Building Momentum: Our Updated Strategy and Action Plan for Greater Impact 2025 - 2027

We are now 5 years into our 10 year Building an Impact Economy strategy and seeing progress against a range of outcomes - although still have much to do. In today’s climate of rising costs and growing demand, we recognise the pressure facing social enterprises, charities, and the communities they serve. That’s why our role - and our mission - feels more important than ever.

We’re sharing an update on our action plan for 2025 - 2027, which reflects our ongoing commitment to the social enterprises, charities, and community organisations we support, as well as to our partners, investors, and the communities working to build a fairer, more inclusive Scotland.

As the economic landscape continues to change, access to strong networks, knowledge, and practical support are more important than ever. Over the coming year, we’ll expand and evolve our programme of support for social enterprise leaders.

This includes more Funding Socials events - from Orkney to Dumfries and Galloway -bringing together purpose-driven organisations and funders to explore opportunities and share ideas.

We’ll also enable deeper engagement through SIS Associate-led support, helping organisations strengthen their capacity, build resilience, and prepare for growth.

Through existing and new Funds, we aim to maximise investment available to charities and social enterprises across Scotland.

These efforts will help unlock more flexible funding options - supporting organisations to navigate current pressures while continuing to deliver meaningful local impact.

Access to fair, affordable finance is a cornerstone of social progress. That’s why we’ll continue our work to secure a longer-term future for the Financial Inclusion for Scotland group - a collaborative initiative tackling financial exclusion and working towards a more equitable financial system.

Building on our experience managing the £62 million Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF) in England and Wales, we aim to establish a similar fund tailored for Scotland. This Scottish CIEF would channel essential investment into underserved communities, empowering local businesses, creating jobs, and driving sustainable economic development. We invite institutional investors and partners to collaborate with us in bringing this vision to fruition, ensuring that Scottish social enterprises have the financial support they need to thrive.

As the needs of Scotland’s communities evolve, so must our response. This year, we’re focusing on two key areas of innovation:

Social enterprise-led childcare: We’ll explore how childcare services delivered by social enterprises can be scaled to better support Scottish families - particularly those experiencing poverty - through job creation, affordable provision, and broader economic benefits.

Nature-based financing: We’re also exploring opportunities to engage in this emerging area, supporting climate resilience and community wellbeing through investment models rooted in environmental outcomes.

We’re encouraged by the progress so far and focused on what’s still to come. Whether you're an investor or a social entrepreneur, we invite you to join us on the next stage of this journey.