The Adventure Capital Fund (ACF) was launched in December 2002 with the aim of delivering a new form of long term investment into community enterprises. This is a unique partnership between three government departments, several Regional Development Agencies and leading players in the field of social and economic regeneration, all of whom are dedicated to the development of long term sustainability of community-based enterprises in areas where traditional market forces fail to apply.
The aim is to fill the investment gap that faces community enterprise organisations, and without which their potential to grow is always going to be held back (Note 1). We are also trying to increase investment-readiness of community organisations wishing to move to greater sustainability through enterprise.
Round 1 was heavily oversubscribed. We made £2m of investments (ranging in size from £100,000 to £300,000) in a total of ten community enterprises. We also provided 25 grants of up to £15,000 each to help community enterprises become more investment ready. Every organisation receiving an investment or grant also received a one-to-one support service.
ACF Round 3 was launched in July 2005.
The programme is delivered by the Development Trusts Association, the Scarman Trust, the New Economics Foundation and the Local Investment Fund.
find out more about the ACF
