Social Innovation and Social Finance

Social Innovation

The complex social, economic and environmental challenges facing Canada, including homelessness, climate change and youth employment, require creativity and transformative solutions. Social innovation refers to new ideas which, when adopted, improve the well-being of a community.

Social Finance

Social finance enables organizations to access new money to enhance their impact. Social finance is repayable investment that supports positive social, environmental, and/or cultural impact.

Organizations can complement grants, donations, contracts and other forms of earned income with repayable social finance like loans and equity investments. These investments are used by organizations to carry out activities that advance their mission and to generate savings or income that they can use to repay investors.