• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Lightbulb Trust

Changing lives for the better

  • About
  • Charity Partners
  • Social Investments
  • Impact & Research
  • Greenlight Project
  • Blog

The social sector’s need for patient capital

3 June, 2020 by admin-sf

LnRiLWZpZWxke21hcmdpbi1ib3R0b206MC43NmVtfS50Yi1maWVsZC0tbGVmdHt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOmxlZnR9LnRiLWZpZWxkLS1jZW50ZXJ7dGV4dC1hbGlnbjpjZW50ZXJ9LnRiLWZpZWxkLS1yaWdodHt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOnJpZ2h0fS50Yi1maWVsZF9fc2t5cGVfcHJldmlld3twYWRkaW5nOjEwcHggMjBweDtib3JkZXItcmFkaXVzOjNweDtjb2xvcjojZmZmO2JhY2tncm91bmQ6IzAwYWZlZTtkaXNwbGF5OmlubGluZS1ibG9ja311bC5nbGlkZV9fc2xpZGVze21hcmdpbjowfQ==
LnRiLWhlYWRpbmcuaGFzLWJhY2tncm91bmR7cGFkZGluZzowfQ==
.tb-field[data-toolset-blocks-field="acb54b7f879648d5bf1d71c50bddaad2"] { font-weight: bold;text-transform: uppercase; }  .tb-field[data-toolset-blocks-field="acb54b7f879648d5bf1d71c50bddaad2"] a { text-decoration: none; } .tb-grid,.tb-grid>.block-editor-inner-blocks>.block-editor-block-list__layout{display:grid;grid-row-gap:25px;grid-column-gap:25px}.tb-grid-item{background:#d38a03;padding:30px}.tb-grid-column{flex-wrap:wrap}.tb-grid-column>*{width:100%}.tb-grid-column.tb-grid-align-top{width:100%;display:flex;align-content:flex-start}.tb-grid-column.tb-grid-align-center{width:100%;display:flex;align-content:center}.tb-grid-column.tb-grid-align-bottom{width:100%;display:flex;align-content:flex-end} .wpv-view-output[data-toolset-views-view-editor="7d26a30e2f83614d03a6c866086287bb"] > .tb-grid-column:nth-of-type(4n + 1) { grid-column: 1 } .wpv-view-output[data-toolset-views-view-editor="7d26a30e2f83614d03a6c866086287bb"] > .tb-grid-column:nth-of-type(4n + 2) { grid-column: 2 } .wpv-view-output[data-toolset-views-view-editor="7d26a30e2f83614d03a6c866086287bb"] > .tb-grid-column:nth-of-type(4n + 3) { grid-column: 3 } .wpv-view-output[data-toolset-views-view-editor="7d26a30e2f83614d03a6c866086287bb"] > .tb-grid-column:nth-of-type(4n + 4) { grid-column: 4 } .wpv-view-output[data-toolset-views-view-editor="7d26a30e2f83614d03a6c866086287bb"] .js-wpv-loop-wrapper > .tb-grid { grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 0.25fr) minmax(0, 0.25fr) minmax(0, 0.25fr) minmax(0, 0.25fr);grid-column-gap: 30px;grid-auto-flow: row }  .tb-field[data-toolset-blocks-field="4d85b93870b9a569de564d57822634f9"] a { text-decoration: none; }  h2.tb-heading[data-toolset-blocks-heading="1d9cbc1e05023df8a7135f4cd4bbf16f"] a  { text-decoration: none; } .tb-image{position:relative;transition:transform 0.25s ease}.wp-block-image .tb-image.aligncenter{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto}.tb-image img{max-width:100%;height:auto;width:auto;transition:transform 0.25s ease}.tb-image .tb-image-caption-fit-to-image{display:table}.tb-image .tb-image-caption-fit-to-image .tb-image-caption{display:table-caption;caption-side:bottom} .wp-block-image.tb-image[data-toolset-blocks-image="1c25af9c6545171a2ecaf7babf7ef3e7"] { max-width: 100%; } .tb-image{position:relative;transition:transform 0.25s ease}.wp-block-image .tb-image.aligncenter{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto}.tb-image img{max-width:100%;height:auto;width:auto;transition:transform 0.25s ease}.tb-image .tb-image-caption-fit-to-image{display:table}.tb-image .tb-image-caption-fit-to-image .tb-image-caption{display:table-caption;caption-side:bottom} .wp-block-image.tb-image[data-toolset-blocks-image="5db15f18100584f2a5c3fa5ce5b0e834"] { max-width: 