The VERGE Social Enterprise Loan Fund, previously only available to the London region, is now being offered to early stage, high growth social enterprises across Southwestern Ontario. The purpose of VERGE is to connect local impact investors with local enterprises that have a social or environmental mission at their core. Since June 2014, VERGE has invested over $1.25 M directly into local businesses with high growth potential, with additional in-kind mentoring and coaching services through Pillar Nonprofit Network and other community partners.

As a program, the VERGE Social Enterprise Loan Fund not only provides capital to social enterprises making an impact in their community, it also connects these enterprises to wrap-around supports before, during, and after financing, by providing expertise on legal structure, business planning, impact measurement, and market knowledge.

VERGE will also be rolling out a second loan fund in 2018 aimed at later stage social enterprises seeking funding to expand operations or for impact real estate.

For more information on the VERGE Social Enterprise Loan Fund, or for general information regarding social enterprises, please visit:

http://www.vergecapital.ca/
https://www.sesw.ca/

or email Michelle Nevett, Health and Social Innovation Research Associate at EPICentre: nevettm@uwindsor.ca