Our Projects

An innovative approach for charities and non-profits to magnify their impact is sustainable financing through social enterprise ownership. By partnering with service delivery organizations, IBG helps these groups acquire a small business that can operate as a social enterprise or social purpose organization. The core idea is to align mission with earned revenue, so a portion of the organization’s funding comes from its own activities rather than relying solely on grants or donations. This model can create steadier cash flows, reduce vulnerability to funding cycles, and enable scale by reinvesting profits into mission-critical programs. When chosen and structured thoughtfully, a small business can become an engine for improved outcomes, such as expanded reach, enhanced service quality, and more resilient programs.

Owning a business offers several advantages for a charity or non-profit. It can provide diversification of income, enabling more predictable budgeting and long-term planning. A social enterprise can incubate innovation—testing new service delivery models, identifying efficiencies, and creating job opportunities that align with the charity’s mission. It also strengthens partnerships with local communities, funders, and impact investors who are increasingly seeking blended finance that delivers social and financial returns. Yet, the success of this approach hinges on disciplined governance:the enterprise must be managed to remain financially sustainable, with clear pricing, cost controls, market analysis, and performance metrics that tie back to the charity’s outcomes.

IBG provides a comprehensive pathway to explore and implement this model. We deliver a robust business investment appraisal,tailoring financial and operational feasibility studies to the charity’s mission and capacity. Our team works with service delivery partners to identify suitable small businesses that can operate effectively as social enterprises or social purpose organizations. We also assist in securing grant and investment financing for the purchase, combining philanthropic support with appropriate capital instruments to minimize risk and maximize impact. The result is a structured, mission-aligned ownership model that aims to generate enduring social benefits while ensuring the enterprise remains financially viable and accountable to the charity’s core goals. If you’re considering this path, IBG can help map the options, assess risks, and design a governance framework that sustains impact over the long term.

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