On 02 December 2015, we held a Sprint focussed on ‘DIY Social Investment’ and worked with three social enterprises to help them to understand how they can ‘DIY’ their own social investment deals and offer them directly to people. Significant Seams, Leeds Community Homes and Meanwhile Space joined the Sprint, along with Matt Fountain from the Freedom Bakery, who has successfully DIY’d his own Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) deal.

Matt, Dave Boyle (Community Shares Company), and Ben Warren (Big Society Capital’s crowdfunding lead), worked alongside the Flip Finance team to assist the three organisations in appraising their organisational needs and devising approaches to raising investment themselves. It was a hands-on session, followed by beer at the legendary Pride of Spitalfields and curry at Meraz Cafe. After all, t’was the season to be merry!

 

“The ‘Sprint’ with Flip Finance was a couple of hours wisely invested. It really helped us to consider our options, disregard some interesting ideas and focus on likely routes to finance, how to get there, who to speak with and from whom to take further advice.”

– Eddie Bridgeman, Co-founder & Director, Meanwhile Space

“Our Flip Finance session was transformative: it clarified our thinking about our forward financial strategy and removed the scariness of the spectre of investment. Where we started the session feeling nervous and intimidated, we left with a realistic short, medium and long term investment strategy and a network of support – from industry experts – that has given us confidence and an action plan, and people to call if it starts to feel scary again! I am hugely grateful for the invitation and eager to build on the learning and planning that happened in such a short session”.

– Catherine West, Founder & CEO, Significant Seams