SOCIAL FINANCE FOUNDATION

Social Finance Foundation (SFF) is a government-backed organisation that bridges the gap between mainstream finance and the community-driven sector in Ireland. Established in 2007, SFF acts as a wholesale funder, channeling low-cost and donated capital from Irish banks, the Council of Europe Development Bank and EU programmes into its social-lending partners - Clann Credo and Community Finance Ireland. Through these partners, SFF provides loan finance to creditworthy community organisations, social enterprises and voluntary groups that would otherwise struggle to secure funding, helping them deliver projects that generate measurable social impact.

The Foundation's core services include the allocation of loans across a balanced portfolio of sectors such as sport, social enterprise, community and voluntary groups, social-care housing, arts, heritage and religious organisations. It also leverages European guarantees under the EaSI Programme and the InvestEU Fund, enabling loans of up to €500,000. Guided by the values of integrity, innovation, delivery and collaboration, SFF's mission is to deepen social finance in Ireland, support research, and work with the Irish government and banking industry to maximise social return on investment.