SBT announces Digital Impact Fund (DIF)

Social Business Trust (SBT) is delighted to announce the newly created Digital Impact Fund (DIF), supported by the Permira Foundation.  Through the fund, cash grants and business expertise will help four high performing social enterprises accelerate their shift to digital. Addressing key issues such as youth employment, social mobility and domestic abuse.

A panel of experts from SBT’s Digital Advisory Board selected projects based on feasibility, impact and contribution to COVID recovery.  

We are delighted to get going on the Digital Impact Fund projects, they’re diverse, transformative projects that will make real change to the organisations and their end users. Not only this, but the learnings from the various projects will help organisations across the SBT portfolio going forward.
DIF chair, Josephine Hus, Permira

We’re hugely grateful to the Permira Foundation and the SBT Digital Advisory Board for making this possible. This Digital Impact Fund will enable immediate targeted investment in four social enterprises. Supporting their digital transformation so they can help more people recover from the effects of the pandemic.
Joanne Hay, Deputy CEO and Portfolio Director, SBT

Challenge Partners, who work to accelerate school improvements, are one of the recipients of the fund.

Challenge Partners continues to grow in reach, impact and complexity. Automating key business processes like invoicing and chasing payments is critical to ensuring that growth is sustainable. The project with SBT will enable us to achieve this in a way that improves accuracy, maximises revenue and releases time in our team and the schools and trusts we serve, which can then be better spent on activity that improves young people’s life chances and reduces educational disadvantage.
Dr Kate Chhatwal OBE, CEO, Challenge Partners

Awarded organisations and projects:

Brightside

Full UX redesign and revamp of Brightside’s website to facilitate school partnership growth and attract a more diverse set of volunteers.

Catch22

Mobile platform to help more young people easily access Catch22-delivered services.

Challenge Partners

API integration between CRM and finance system to save employee time and reduce errors.

Hestia

Development of a digitally-enabled client support model to futureproof Hestia’s programmes.

The projects begin shortly and will take place over the next six months.

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