a board with a diverse range of skills
- up‑to‑date policies (for example, safeguarding and data protection)
- clear leadership roles and decision‑making processes
Strong internal operations — such as staff structures, management processes and financial systems — help demonstrate that your social enterprise can deliver projects effectively.
It’s important to provide:
- recent accounts and budgets
- cashflow forecasts
- an overview of key risks and how you plan manage them
Having a mix of income sources — for example trading, grants and contracts — also shows financial stability and reduces reliance on a single funding stream.
Understand and meet funder expectations
Funders want to understand how your business model balances financial sustainability with social impact. A two‑ to three‑year growth plan can help demonstrate clear milestones, KPIs and risk management.
Research the funding landscape to find opportunities aligned with your mission. Different funders prioritise different themes, such as community development, environmental impact or health and well‑being.
Funding options may include:
- social investors
- charitable trusts or foundations
- local authority or regional funds
- community finance providers
Simple customer relationship management (CRM) tools, project reporting systems and financial software can help you track and prepare the reports funders require.
Build strong connections and strategic partnerships
Partnerships can strengthen your funding applications by showing collaboration and shared outcomes. Working with complementary organisations can expand your reach and improve impact.
You can include letters of support, partnership agreements or joint working statements to show collaboration and shared commitment to impact.
An investor‑ready pitch or proposal can help you communicate your organisation clearly and concisely.
Your pitch or proposal should summarise:
- your mission and the problem you aim to solve
- your solution and supporting impact evidence
- your business model and financial forecasts
- the team delivering the work
- the funding you are seeking and how it will be used
Explore funding sources for social enterprises
Social enterprises can blend grants, loans, investment and crowdfunding to grow sustainably and stay aligned to mission and impact.
Social enterprises can access a mix of personal, grant, loan and investment finance at different stages of growth. Developing a clear funding strategy helps you match the right type of finance to your mission, legal structure and long-term plans.
Use personal resources and networks
Many social enterprises start with personal savings or financial support from friends and family. This can be a straightforward way to fund early activity, but it also carries personal and relational risk.
Consider:
- Only invest what you can afford to lose
- Putting agreements in writing when borrowing from friends or relatives
- Being open about repayment expectations to avoid misunderstandings
Apply for grants
Grants are non-repayable funds from charities, trusts, government organisations and foundations. They typically support specific projects, community needs or social outcome.
Grant applications often have strict deadlines and eligibility requirements, so planning is essential.
The Northern Ireland business support finder is a searchable database that helps you find publicly-funded and not-for-profit support you may be eligible for.
Access loans and social lending options
Banks are becoming more familiar with the social enterprise model. When approaching a lender, present a clear business plan, cashflow forecast and a realistic repayment strategy.
You can also consider social lenders or community finance providers, who may offer more flexible terms and place greater value on social impact. All lenders will expect repayment, so ensure your funding needs and repayment plan are clearly communicated.
Traditional banks are becoming more familiar with the social enterprise model. When approaching a lender, present a clear business plan, cashflow forecast and a realistic repayment strategy.
Use equity and social investment
If your organisation's structure allows, you may be able to raise finance by selling shares to investors. Social investment combines financial return with measurable social or environmental outcomes.
Purpose-driven venture capital funds and angel investors increasingly support organisations with strong missions and impact frameworks. Some invest through dedicated impact funds that assess both profit and community benefit.
Consider crowdfunding and community finance
Crowdfunding platforms allow you to receive smaller contributions from a large number of people while building community support around your project or enterprise.
Options include:
- Reward‑based crowdfunding – supporters receive a product or benefit
- Equity crowdfunding – available to some social enterprises, depending on legal structure
- Community shares – enabling local people to invest directly in community‑based organisations
- Peer‑to‑peer lending – individuals lending money to your enterprise through regulated platforms
Government and publicly-funded support
National and local government bodies sometimes offer grants, loans, and support for social enterprises.
Sources include:
- Go Succeed – Northern Ireland’s business support service
- Shared Island Fund and the International Fund for Ireland – support for cross-border or community-focused projects.
- Local councils – short-term funding calls, programmes and business support. Find your local council in Northern Ireland.
