Frequently Asked Questions

Generally, the Social Finance Fund seeks to invest repayable capital in Social Finance Intermediaries that are contributing to a positive social, cultural or environmental impact. Each fund manager may have additional eligibility requirements. Please refer to the individual fund manager websites for further guidance.

A Social Finance Intermediary pools investment capital from individuals, foundations, and other institutions, and in turn, invests in Social Purpose Organizations. There are many forms of social finance intermediaries including, but not limited to: limited & general partnerships, trusts, investment co-operatives, etc.

Repayable investment in the form of debt, equity, and other financial instruments will be available. Refer to each fund manager for specific details on the types of capital available.

Social finance is repayable investment that enables positive social, cultural, and environmental impact. It comes in forms such as loans and equity investments that organizations use to advance their mission and carry out activities that generate savings or income used to repay investors.

A Social Purpose Organization is an organization with a mission to advance social, cultural, or environmental objectives. Social Purpose Organizations include registered charities, nonprofits, co-operatives, hybrid organizations, and private businesses advancing a social, cultural, or environmental mission.

The Social Finance Fund seeks to reach Social Finance Intermediaries and Social Purpose Organizations led by and serving Black Canadians and other racialized peoples, Indigenous peoples, low-income people, members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community, official language minority communities, people with disabilities, recent immigrants and refugees, women, and other equity-deserving groups.

There are no restrictions against seeking investment from more than one fund manager. Social Finance Intermediaries located in Quebec should apply directly to CAP Finance for investment.

Social purpose organizations should seek investments from social finance intermediaries. Generally, the Social Finance Fund seeks to invest in social finance intermediaries. Each fund manager may have additional eligibility requirements. Please refer to the individual fund manager websites for further guidance.

Social purpose organizations seeking investment readiness support should visit the Investment Readiness Program website for more information.

Generally, Social Purpose Organizations should discuss with Social Finance Intermediaries about their investment opportunity to generate social, cultural, and/or environmental impact while producing financial returns.

The Social Finance Fund is a $755 million investment initiative by the Government of Canada, of which up to $400 million will be available to fund managers for the first five years. It is part of Employment and Social Development Canada’s wider Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy, which includes the Investment Readiness Program, an initiative that prepares Social Purpose Organizations to take on repayable finance.

The Social Finance Fund is an opportunity for the private sector to further participate in Canada’s social finance market. One of the goals of the Social Finance Fund is to leverage each dollar invested by the Government of Canada with two additional dollars invested by the private sector. Fund manager, Social Finance Intermediaries, and Social Purpose Organizations will collectively achieve this goal by raising additional investment from individuals, foundations, and other private institutions.