The Connect Fund has been a transformative force in the social investment landscape – contributing to collective efforts to build a stronger, more resilient social investment sector, but also a more equitable one. Launched in 2017, funded by Access – the Foundation for Social Investment, and delivered by the Barrow Cadbury Trust, the Connect Fund set out to strengthen and diversify the social investment ecosystem. This report looks at what was learned from the programme, highlighting some of the challenges and exploring some of the success stories.

Over the past seven years, the Connect Fund disbursed £5.28 million via 137 grants to 88 organisations. Through the programme’s various initiatives, we have seen how collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and a focus on inclusivity can drive positive change.