Access start-up accelerators and incubators
Accelerators and incubators support early‑stage social enterprises by offering training, mentorship, network access and, in some cases, seed funding. Examples include trusts and foundations that nurture early-stage social businesses.
These programmes can help refine your business model and prepare you for future funding.
Develop corporate and philanthropic partnerships
Partnerships with businesses and philanthropic organisations may not always offer direct financial investment. However, they can provide valuable non‑financial support such as:
- Pro bono expertise
- Mentoring and leadership development
- Access to networks, customers or supply chains
Diversify and blend your income sources
A sustainable social enterprise doesn’t rely on one source of funding. Building a balanced mix of income streams increases your stability, reduces risk, and strengthens your appeal to funders.
Consider combining different income sources to create a funding blend. For example, trading income might sustain your day-to-day operations, while grants could fund innovation or pilot projects.
Discover how the Workspace Group expanded their social enterprise through strategic business diversification.
How to approach funding for your social enterprise
Social enterprise funding requires clarity, strong relationships, proven impact, and a confident funding proposal.
Securing funding becomes is easier when your social enterprise plans, builds trust and can show clear, measurable impact. Funders want to see that you understand their priorities, can deliver what you promise, and manage money responsibly. The steps below can help you strengthen your approach and improve your chances of success.
Research funders and check eligibility
Every funder has specific criteria. Before applying, check whether your organisation meets the requirements. Some grants target particular communities, themes or organisation types, such as charities, cooperatives or early-stage enterprises.
To respond quickly when opportunities arise, keep key documents up to date, including your:
- business plan
- financial accounts
- impact data and case studies
Build strong relationships and networks
Strong relationships help you hear about funding earlier, access advice, and demonstrate credibility. Funders are more likely to support organisations they know and trust.
Ways to build your network include:
- joining sector networks and attending events (use the Events Finder to search for opportunities)
- forming partnerships with other social entrepreneurs
- engaging with funders before applying — share updates, invite them to site visits and attend briefing events
Measure and demonstrate your social impact
Impact evidence is essential for both grant funders and social investors. They need to see measurable change and alignment with their priorities.
Track and report:
- outcomes such as employability, environmental impact, or cost-of-living support
- how your outcomes link to the funder’s goals
- regular impact updates, case studies and testimonials
- feedback from service users and partners
Impact reporting helps you demonstrate the value of your work and strengthens future applications.
Show operational and financial confidence
Funders need reassurance that their support will be well managed. Strong governance, effective systems and robust finances build confidence in your organisation.
To put this into practice, make sure your social enterprise can:
- maintain a skilled and diverse board
- provide accurate financial forecasts and up-to-date accounts
- evidence relevant leadership experience
- show clear policies safeguarding, risk management and data protection
- use monitoring systems to track performance and delivery
Set achievable goals and avoid overpromising
Ambition attracts funders — but only if your goals are realistic. Set achievable milestones and KPIs, explain potential risks and how you will manage them. Avoid overpromising what funding can deliver and be transparent about limitations.
Be clear and specific about your funding ask
When approaching a funder, be specific, concise, and transparent. They will want to know:
- how much funding you need
- what the money will be used for
- what outcomes it will deliver
- how you will measure success
Clear asks make it easier for funders to assess alignment with their objectives.
Match your proposal to the right funder
Not every funder is suitable for every project. Research each funder’s priorities, target groups and past funding decisions. Apply only where there is a strong alignment with your mission and outcomes.
Tailor each application:
- reflect the funder’s language and focus areas
- avoid sending generic proposals to multiple funders
- highlight where your work aligns with their priorities
Build a strong funding narrative
A compelling funding narrative helps funders understand why your organisation matters and how their support will create impact.
A strong narrative is:
- simple – clearly explains your mission in clear, plain language
- emotional – shares real stories of people or communities who benefit
- evidence-based – uses data and outcomes to support claims
- future-focused – shows what the funding will enable you to achieve next
Choose funding that aligns with your development stage
Your funding needs will change as your social enterprise grows. Different funders specialise in different stages.
