Welcome to our social impact report documenting our lending activity in 2025
Dear reader,
At Charity Bank, we believe finance should be a force for good.
In a year marked by economic pressure and rising demand, we continued to support charities, social enterprises and other impact led organisations delivering essential services, creating homes, and strengthening communities across the UK.
2025 was another year of strong progress. We approved £96.6 million in new loans, helping organisations grow, reach more people, and increase their resilience. Our funding continues to reach those who need it most, including underserved communities and organisations often unable to access mainstream finance.
We also significantly expanded our green lending, supporting organisations to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency, lowering costs while contributing to a more sustainable future.
Alongside lending, we widened access through initiatives such as LEAP and our cost of living programme, and made grants from our Brighter Futures Fund to support organisations beyond the scope of traditional finance.
None of this would be possible without our savers and investors, whose money directly enables this impact. Together, we are helping to build a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable society.
As you explore this section of our website, I hope you see not just the scale of our work, but the difference it makes to people, communities, and the environment.
Ed Siegel
Chief Executive
Charity Bank is driven by social impact, it’s the core measure of our success. By using deposits from individuals and organisations to provide loans to mission-led enterprises, we aim to create meaningful change and tackle pressing societal challenges. Our 2026 – 2030 strategy builds on our previous strategy and is informed by stakeholder engagement, it is our most ambitious plan to date. Its central aim is clear: to maximise social and environmental impact through sustainable, focused growth, while preserving the values that define Charity Bank.
Our strategy aims to deliver impact across three interconnected levels:
We help charities, social enterprises and impact-led organisations grow stronger and more impactful by offering tailored funding that meets their needs. By addressing gaps in finance and enhancing our service, we support organisations in building resilience and deepening their impact.
We prioritise lending to organisations supporting vulnerable and underserved groups. We also back green initiatives that cut emissions and promote sustainability, aligning our finance with both social and environmental goals for a fairer, more inclusive future.
We embed our values internally by fostering an inclusive, respectful culture. Through equitable policies, flexible working, and talent development, we aim to lead by example, showing that a values-driven approach strengthens both culture and success.
Impact-led UK organisations often lack investment, financial expertise and support, limiting growth and resilience. This restricts innovation and impact, while leaving savers and investors without transparent, values-aligned opportunities for social returns.
A society that fosters vibrant communities and a healthy planet, giving every individual the opportunity to thrive.
To support and strengthen impact-driven organisations that improve people’s lives, while empowering savers and investors to put their money to work for positive social change.
This diagram shows how our work creates impact, from the funds we receive through to the difference made in communities. Click on each stage to explore the detail behind our inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and overall impact.
When individuals or organisations deposit their funds with Charity Bank, they can be confident that their money is being used to support impactful organisations working towards social change.
Their savings directly contribute to addressing societal challenges and creating positive outcomes in communities. It’s not just an abstract notion of being ethical; it’s a concrete action that leads to tangible social impact.
Find out moreCharity Bank’s ability to meet the ongoing needs of the social sector and support a wider range of social sector organisations relies on the capital investment from our shareholders and subordinated debt investors. They play a crucial role in our ongoing success and impact.
For every £1m of investment capital (equity and subordinated debt), Charity Bank can make around £8m of social loans.
When the loans are repaid, these funds can be recycled again and again, generating even greater multiples of social impact. In addition, over half of our borrowers were, because of our loan, able to unlock additional funding such as grants or contracts.
"Investment is an important tool which can work alongside grant funding to help organisations thrive and create impact. We hope to demonstrate with our portfolio that trusts and foundations' assets can be invested to help deliver their charitable aims."
Caroline Mason CBE, CEO, Esmee Fairbairn
"Charities, social enterprises and faith-based organisations provide key services to local communities in areas such as housing, social care, food banks, skills development and tackling loneliness. Charity Bank loans are a vital part of the funding landscape for these organisations, enabling them to sustain, improve and grow their services."
Vanessa Morphet, Head of Social Impact Investment at the Church of England
Key results from all approved loans in 2025
Our regional managers support organisations across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Click the map to explore how much we approved to charities, social enterprises, and impact-led organisations in your region during 2025.
Our goal is to reach every part of the UK in proportion to the need. As the charts below show, our lending closely reflects the distribution of UK charities and their total income by region.
How our loans benefit people, communities & the planet
Through our loans and support, we strive to leave organisations in a stronger position, both in terms of their ability to carry out their mission and their financial stability. These results highlight responses to a borrower survey conducted in early 2026.
Hover or tap on each chart segment to see more information.
99% said Charity Bank’s loan(s) positively supported their mission.
65% said their project would not have gone ahead without Charity Bank’s loan(s)
85% said Charity Bank’s loan led to growth in the service they offer
53% said their organisation’s ability to innovate had increased as a result of Charity Bank’s loan(s).
93% said Charity Bank’s loan(s) led to growth in their assets or facilities
74% said their organisation’s resilience had increased as a result of Charity Bank’s loan(s)
“All of the young people we support are struggling with their mental health. Many have experienced trauma or neglect.”
Find out how Strength & Learning Through Horses is helping.
Find out moreWatch these videos to find out more about how our loans are working to strengthen our borrowers.
Kashmir Youth Project used their Charity Bank loan to refinance an existing loan to help them continue to sustain their services within the community.
A Charity Bank loan has supported the Eden Project, a global garden, educational charity and social enterprise that seeks to demonstrate and inspire positive action for the planet.
