Address Inspiring Scotland, Riverside House, 502 Gorgie Road, Edinburgh EH11 3AF, Scotland, UK
Telephone: 0131 442 8760 Fax: 0131 442 8780
Website: http://www.inspiringscotland.org.uk
Inspiring Scotland has set a precedent in its initial five years of operation by blending business principles with charitable investing.
“Our venture philanthropy model is simple – we offer charities money and skills with the aim of tackling some of Scotland’s biggest and toughest issues,” explained Celia Tennant, Inspiring Scotland’s chief executive. “We raise funding from a range of supporters and invest it in a selected portfolio of charitable ventures. We then undertake rigorous due diligence, performance management and evaluation to ensure the maximum return on investment is achieved.”
Its impact is impressive – in this short time, £45 million has been raised and invested directly into 90 Scottish charities, helping more than 60,000 people affected by youth unemployment; lack of free-play opportunities; the lack of support in vulnerable children’s early years; and communities of disadvantage.
“Our charities tell us the development support they receive can outweigh the cash,” Celia said. “If one of our charities requires help to improve in areas of business planning, marketing or governance, we help them to overcome those issues by tapping into a dedicated pool of pro bono business professionals. This is a powerful mix of financial and non-financial support.”
As Inspiring Scotland grows, having support from the private sector is important, and there are many opportunities for firms and individuals to get involved: offering financial support; professional skills or services; providing business mentoring; or even becoming a board member of a charity.
Another invaluable way to help is by opening doors, allowing Inspiring Scotland to reach wider networks and raising the profile of the concept of venture philanthropy with those who have an appetite to invest, with a social return.
As you visit ‘Inspiring Scotland’, you may find interest in following listings . . .