100%; } @media only screen and (max-width: 781px) {  .tb-grid,.tb-grid>.block-editor-inner-blocks>.block-editor-block-list__layout{display:grid;grid-row-gap:25px;grid-column-gap:25px}.tb-grid-item{background:#d38a03;padding:30px}.tb-grid-column{flex-wrap:wrap}.tb-grid-column>*{width:100%}.tb-grid-column.tb-grid-align-top{width:100%;display:flex;align-content:flex-start}.tb-grid-column.tb-grid-align-center{width:100%;display:flex;align-content:center}.tb-grid-column.tb-grid-align-bottom{width:100%;display:flex;align-content:flex-end} .wpv-view-output[data-toolset-views-view-editor="7d26a30e2f83614d03a6c866086287bb"] > .tb-grid-column:nth-of-type(2n + 1) { grid-column: 1 } .wpv-view-output[data-toolset-views-view-editor="7d26a30e2f83614d03a6c866086287bb"] > .tb-grid-column:nth-of-type(2n + 2) { grid-column: 2 } .wpv-view-output[data-toolset-views-view-editor="7d26a30e2f83614d03a6c866086287bb"] .js-wpv-loop-wrapper > .tb-grid { grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 0.5fr) minmax(0, 0.5fr);grid-auto-flow: row }   .tb-image{position:relative;transition:transform 0.25s ease}.wp-block-image .tb-image.aligncenter{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto}.tb-image img{max-width:100%;height:auto;width:auto;transition:transform 0.25s ease}.tb-image .tb-image-caption-fit-to-image{display:table}.tb-image .tb-image-caption-fit-to-image .tb-image-caption{display:table-caption;caption-side:bottom}.tb-image{position:relative;transition:transform 0.25s ease}.wp-block-image .tb-image.aligncenter{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto}.tb-image img{max-width:100%;height:auto;width:auto;transition:transform 0.25s ease}.tb-image .tb-image-caption-fit-to-image{display:table}.tb-image .tb-image-caption-fit-to-image .tb-image-caption{display:table-caption;caption-side:bottom} } @media only screen and (max-width: 599px) {  .tb-grid,.tb-grid>.block-editor-inner-blocks>.block-editor-block-list__layout{display:grid;grid-row-gap:25px;grid-column-gap:25px}.tb-grid-item{background:#d38a03;padding:30px}.tb-grid-column{flex-wrap:wrap}.tb-grid-column>*{width:100%}.tb-grid-column.tb-grid-align-top{width:100%;display:flex;align-content:flex-start}.tb-grid-column.tb-grid-align-center{width:100%;display:flex;align-content:center}.tb-grid-column.tb-grid-align-bottom{width:100%;display:flex;align-content:flex-end} .wpv-view-output[data-toolset-views-view-editor="7d26a30e2f83614d03a6c866086287bb"]  > .tb-grid-column:nth-of-type(1n+1) { grid-column: 1 } .wpv-view-output[data-toolset-views-view-editor="7d26a30e2f83614d03a6c866086287bb"] .js-wpv-loop-wrapper > .tb-grid { grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr);grid-auto-flow: row }   .tb-image{position:relative;transition:transform 0.25s ease}.wp-block-image .tb-image.aligncenter{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto}.tb-image img{max-width:100%;height:auto;width:auto;transition:transform 0.25s ease}.tb-image .tb-image-caption-fit-to-image{display:table}.tb-image .tb-image-caption-fit-to-image .tb-image-caption{display:table-caption;caption-side:bottom}.tb-image{position:relative;transition:transform 0.25s ease}.wp-block-image .tb-image.aligncenter{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto}.tb-image img{max-width:100%;height:auto;width:auto;transition:transform 0.25s ease}.tb-image .tb-image-caption-fit-to-image{display:table}.tb-image .tb-image-caption-fit-to-image .tb-image-caption{display:table-caption;caption-side:bottom} } 
The social sector’s need for patient capital