Early-stage funding options
At early stage, you are developing and testing your idea. You may need start‑up or proof‑of‑concept funding. Common support sources include:
- small grants
- seed funding
- early‑stage social investment
Growth-stage funding options
When your organisation is ready to scale — for example by hiring staff, expanding services or entering new markets — your funding needs will change. Options may include:
- social investment loans
- repayable grants
- corporate partnerships
- public contracts
Mature-stage funding options
Established social enterprises may focus on innovation or diversification, such as developing new services or expanding into new regions. At this level, higher‑value or more flexible finance options include:
- larger loans
- equity‑like investment products
- blended finance packages
Financial schemes available for social enterprises in Northern Ireland
Financial schemes and support available to start or grow your social enterprise.
A wide range of financial schemes and support programmes are available to help social enterprises start, grow and increase their impact.
Current support schemes for launching and expanding social enterprises include:
Community Festival Funding Grant Aid Programme 2026-28
Funding of up to £5,000 is available for a one-year grant, or up to £10,000 for a two-year grant to community, voluntary or charitable organisations for their community festivals.
Find out more about the Community Festival Funding Grant Aid Programme 2026-28.
Children’s Alliance Funding
Grants of up to £15,000 are open to UK not-for-profit organisations delivering activities for young people.
Find out more about the Children’s Alliance Funding.
Rowntree’s Free the Fund Community Grant Programme
Grants for organisations running activities that contribute to community wellbeing.
Find out more about the Rowntree’s Free the Fund Community Grant Programme.
RiSE
The Unlocking the Potential of Rural Innovation and Social Enterprise (RiSE) project is a cross-border initiative designed to help rural communities discover how social enterprises can drive sustainability and growth.
Participating groups will share knowledge and gain practical support in areas such as income generation, sustainability, and expanding access to community services.
Find out more about the RiSE.
Seeding Grants
Grants to assist with set up, programme and running costs of newly formed community/voluntary groups.
Find out more about the Seeding Grants.
Community Bursary Scheme 2025/26
The Community Bursary Scheme supports individuals to access routes to community development/education, sports, music, language and/or culture opportunities.
Find out more about the Community Bursary Scheme 2025/26.
Connect Fund
The Connect Fund offers up to £1 million to support partnerships between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. It aims to tackle shared challenges and create new opportunities that benefit communities in Northern Ireland.
Applicants can bid for projects from £300 to £50,000. Funding can be provided for both standalone projects and for a more recurrent project.
Find out more about the Connect Fund.
Grants for Good
The programme offers unrestricted funds that organisations that are making a big impact on communities, people, or the environment. Funding can be used for any of their costs, including core running costs.
Find out more about the Grants for Good.
Funding Futures Programme
The Funding Futures Programme aims to harness the power of young people to find solutions for those who have been sidelined by the financial system.
Through funding and a package of support, the programme will give young people the power to make their communities fairer places to live.
Find out more about the Funding Futures Programme.
Social Enterprise Thematic Programme
Support is offered for social enterprises to elevate their skills through one-on-one mentoring and online workshops, focusing on fundraising, digital marketing, and social impact planning.
Find out more about the Social Enterprise Thematic Programme.
Social Enterprise Bootcamp
Bespoke mentoring and exclusive workshops is provided to help enhance the skills of social enterprises which are actively trading with ambitions to grow.
Find out more about the Social Enterprise Bootcamp.
Social Enterprise and Co-operative Support
Assistance is available for individuals or groups interested in starting a new social enterprise or co-operative, or for organisations currently relying on funding and wanting to explore moving to a social enterprise or co-operative model.
Find out more about the Social Enterprise and Co-operative Support.
Growth Impact Fund
The Growth Impact Fund is for all social purpose organisations operating in consumer business, education and learning, employment and training, and health and social care.
Find out more about the Growth Impact Fund.
Harnessing Heritage Programme
The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) helps communities across the UK find enterprising new ways to revitalise old buildings through advice, grants, and social investment loans.
Find out more about the Harnessing Heritage Programme.
Village Catalyst Programme
The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) funds the Village Catalyst Programme, an innovative partnership scheme aiming to help target rural poverty and social isolation via the reuse of historic buildings.
Find out more about the Village Catalyst Programme.
Millennium Awards Trust
The Millennium Awards are open to any social entrepreneur aged 16 years and older tackling a range of social issues.
