RSF Social Finance, a San Francisco-based organization that lends money to path-breaking social enterprises, is launching a campaign Sept. 2 to find the Next 25 Social Enterprise Stars (#SocentStars).The campaign, kicking off in concert with SOCAP 2014, the world’s leading conference on impact investing and social enterprise, is designed to attract RSF’s next cohort of extraordinary, mission-driven borrowers. RSF wants to add 25 social enterprise stars to its loan portfolio over the next year.
RSF Social Finance, a San Francisco-based organization that lends money to path-breaking social enterprises, is launching a campaign Sept. 2 to find the Next 25 Social Enterprise Stars (#SocentStars).
The campaign, kicking off in concert with SOCAP 2014, the world’s leading conference on impact investing and social enterprise, is designed to attract RSF’s next cohort of extraordinary, mission-driven borrowers. RSF wants to add 25 social enterprise stars to its loan portfolio over the next year.
The social finance pioneer’s assets have grown 39 percent over the last three years, as more and more investors are putting their money to work for social benefit. That means RSF is able to lend to more social enterprises than ever — a stark contrast to the national trend in small-business lending, which remains 18 percent below its 2008 peak.
Are you a #SocentStar?
RSF is looking for established businesses and nonprofit organizations based in the US or Canada that are doing innovative work in food and agriculture, education and the arts, or ecological stewardship — and could significantly expand their impact with a loan of anywhere from $200,000 to $5 million ($100,000+ for arts organizations).
RSF’s borrowers have included a wide variety of social enterprises across a range of industries, including beverage makers Guayaki and Uncle Matt’s Organic, eco-friendly diaper maker gDiapers and fair trade clothing company Indigenous Designs.
Candidates can fill in a pre-application on RSF’s Next 25 Social Enterprise Stars web page. See the RSF site for further criteria on receiving a loan.
Published Aug 29, 2014 11pm EDT / 8pm PDT / 4am BST / 5am CEST