Hybrid Social Finance Loan 2023 – 2024

The Hybrid Social Finance Loan is open to start-up social enterprises that:

• Are first-time borrowers as a social enterprise and unattractive to mainstream traditional finance
• Have some trading record
• Must be able to demonstrate traded income to date

Eligibility & Criteria

Projects must meet both Rethink Ireland’s criteria and the specific criteria for the Hybrid Social Finance Loan, as set out below:

Rethink Ireland Criteria 

• The project must address a critical social issue
• The project must be innovative in an Irish context. 
• The project must be based on the island of Ireland and make its main impact in the Republic of Ireland.
• The project must have the potential and desire to scale or replicate in Ireland.
• The project must provide evidence that it is up and running, or be tested at least in a minimal way.
• Applicants must come from an entity that has a not-for-profit legal form, eg:
  • company limited by guarantee
  • charity
  • trust
  • co-operative
  • social enterprise 
  • other not-for-profit legal forms

The Hybrid Social Finance Loan Core Criteria 

• Start-up social enterprises
• Must be up and running
• Have some trading record 
• First-time borrower as a social enterprise
• Tangible and measurable social impact

Advantageous criteria 

The criteria below will be considered advantageous in applications, however, organisations that  meet the core criteria but do not meet the advantageous criteria are encouraged to apply. 

Projects incorporating the below in their application will have an advantage:

• Social enterprises engaging meaningfully with minority/ disadvantaged groups including but not limited to those led by women, ex-prisoners, recovering addicts, travellers, and migrants. 
• Social enterprises that have a positive effect on Ireland’s Green Transition through their activities/interventions. This criteria applies if the social enterprise tackles issues related to the environment and green transition such as carbon reduction, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, pollution and/or the just transition. 

Which projects cannot apply?

Projects that are not eligible to apply are:

• Projects where research is the primary activity
• Projects seeking to use the non-repayable loan for large capital items (such as buildings, vans, renovations or land)
• Projects promoting or aligned with a political party
• Projects that only accept participants of a particular faith or religious denomination
• Projects focused on animal welfare 
• Projects based outside the Republic of Ireland
• Projects led by people under 18 years of age
• Projects that are an idea (only) and that have not yet started

Which applicants cannot apply? 

Applicants that are not eligible to apply are:

• Applicants under 18 years of age
• Commercial companies, sole traders and individuals
• Any staff member from Rethink Ireland, Community Finance Ireland and Department of Rural and Community Development staff, Directors and their family members. Family members include siblings, parents, spouses or civil partners or children.
• Individuals, statutory or public bodies, local development companies, LEADER companies, companies limited by shares, and organisations that are funded 100% by state bodies or agencies and continue to be in receipt of that funding.
• Any consultant currently working with Rethink Ireland.

If my organisation has previously received an award from Rethink Ireland, can I still apply?

Yes. If you have previously been funded by Rethink Ireland, you can still apply. Previous awardees must be able to demonstrate they have performed well on a previous programme and capture in the application form how the new funding being applied for is a logical continuation from the original investment, fitting the new Fund criteria in particular.

If my organisation is currently in receipt of an award from Rethink Ireland, can I still apply?

Projects on one of our Funds that have cash grant payments remaining before the commencement of the new fund programme are not eligible to apply. 

Organisations on one of our Funds that have cash grant payments remaining before the commencement of the new fund programme are still eligible to apply with a different project and different project lead.

Is this just for large-scale, national organisations?

No, it is not, the Hybris Social Finance Loan is targeting start up social enterprises once it is a not-for-profit organisation with a legal form (see criteria above).

Can I apply for this funding even though I am still in the ideation stage? 

Unfortunately no, your social enterprise must be able to demonstrate some traded income to date.

If my organisation is funded by a Government/state agency (HSE, TULSA etc) are we eligible? 

Yes, you can apply if you are in receipt of funding from a government or state agency. However, if your organisation is 100% funded through state sources then you are not eligible to apply to the Fund.

Is it possible for organisations to collaborate in an application (e.g. a community development organisation and an educational provider)?

They can and one organisation should take the lead. Please refer to the eligibility criteria to ensure that your application is eligible for funding.

The Fund will offer up to  20 start-up social enterprises a combination of a repayable loan, a non-repayable loan and a business support package, to help them expand and increase their social impact.

This includes:

• A total loan of between €20,000 and €100,000 which includes
  • A repayable loan between €10,000 and €50,000 provided by Community Finance Ireland which can be financed over 5 years at a competitive rate. 
  • A non-repayable loan for up to the same amount provided by Rethink Ireland upon delivery of agreed milestones. It will be paid in 2 installments, over a period of 1 year, at the start and end of the 6-month capacity-building programme. 
• Capacity building support to the value of €10,000 provided by Rethink Ireland which includes:
  • A place on the six-month Rethink Ireland’s Accelerator Programme equipping Awardees with the skills needed to expand and deepen their impact, delivered by best-in-class experts across the private, nonprofit and public sector
  • Bespoke business and capacity building support focusing on improving the investment readiness of the selected social enterprises, tailored to the specific needs of each social enterprise and carried out by approved consultants, designed in consultation with the successful projects on topics such as strategic planning, maximising your impact, communications, storytelling and fundraising.

• Access to Rethink Ireland’s networks and the opportunity to develop networks and contacts with the other Awardees on the Programme which are often very valuable in the longer term

* Community Finance Ireland will decide on the repayable loan. Rethink Ireland’s Board will make the final decision on the non-repayable loan amount but generally, it will be for the same amount as the repayable loan. 

What can the Hybrid Social Finance Loan be spent on? 

The non-repayable loan provided by Rethink Ireland may be used to cover operations/staff costs (working capital) and up to  50% on equipment. It cannot be used to pay off debts or for large capital items such as renovations, or for vehicles, land or buildings.. 