Find out more about the Millennium Awards Trust.
National Lottery Awards for All Northern Ireland
The National Lottery Awards for All Northern Ireland provides funding from £300 to £20,000 to support community-led projects for up to two years.
Find out more about the National Lottery Awards for All Northern Ireland.
Community Finance Ireland Loan
The Community Finance Ireland Loan is available to social enterprises, community projects and sports clubs across all of Ireland.
Find out more about the Community Finance Ireland Loan.
PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme
Funding to support the implementation of projects through a small grants programme.
Various organisations are eligible to apply, including voluntary sector organisations. Organisations that operate for private profit are not eligible to apply.
Find out more about the PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme.
Open Grants Programme
The Clothworkers' Foundation now accept applications for the Open Grants Programme, open to UK registered charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs), social enterprises and other registered UK not-for-profit organisations.
Find out more about the Open Grants Programme.
Business finance and support finder
Use the Northern Ireland Business Support Finder to identify publicly funded support tailored to your needs. It lists grants, loans, advice services and other forms of assistance.
Search the Northern Ireland business support finder.
Funding and support resources for social enterprises
Funding and support resources to help social enterprises secure finance at every stage of development.
A wide range of funding and support resources can help social enterprises secure finance at every stage of development. Grants, loans and advisory programmes can help you start, stabilise and grow your organisation. Because each scheme has specific criteria, matching your needs to the right opportunity increases your chances of success.
Below is a summary of organisations offering regular support and the types of assistance available.
Grants and programme funding for social enterprises
- The Arts Council of Northern Ireland provides programme and project funding for organisations using arts and culture to deliver social, educational or community outcomes.
- The Community Action Network (CAN) operates social investment programmes designed to address financial and management challenges of social enterprises. Support can include a mix of grants and tailored business assistance.
- Innovate UK focuses on innovation and R&D‑type activity. Social enterprises with innovative products or services may sometimes be able to access grant or blended finance competitions.
- The National Lottery Community Fund offers small grants to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations for projects that benefit people and communities. Funding can support activities, equipment, minor refurbishment and organisational development.
- UnLtd is a UK‑wide foundation that finds, funds and supports social entrepreneurs. It typically offers staged cash awards alongside personal development and mentoring.
Loans, social investment and finance options
- Invest NI manages several funds aimed at SMEs with growth potential. Some may be open to social enterprises that meet commercial and growth-focused criteria.
- NI Small Business Loan Fund provides smaller, flexible loans to businesses that cannot fully access traditional bank finance. Eligible social enterprises can use these loans for working capital, equipment or growth‑related costs.
- Social Capital Loan Scheme provides repayable finance for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in Northern Ireland for capital and development projects. Loans are typically more flexible than commercial lending.
- Community Finance Ireland is a specialist social lender for community and social economy organisations across Ireland. Finance can help with premises, equipment, working capital and project development, often combined with guidance.
- NatWest Social & Community Capital is a charitable investor providing unsecured loans to charities and social enterprises that struggle to access mainstream bank finance.
- Angel Investment Network and other equity investors match ventures with individual investors willing to provide equity or convertible loans, usually in return for a stake and future growth potential.
Advice, networks and support organisations
- Social Enterprise NI is a central meeting point for social enterprises in Northern Ireland offering a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing. You can also keep track of the latest events and news relating to social enterprises.
- Go Succeed provides business support across Northern Ireland, including one‑to‑one advice, workshops and mentoring for start-ups and growing businesses.
- School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) runs structured learning programmes for social entrepreneurs across the UK, including start‑up and scale‑up courses.
- Social Enterprise UK is the UK‑wide membership body for social enterprises, offering representation, research, campaigns and networking opportunities.
- Enterprise NI provides start‑up and early‑growth support through a regional network offering workshops, advice and finance signposting.
Government policy, guidance and sector reports
Department for the Economy (DfE) leads on social economy policy for Northern Ireland and sets out the overall strategy, priorities and partnership activity that support the social economy across the region.
Northern Ireland Social Enterprise Sector Report 2025 presents data on the size, contribution and characteristics of the NI social enterprise sector.
