Connect Fund: Interim learning report

The Connect Fund was set up in 2017 to improve the social investment market in England in a partnership between the Barrow Cadbury Trust and the Access Foundation. It provides grants and investments to develop shared resources for a market that supports mission. The overall vision is that ‘intermediaries and infrastructure organisations develop shared solutions, to prioritise impact in the social investment market’. This interim learning report conducted by NPC—examines the progress and views of the 51 Connect Fund grantees with reflections for the Connect Fund going forward.

The aims of this research report are:

Impact: Assess the impact of the Connect Fund to date and communicate the outcomes; and
Process: Explore how the Connect Fund is working and identify ways to improve service design and programme delivery, including identification of barriers to strengthening the social investment market.

The Connect Fund will use the report to communicate the Fund’s impact to date, and to inform learning and decision making for the remainder of the Fund’s lifetime.