The repayable loan provided by Community Finance Ireland can be spent in line with the social enterprise’s needs, including capital investments, following approval from Community Finance Ireland. Applicants will submit a budget as part of their application and must be able to demonstrate in their application how this is facilitating your Social Enterprise. 

What is expected of Awardees?

The project lead will be expected to take part in the six-month Accelerator Programme, which includes attending approximately 6 workshops and spending time working 1:1 with a business/strategy consultant. 

What is involved in completing the application form?

The Hybrid Social Finance Loan consists of two open calls, approximately ten organisations will be selected in each round. Round One of the Hybrid Social Finance Loan will open for applications on May 10th, 2023 for six weeks, until June 21st, 2023. Applicants will complete an application form which will be submitted via Rethink Ireland’s online platform. The second round of the Hybrid Social Finance Loan will open in October 2023.

What kind of video do we need to submit? Optional

This video is optional and don’t worry – you don’t need to produce a high-quality or expensive video. You can use a smartphone or tablet. We just want to hear you telling the story of your project in 2 – 3 mins max. Please tell us:  

• who you are
• why you are applying for the award
• the problem/issue your project is trying to solve
• how you will do that 
• how your solution is innovative or creative. 

You can then upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo and password-protect it if you wish. You can insert the URL link and the password in the application form.

What financial information do we need to submit with our application?

1. The project’s latest management accounts and previous 3 years signed  Annual Accounts (or since registered if less than 3 years ago). Provide Audited Accounts if applicable.
2. Detailed budget and financial projections for the next three years. All applicants must outline how they intend to use the non-repayable loan provided by Rethink Ireland and the repayable loan provided by Community Finance Ireland and upload a proposed budget. A spreadsheet template is provided in the relevant section of the application form.
3. Provide a 12-Month Cash Flow to include, group resources invested, donations /fundraising/ grant monies, project costs including professional fees, and Community Finance Ireland proposed bridging/term loan repayments.
4. Provide a copy of the most recent Bank Statement relating to each account.
5. Provide a  professional quote or copy of the agreed signed tender contract relating to each project cost if purchasing equipment or developing any infrastructure project.
6. A Business plan (if available) that outlines the mission, goals, target market, marketing strategy, and operational plan.

Other documentation required: 

• Copy of Memo & Articles of Association/Cert of Incorporation/Constitution.

How do we upload our project budget (planned income and expenditure)?

In the relevant section of the application form, you will be provided with a link to a budget template in excel. Please click on the link provided and DOWNLOAD this document to your computer. Then fill in your financial information and save the document with your project’s name and then upload it (as an Excel file)in the relevant section of the application form. 

Accessibility

We have tried to make the application process as accessible as possible but we understand that there may still be some difficulties for applicants. If you have access needs or are struggling with the application form, please contact hybridsocialfinance@rethinkireland.ie

What happens after we submit our application?

1. Applications will go through a rigorous selection process (for more information see below).
2. Successful applicants will be informed in mid-October.
3. The non-repayable loan provided by Rethink Ireland will be delivered in two parts – one at the beginning and one at the end of the 6-month Accelerator programme and are tied to agreed performance milestones. The repayable loan provided by Community Finance Ireland will be distributed following the agreed bespoke loan drawdown schedule defined in their loan letter with Community Finance Ireland.
4. The Accelerator Programme will run for approx six months from December 2023.
5. The Accelerator supports will be designed in consultation with the awardees and reflect organisational/project needs. 
6. Round 1 Awardees will finalise their programme in May 2024.

How does the selection process work?

The selection process is very rigorous and consists of a number of stages:

• Open call for applications (May 10th – June 21st)
• Eligibility Review (June 22nd – June 28th)
• Internal and External Reviews, applications are assessed based on impact, innovation, scalability, sustainability (June 30th to July 14th)
• Due Diligence/Governance checks on shortlisted applicants (July 20th – August 3rd).
• Financial Review ( June 22nd to September 18th)
• Final decisions by Rethink Ireland’s Board (mid-October)

Who will decide who wins the awards?

 All applications will be reviewed thoroughly through a rigorous process. The Board of Rethink Ireland will make the final decision on successful applicants and the number and value of the final non-repayable loan, while CFI is responsible to issue a loan letter to the selected Awardees for the repayable loan given.

How do applicants find out where they are in the selection process?

We will contact all applicants by email to let them know whether or not they have been shortlisted. When final decisions have been made on the successful applicants, we will contact all shortlisted applicants by phone or email to let them know whether they have been successful. 

By applying for The Hybrid Social Finance Loan, you agree to the following terms and conditions.

• You are 18 years of age or older.
• You have given full and truthful information, both verbal and written, at all stages of the application and selection process. 
• You are eligible to apply. This means that your organisation meets the criteria for Rethink Ireland and, as described.
• You have the right to apply. This means that you hold the necessary rights to carry out the project.
• By sending in your application, you accept these terms and conditions and our Privacy Statement. If you do not comply with these terms and conditions, you may be disqualified and may have to return any award granted. 
• Rethink Ireland will hold the personal details which you submitted with your application form. We will only share this information with the third parties administering the application and selection process unless we agree otherwise with you. Please see our Privacy Statement for full details.
• The Awardees must take part in publicity about the grant. Rethink Ireland reserves the right to publish the names of organisations that are successful in their applications.
• If you decline an award or if the award is taken back because you did not comply with the terms and conditions, the Directors may select an alternative Awardee.
• Rethink Ireland reserves the right to disqualify any entrant, to change the terms and conditions without notice, or to cancel the application process at any stage.
• Where relevant, applicant organisations must be fully compliant with guidelines, regulations and legislation applicable to their project, for instance, Children First guidelines and child protection regulations.