Last week’s news of 25,000 jobs at risk after Debenhams and Arcadia Group fell into administration caused a collective gasp. Along with heartbreak over the loss of these jobs, many fear for the future existence of… Continue reading
News
Dozens of banks, investors and institutions commit to financing a just transition for the UK
Banks, investors and financial institutions today joined forces with universities and trade unions to launch the UK’s first alliance to finance a just transition. Coordinated by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Chance and Environment at… Continue reading
£10 million Bounce Back Fund in Greater Manchester Second Lockdown Response
In response to gaps in Bounce Back loan availability for some Greater Manchester-based SMEs following the second national lockdown, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) in partnership with Responsible Finance member GC Business Finance has stepped in… Continue reading
Time to Stop Pay-Day Loan Firms Cashing in on the Pandemic
9.7 million households across the UK reported a fall in income by the end of July 2020 as a direct consequence of the pandemic. Nearly one in six households – 16% – were struggling to make… Continue reading
Varied media: Pontypridd’s Karen Davies is “awe-inspiring” everywoman
The founder of a Pontypridd charity which has supported hundreds of want-to-be entrepreneurs into self-employment has been named one of the most awe-inspiring women from across the UK. Karen Davies, chief executive of Pontypridd charity and… Continue reading
Purple Shoots’ Karen one of UK’s most awe-inspiring business leaders
Karen Davies, CEO of Purple Shoots, is one of three inspirational and successful female social enterprise founders in the running for the Gaia Award in the NatWest everywoman Awards Continue reading
Responsible Finance Responds to BBB report ‘Alone Together: Entrepreneurship and Diversity in the UK’
Responsible Finance responds to new report from the British Business Bank and Oliver Wyman, Alone Together: Entrepreneurship and Diversity in the UK. “The Alone Together report into Entrepreneurship and diversity in the UK demonstrates that access to… Continue reading
Impact Investing and Responsible Finance – Opportunities and Addressing Challenges
How can community development finance institutions – locally based finance providers lending to businesses, social enterprises and people who cannot access mainstream finance – engage with impact investors operating at scale? Sarah Gordon, Chief Executive of The Impact Investing Institute, and Ed Siegel, Chief Executive of Charity Bank, discussed opportunites, perceptions and myth-busting in our webinar. Read more here with access to the video too. Continue reading
The i newspaper
Today’s i newspaper highlighted community development finance institutions, “social enterprises which provide credit to those who find it hard to access finance from mainstream lenders.” The article drew on data in our annual report – our… Continue reading
Post CBILS Guarantee: The Government Should Act Now to Ensure Businesses can Access Finance After 30 November
Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) have been working tirelessly to support SMEs whose businesses have been disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak. In April they stepped up their lending by 250% compared to the same period in… Continue reading