NI Assembly Briefing (2025) provides an independent analysis of the NI social enterprise sector for MLAs, including challenges facing the sector and policy options.
Cabinet Office encourages public bodies to embed social value in procurement, creating market opportunities in which social impact contributes to tender scoring.
UK finance schemes and commercial lending
British Business Bank operates UK‑wide guarantee and investment schemes through accredited partner lenders. While its products are not social‑enterprise‑specific, organisations structured as companies may be able to access support indirectly through participating banks and funds, such as Start Up Loans or growth finance programmes.
Commercial lending through mainstream commercial banks usually does not offer social‑enterprise‑specific products, but some trading social enterprises may still be eligible for standard business lending if their business model demonstrates commercial viability.
Tips for social enterprise success
Practical tips to help social enterprises plan, manage finances and measure impact.
Running a social enterprise can be rewarding, but securing funding is highly competitive.
Follow these tips to sharpen your purpose, build a resilient business model, and present a stronger case to potential funders:
- Define your purpose. Be clear about what you want to achieve, who you support, and why your work matters. Funders need to understand the problem you are tackling and the difference your organisation makes.
- Stay focused. Focus on one or two core problems where you can deliver clear and measurable impact. Avoid overstretching your resources and diluting your mission.
- Understand your market and beneficiaries. Research your customers, beneficiaries and competitors. Check there is real demand for your product or service and be clear about who will pay for them, and why they will choose your organisations.
- Align your activities to your mission. Ensure that your day-to-day activities support your social goals. Funders look for a strong connection between what you do and the impact you claim to deliver.
- Develop sustainable income streams. Design income streams that can continue over time to support your mission. Reinvest profits back into the organisation to strengthen long-term sustainability.
- Keep your business plan simple and realistic. Create a short, realistic business plan outlining your mission, market, finances and impact. Treat it as a live document — test your ideas, gather feedback and refine your plan as you learn.
- Stay on top of your finances. Monitor your budget, cashflow and funding needs from the start. Understanding your financial position helps you plan effectively and reassures funders.
- Diversify your income sources. Avoid relying on a single grant, contract or customer. Aim for a balanced mix of trading income, contracts and grants to reduce risk and build resilience.
- Be selective about funding. Do not apply for every funding opportunity. Focus on funders whose priorities match your mission, stage of development and capacity to deliver.
- Pay yourself fairly. Plan to pay yourself a reasonable salary when viable. Fair pay supports retention, motivation and long‑term organisational health.
- Measure and demonstrate your impact. Track a small number of meaningful indicators that show the social change you create. Use impact data, case studies and feedback in your applications, reporting and communications.
- Build strong governance and leadership. Set clear roles and responsibilities for leaders, staff and volunteers. Establish a board or advisory group with relevant skills to provide oversight, support and constructive challenge.
- Choose the right legal structure for your enterprise. Select a legal structure that fits your mission, trading plans and governance needs. Your legal form will affect how you raise finance, distribute profits and report to regulators.
- Find a mentor and build the right team. Seek guidance from someone experienced in social enterprise or your sector. Build a team that shares your mission and brings complementary skills.
- Tell your story and engage with networks. Use clear, accessible language to explain who you are, what you do and why it matters. Treat marketing and sales as tools to grow your impact. Join local and national social enterprise networks to build partnerships and connect.
Using mixed funding to support a sustainable social enterprise - Mediation Northern Ireland
Operations Director, Rob Colwell, explains how Mediation NI has maintained a mission‑led approach while leveraging social finance investment to scale up a social enterprise model.
Mediation Northern Ireland (Mediation NI) is a mediation development social enterprise established in 1991 to create safe, structured spaces where conflict can be addressed constructively.
Working across the public, private and community sectors, the organisation provides mediation, accredited training, supervision and organisational support. Its work helps individuals, teams and communities address conflict early and build long‑term capacity to manage it effectively.
Rob Colwell, Operations Director, explains how Mediation NI has maintained a mission‑led approach while strengthening its financial resilience.
Supporting dialogue in a changing landscape
“We were founded during the conflict in Northern Ireland to provide neutral, structured dialogue across political and community divides. As society changed, conflict began to surface more often in workplaces, organisations and everyday community life. In response, we shifted from delivering mediation directly to building mediative capacity through training, supervision, leadership development and organisational support.”
