We’re celebrating 20 years of Social Investment Cymru, sharing inspiring stories of the life-changing things voluntary organisations across Wales have done with repayable finance.
We’re celebrating 20 years! Voluntary organisations financed by Social Investment Cymru have made a huge difference in Wales, join us as we celebrate 20 years of social lending and our part in these inspiring stories.
‘The community would have more or less crumbled’
As part of the 20th Anniversary of Social Investment Cymru we spoke with Tafarn yr Iorwerth who used repayable finance to save these important community facilities which are so much more than a pub.
'You can see the impact in the local communities'
Here’s the story of The CAE, an organisation that supports people from minority ethnic communities to set up their own businesses, become economically active and be a part of the local community.
‘Smiles and joy are what tell the real story’
As we celebrate 20 years of Social Investment Cymru, Alun Jones tells the story of how it all began and why it still gets us out of bed.
On this page:
- About Social Investment Cymru
- Contact us
- Bridge and Build Loans
- Clean Energy Fund
- Community Asset Loan Fund
- Our current funds & eligibility
- Energy switching service
- Previous schemes
About Social Investment Cymru
Putting money to work in communities
Social Investment Cymru (SIC) financially supports social enterprises in Wales with a range of grants and loans.
We invest in organisations that want to generate more income or expand their range of services, and organisations that have previously struggled to attract grant funding for new projects.
(Photo: Collecting Social Enterprise UK’s award for Social Enterprise Deal of the Year. We were winners in 2017 & 2025)
Talk to us before applying
Got a project in mind that you think we could finance? Contact the Social Investment Cymru team at WCVA to talk through your ideas and see if you might be eligible for funding.
Our current funds
Are you eligible for funding?
- In the face of a challenging financial climate the Bridge and Build Loan scheme is helping voluntary organisation in Wales to restructure or change how they operate.
- The Clean Energy Fund is supporting voluntary organisations in North Wales to lower carbon emissions and create innovation in clean energy.
- Funded by Welsh Government, the Community Asset Loan Fund offers loan finance for groups looking to bring property into community ownership.
- The Communities Investment Fund is a loan fund for social businesses that want to expand, generate more income or purchase an asset. We aim to lend where traditional lenders won’t.
- The Wales Micro Loan Fund is funded through The Development Bank of Wales to support small and medium sized enterprises through small ‘micro’ loans.
- The Walter Dickie Leadership Bursary is an annual award of £2,500 to support individuals in the voluntary sector to develop their leadership skills.
Energy Switching Service
Our trusted supplier, Utility Aid has launched a new switching service to help you compare energy prices. Voluntary organisations can use the service to get instant access to commercial utility quotations from a list of reliable credit-vetted suppliers.
The service is also useful if you are buying a new property for your organisation and want to estimate the running costs, helping you to create a business plan or put together a budget for your loan application.
To find out more visit switching.utility-aid.co.uk.
Previous schemes
Looking for something we’ve run in the past? Take a look at our list of previous schemes.
Get in touch
If you are interested, contact us for a preliminary discussion on 0300 111 0124 or email sic@wcva.cymru.