Social finance fair reveals £1m Key Fund is heading to the West Midlands

A NEW £1m social investment fund for the West Midlands has been unveiled at the biggest Social Finance Fair outside London.

More than 140 delegates at the Social Enterprise West Midlands (SEWM) event heard how the Key Fund is expanding into the region for the first time and is now looking to provide a finance offer for social organisations that have been turned away from conventional funders.

Chief executive officer Sam Tarff said: “This is a very exciting move for us, as the West Midlands has always been among the forerunners for social enterprise and we’re delighted to be able to bring our innovative finance offer to the region.

“We can support a range of activities, from restoring a derelict building to buying vital equipment or meeting start-up costs, not to mention offering immediate solutions to cash flow problems.

“All we ask is that you share our values. Just as we reinvest our profits back into helping social business, we expect beneficiaries of our finance to have a positive social or environmental impact at the heart of their operations.”

The Key Fund CEO was one of a number of keynote speakers at the event that looked to address the current finance landscape for social enterprises, including The Big Lottery Fund’s Matt Smith, Nick O’Donohoe, of Big Society Capital, and Vinay Nair from Social Business Investment.

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