Building a sustainable income model
“For funding in our early years, we relied heavily on peacebuilding and reconciliation grants. They were essential, but their cyclical nature made long‑term planning difficult. Over time, we diversified our income by combining grants, earned income and — when appropriate — social finance. This balance has helped us stabilise and grow."
“Grants remain important for community peacebuilding and preventative work. Revenue‑generating services, such as workplace mediation, accredited training and tendered public‑sector programmes, give us unrestricted income that reduces reliance on grant cycles. Social finance sits between the two, supporting growth and infrastructure where other funding routes are less suitable."
“Our ethos doesn’t change depending on who pays. We focus fee‑based work on public and private sector clients who can fund high‑quality support, allowing us to reinvest surpluses into our wider peacebuilding activities. Strong governance underpins all of this. Our Senior Management Team and Board monitor sustainability and risk throughout the year, with support from our Finance and Risk Committee. Social finance repayments are modelled conservatively and reviewed regularly — sustainability is something we practise continuously, not occasionally.”
Using social finance to support growth
“An example of seeking social finance support was when we approached Community Finance Ireland after identifying a strategic opportunity requiring upfront investment. Growing our earned‑income activity meant improving capacity, upgrading systems and modernising our workspace — areas that short‑term grants or commercial loans couldn’t address."
“Social finance gave us the flexibility and support we needed. It allowed us to refurbish our premises for the first time in almost 20 years, creating a professional, welcoming environment for mediation, particularly for sensitive or complex conversations. It also enabled us to strengthen business development, shifting from reactive to proactive engagement with clients. As a result, we increased outreach, expanded earned income and reduced dependence on restricted grants."
“From the beginning, Community Finance Ireland took an open, supportive approach. Social finance works best when it unlocks opportunity or removes a barrier — not when it creates long‑term dependency.”
Overcoming key challenges
“Like many social enterprises, we sit in the middle ground between charity and business. Our specialist work doesn’t always align neatly with common funding themes, so we often need to explain how our outcomes contribute to wider social impact."
“Measuring our impact is another challenge because mediation is confidential. Success can be a dispute that never escalates or a relationship that quietly stabilises. These outcomes matter deeply but aren’t always easy to quantify or share."
“We also encounter the expectation that conflict resolution should be free at the point of delivery. To remain sustainable, we need to explain the value of early intervention and the cost of delaying action. To address these challenges, we have strengthened our narrative, improved how we communicate our value and continued to diversify income streams. We now present our impact in ways that are meaningful, credible and respectful of confidentiality.”
Recognition and looking ahead
“We were honoured to be named Social Enterprise of the Year 2025. It was a significant recognition of our governance, standards and delivery. It also confirmed that strong financial discipline and meaningful social impact can absolutely work together."
“Looking ahead, our priority is continuing to strengthen long‑term resilience while increasing our impact. We plan to expand our earned‑income activity in workplace mediation and training to further reduce reliance on restricted grants. At the same time, we remain committed to accessible community and peacebuilding programmes. A stronger earned‑income base gives us the freedom to invest where we can make the greatest difference."
“Our goal is to stay mission‑led, financially disciplined and sustainable in a changing funding environment.”
Managing finance to support long-term social enterprise growth - Compass Advocacy Network
Janet Schofield, Chief Executive, describes how CAN has diversified its services, improved its financial resilience and applied social investment to support long‑term growth.
Compass Advocacy Network (CAN) is a social enterprise supporting people with learning disabilities, autism and additional needs across Ballymoney, Ballymena and Coleraine. Established over 30 years ago, the organisation has grown from a small grassroots advocacy project into a multi-site provider while remaining firmly rooted in its mission to enhance lives and create meaningful change.
Janet Schofield, Chief Executive, explains how CAN has adapted its services, strengthened its finances and used social investment to build long-term stability.
Growth shaped by the people we support
"CAN began with a commitment to inclusion at a time when many people with learning disabilities lived isolated lives in institutional settings. When I joined in 2005, we had three members of staff. Today, we employ 36 people and support more than 550 adults and children with learning disabilities, autism, and other forms of neurodiversity, along with their families and carers."