The social sector’s need for patient capital

The social sector’s need for patient capital

A brand-new social investment research has been published by design and innovation charity Shift in partnership with CAF Venturesome, Unltd, and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. One of the main conclusions is that “patient, risk-bearing capital is a powerful type of funding that can help social purpose organisations (SPOs) achieve social impact at scale. Yet in the UK it is rarely demanded by SPOs and seldom offered by funders, particularly social investors.” The study suggests that the lack of awareness is one of the key barriers to accessing a variety of funding and investment options.

According to the report, there is a need for more patient investors, those organisations or individuals who are willing to share risk with innovators, accepting that not all ideas work – some may fail, some may make a loss. For those ideas that do work, the financial return and impact can be exponential. This type of capital has been a key driving force behind much of our recent human advancement.

Read the full report here.

Return to Latest News

The social sector’s need for patient capital

A brand-new social investment research has been published by design and innovation charity Shift in partnership with CAF Venturesome, Unltd, and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. One of the main conclusions is that “patient, risk-bearing capital is a powerful type of funding that can help social purpose organisations (SPOs) achieve social impact at scale. Yet in the UK it is rarely demanded by SPOs and seldom offered by funders, particularly social investors.” The study suggests that the lack of awareness is one of the key barriers to accessing a variety of funding and investment options.

According to the report, there is a need for more patient investors, those organisations or individuals who are willing to share risk with innovators, accepting that not all ideas work – some may fail, some may make a loss. For those ideas that do work, the financial return and impact can be exponential. This type of capital has been a key driving force behind much of our recent human advancement.

Read the full report here.

Return to Latest News

Latest News

LnRiLWZpZWxkW2RhdGEtdG9vbHNldC1ibG9ja3MtZmllbGQ9ImFjYjU0YjdmODc5NjQ4ZDViZjFkNzFjNTBiZGRhYWQyIl0geyBmb250LXdlaWdodDogYm9sZDt0ZXh0LXRyYW5zZm9ybTogdXBwZXJjYXNlOyB9ICAudGItZmllbGRbZGF0YS10b29sc2V0LWJsb2Nrcy1maWVsZD0iYWNiNTRiN2Y4Nzk2NDhkNWJmMWQ3MWM1MGJkZGFhZDIiXSBhIHsgdGV4dC1kZWNvcmF0aW9uOiBub25lOyB9IEBtZWRpYSBvbmx5IHNjcmVlbiBhbmQgKG1heC13aWR0aDogNzgxcHgpIHsgICB9IEBtZWRpYSBvbmx5IHNjcmVlbiBhbmQgKG1heC13aWR0aDogNTk5cHgpIHsgICB9IA==

23 April, 2026

Bringing North and South Together: Lessons from the Baraka x ECYC Partnership

Educational inequality is not abstract for Baraka Community Association and Earls Court Youth Club (ECYC). It shows up daily in

read more

LnRiLWZpZWxkW2RhdGEtdG9vbHNldC1ibG9ja3MtZmllbGQ9ImFjYjU0YjdmODc5NjQ4ZDViZjFkNzFjNTBiZGRhYWQyIl0geyBmb250LXdlaWdodDogYm9sZDt0ZXh0LXRyYW5zZm9ybTogdXBwZXJjYXNlOyB9ICAudGItZmllbGRbZGF0YS10b29sc2V0LWJsb2Nrcy1maWVsZD0iYWNiNTRiN2Y4Nzk2NDhkNWJmMWQ3MWM1MGJkZGFhZDIiXSBhIHsgdGV4dC1kZWNvcmF0aW9uOiBub25lOyB9IEBtZWRpYSBvbmx5IHNjcmVlbiBhbmQgKG1heC13aWR0aDogNzgxcHgpIHsgICB9IEBtZWRpYSBvbmx5IHNjcmVlbiBhbmQgKG1heC13aWR0aDogNTk5cHgpIHsgICB9IA==

16 April, 2026

Introducing Lightbulb’s second Impact Report (2024-5)

We are beyond proud to publish our official Lightbulb Impact Report for 2024-2025, thanks to the incredible efforts of Luisa

read more


13 April, 2026

Sharing Layers of Practice

What we learned from our Integration Challenge collaboration This year we, the Irene Taylor Trust (ITT) and Hear Me Out

read more


21 January, 2026

Lightbulb is hiring a Operations & Admin Officer in London

Salary: £160 per day Hours: 3 days per week (flexible hours, with the possibility of increasing the number of days

read more

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Footer

info@lightbulbtrust.org
Copyright The Lightbulb Trust 2019
The Lightbulb Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales 1187551
Design by Supafrank
  • Home
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies