Aims/priorities: This free 12-month support programme is a gateway to social investment for charities, social enterprises and community organisations that want to strengthen trading and move nearer to investment readiness within the next three years.
Applicants must be intending to grow their organisation through applying for social investment in the next three years. This may still be at ideas stage, (by testing their business model), or the need to grow their organisation, trading base, and systems before applying for social investment.
The Social Investment Gateway Programme is open to England based organisations and will support 75 leaders of charities or social enterprises across four cohorts:
- Cohort 1 runs from 11 November 2026 to 21 October 2027 (applications closed).
- Cohort 2 runs from 1 March 2027 to 1 February 2028 (applications now open).
Face-to-face provision for both rounds, will be offered in London and Manchester at the start, middle and end of the programme.
Who can apply? Applications will be accepted from organisations that:
- Have applied for or are planning to apply for social investment, usually in the next three years
- Have a trading model with plans to grow over the next year
- Need additional support to be ready for social investment, for example, with market development, pricing and sales, financial strategy, developing systems, governance and/or demonstrating impact, managing risk
- Have an annual income of above £100,000 and should already have an active trading model. By 'income' is meant all income, not just trading income. (Groups who do not have £100,000 income, but feel they have a strong trading model ready to go, are encouraged to contact SSE).
Grant amount: There are two types of grants on offer as part of this programme. Applicants can choose one of the following:
- A Match Trading Grant of up to £18,000 – A grant designed to challenge trade, but that can only be drawn down as trading increases. The Match Trading grant will be drawn down over 12 months in five instalments.
- A repayable grant of up to £24,000 (average grant around £22,000). SSE is piloting repayable grants. There are 10 repayable grants on offer over both rounds. SSE wants to learn how "repayable grants" might help organisations get into social investment and will share the risk with you. The aim is to work with organisations who will learn with SSE.
Application process: Groups can register their interest now in round 2 of the programme which runs from 1 March 2027 to 1 February 2028.
The online application form and guidance notes can be accessed by registering an interest on the SSE website.
Contact the School for Social Entrepreneurs for further information.
Deadline: Friday, 6 November 2026 (noon).
Contact information: Email: sig@sse.org.uk
Website: Social Investment Gateway Programme | School for Social Entrepreneurs