Social Impact Findings

The 2010 Social Impact Report focuses initially on organisations that we began working with in 2006.  This is because the evidence shows it takes time for the real impact of the help we provide to become apparent, especially as the organisations we lend to are often delivering long-term systemic change.

According to our borrowers, who were questioned for the social impact survey:

• 88% say the loan has made a major or significant contribution to the achievement of their mission. 20% say without Charity Bank finance they might not have survived at all and 40% say it their project wouldn’t have proceeded without the loan
• Three-quarters say the loan has increased the quality of service and support they are able to provide
• 69% say it has contributed to an increase in their business activities
• Two thirds report that the number of people they help rose by at least 25%
• 81% have seen a major or significant improvement in the facilities that they can offer
• Over half say the loan has had a positive effect on how they manage their finances
• 56% say it has had a positive effect on their relationship with their funders - a third report they would not have secured grant funding without the loan and two thirds say they secured additional funding as a result
• three in five say the loan improved their reputation for financial management with other funding organisations
• 87% say the loan benefited the wider community, and not just the people they were set up to support.  This encouraged further support for the charities, who report a 67% increase in volunteers working for their organisations

Read the report in full here.

These results are beginning to build a compelling picture of the impact that Charity Bank can have on an organisation – ensuring survival; improving facilities and increasing service delivery; developing better financial management systems; attracting in additional funding and volunteers; and helping to strengthen reputation, which benefits communities as well as beneficiaries.

This is just the start of our work and we will continue to build on – and learn from – our social impact reporting over the coming months and years.