A Charity Bank loan helped Dundee Women’s Aid purchase a much needed four-bed house so that they can offer refuge to women with larger families fleeing domestic violence.
A loan from Charity Bank helped NewStarts buy their warehouse property, which is not only saving the charity money, but also enabling them to support more people with their services.
A Charity Bank loan enabled Foundation of Light to build the Beacon of Light, a community hub with sport, events, education, and wellbeing facilities.
A Charity Bank loan enabled Whitley Bay Big Local to renovate their new building so that they can offer more for the people in their community.
Loans delivered by Charity Bank in partnership with another social investor, enabled the social enterprise to buy and renovate more than 210 properties across Glasgow.
A loan from Charity Bank has been able to help René House pay for property improvements, take on new staff and give the CIC breathing space to focus on securing long term sustainability.
Leigh Building Preservation Trust used a Charity Bank loan to make further improvements to the Spinner Mill, which houses organisations ranging from arts and heritage to education and training.
From urban sports centres to affordable housing and environmental innovation, Charity Bank’s support is helping organisations create lasting impact across society and the environment.
Community
Adrenaline Alley: a world-class urban sports centre
“Without the Charity Bank loan, we would not have been able to grow and develop in the same way. We’ve also been able to make some significant improvements, such as building a two-storey café, diversifying our revenue income and ensuring sustainability.”
Mandy Young MBE DL, CEO/founder Adrenaline Alley
People
Homes for Good: Affordable homes for people in Glasgow
“Charity Bank was the most enthusiastic and really believed in what we wanted to do. Charity Bank has been a 100% supportive partner from the start and I know I can just pick up the phone if I want any advice.”
Susan Aktemel, Founder Homes for Good
Planet
Eden Project: Sustainability and education for future generations
“Charity Bank was recommended to us by one of the major foundations that we work with. When we got talking to them [Charity Bank] we realised very quickly that we were very much aligned with the values that we had as organisations and we were very excited to work with them.”
Dawn Wilding, Eden Project, Chief Financial Officer
How we’re performing against our impact strategy
Our 2023–2027 Strategy for Impact sets out a clear and targeted vision for how we aim to use our savers’ and investors’ money to create meaningful change. It defines the outcomes we seek and the principles that guide our lending decisions.
Customer
Continually improve service to become the lender of choice for UK impact-driven organisations.
Additionality
Fill gaps in finance provision with tailored funding for the social sector.
Strengthen
Build borrower resilience and capacity to help them deliver their mission.
Diversity
Extend outreach to groups that have been systematically underfunded.
Depth of Need
Prioritise organisations serving the most vulnerable and marginalised.
Locality
Increase lending in underserved regions and communities.
Environment
Grow our green lending to help customers cut costs and carbon emissions.
Charity Bank approves loans to a wide range of organisations – many of whom may have otherwise struggled to access the funding they needed.
Since the launch of our impact first strategy in 2023, we have made a deliberate commitment to support diverse-led organisations, groups that have historically faced systemic barriers to funding.
In 2025, we approved a total of £34,861,014 in loans to 29 diverse-led organisations.
This is a 51% increase compared to our lending to diverse-led organisations in 2024, and almost as much as the previous two years combined, reflecting our commitment to serving this sector.
Organisations where 50% or more of the Senior Management Team or Board identify with one or more of the following:
We support our strategic impact goals through key programmes. The snapshot below highlights results from our LEAP, Green, and Cost of Living programmes, as well as the Brighter Futures Fund.
Supports organisations helping communities most affected by rising costs. Since launching in 2024, we have provided £1.17m in loans and £1.33m in grants, typically through a 50:50 blended model. Over 80% has supported organisations in the 30% most deprived areas.
Funds energy assessments and helps organisations to reduce emissions and energy costs. In 2025, we supported 43 organisations, providing £1.4m in grants and over £700k in loans. By the end of 2025, we had provided £1.6m in grants and £2.2m in loans.
Expands access to finance for under-served organisations. In 2025, we supported 26 organisations, providing £263k in grants and £1.7m in loans. 15 of which were diverse-led and 13 support the most deprived communities.
Uses targeted grants to unlock lending for organisations that would otherwise miss out. Since launching in late 2024, we have provided £684k in grants, unlocking over £4.6m in lending, around £6.80 for every £1 of grant funding. 88% of recipients supported the most deprived communities and 65% were diverse-led.
Support When It Matters provides targeted, culturally sensitive support for people of African/ Caribbean heritage who are homeless, have been in prison or are misusing drugs or alcohol.
White Horse Housing is making its homes more energy efficient with the help of a Green Loan and a Green Grant from Charity Bank.
Kundakala is dedicated to empowering ethnic minority women by providing them with the skills and support needed to become professional seamstresses. A grant from Charity Bank is supporting their 2025/2026 plan.
We combine specialist lending with a values led approach, helping organisations grow, strengthen communities and create lasting change. This is reflected in our customer feedback, with high satisfaction scores and strong recommendations from the organisations we support.
Explore why our borrowers choose Charity Bank and how we are performing below.
As a bank on a social mission to do good, Charity Bank has sought out independent certification of our values and ethics. These help us in our aims to gain the trust of a growing community of savers and borrowers. Charity Bank currently has accreditation or affiliation with all of the following bodies:
Your bank for good. Join an ethical bank that uses its savers’ money to lend to charities, social enterprises and impact-led organisations. We bring together passionate savers, who want their savings to make a difference, with organisations seeking loans to create real change in the lives of people, communities, and the planet – both now and for the long term.