"Our services have expanded significantly. We now provide personalised day opportunities, skills development, wellbeing support and community participation. Our social and leisure programmes help people build friendships, confidence and independence, while our short breaks and family support offer essential time to rest and reconnect. Our retail social enterprises – including Previously Loved Boutiques, recycling, and creative ventures – provide meaningful work and progression routes, with accommodation and tourism activities now in development. Alongside this, we deliver health and wellbeing programmes covering healthy lifestyles, relationships, online safety, bereavement and menopause. At any given time, around 15 projects may be active, each shaped directly by the needs and aspirations of the people we support."
Developing a sustainable income model
"In our early years, we relied heavily on short-term grant funding. Over time, we recognised that genuine sustainability meant moving away from the stop-start nature of grants and diversifying our income. Today, we blend statutory contracts, grants, earned income and social investment to fund our work."
"Grants now help us test new ideas and pilot initiatives, such as our health and wellbeing programmes, rather than underpinning core delivery. Every new project includes a clear exit strategy, so people are not left without support when funding ends, and wherever possible, we link people into existing community facilities and organisations instead of building everything around CAN."
"Our social enterprises now generate a growing stream of earned income, which we reinvest directly into services. Statutory contracts fund our core programmes, while social finance is used selectively and only where it is genuinely appropriate. Sustainability also means being honest about costs, so we no longer accept funding for new projects if it does not contribute to essential core functions. We map all income across delivery, governance, finance, HR and long-term investment to maintain a realistic financial picture."
"Strong governance underpins everything we do. We draw on the expertise of our accountant, Finance Subgroup and Board, and we balance safeguarding and compliance with positive risk taking to ensure delivery remains meaningful. We are transparent with funders about the true cost of high-quality provision and are prepared to step away from procurements that would compromise our standards."
Using social finance to purchase Lislagan Farm
"One of our most significant milestones has been the purchase of Lislagan Farm, an 11 acre site that brings services, enterprise, nature and community life together in one inclusive setting. The vision began with a simple question: what would it look like to create a permanent, nature-based hub where people can work, learn, rest and socialise without relying on short-term premises?"
"To make this vision a reality, we needed investment beyond what grant funding could provide. Community Finance Ireland agreed to support the purchase after reviewing our track record, governance and blended income model, structuring the loan to enable sustainable growth rather than pursue unrealistic returns."
"The impact has been significant. Lislagan Farm now hosts day opportunities, enterprise activities, short breaks and large community events, bringing together families, refugees, foster carers, schools and local groups, with our members at the centre. Moving enterprise activity onto the site has opened up new therapeutic, social and vocational opportunities, and ongoing development of the cottage, stables, barn and planned accommodation will further expand employment and services."
"My advice to others considering social finance is to be clear about why you need an asset, how it advances your mission and how you will manage repayments. Stress test your plans, build in a margin for error, and choose a social finance partner that understands the sector and takes a relationship-based approach."
Responding to challenges
"The end of European Social Fund support created uncertainty at a time of rising demand. We responded by being open with staff, funders and our Board, and by adjusting our plans where needed. Diversifying our income helped provide stability, but transparency and trust were just as important."
"Partnerships have always been central to our work. They extend our reach, unlock new opportunities and bring in fresh ideas. At the same time, they require realism, as funding pressures can shift expectations or even turn partners into competitors. Our approach is to stay mission focused, learn from experience and keep moving forward. We work closely with sector bodies, including Social Enterprise Northern Ireland, to guide our approach."
Planning for long-term growth
"Our future priorities include completing the development of Lislagan Farm, strengthening and growing our social enterprises, and advocating for more flexible support for children. We do not plan to expand geographically; instead, we aim to provide holistic, high-quality support to the people and communities we already serve."
"Long-term sustainability will depend on continuing to build blended income streams and reserves so we can manage future uncertainty with confidence. Our growth will remain rooted in co-design, ensuring it genuinely enhances people’s lives rather than becoming an end in itself. We also hope to develop a retirement village, recognising the limited options currently available to people with learning disabilities as they grow older."