Social Enterprise Investment Fund Evaluation:

Background

What is the SEIF?

The £100 million Social Enterprise Investment Fund (SEIF) was established by the Department of Health (DH) to stimulate the development of social enterprise in the delivery of health and social care services through the provision of start-up funding and long term investment.

The SEIF aims to provide a range of financial products to support social enterprise and encourage innovation. Through a bidding-based allocation process, organisations can receive a mixture of grants, loans, and business support tailored to the specific needs of each investee.

The SEIF is managed by the Social Investment Business and Local Partnerships on behalf of the Department of Health.

Our evaluation

The Department of Health Policy Research Programme has commissioned our research team to evaluate the SEIF. The project is a collaboration between the Third Sector Research Centre and Health Services Management Centre (HSMC) at the University of Birmingham, with contributions from Middlesex University and Said Business School. The evaluation has the following aims:

• To assess the effectiveness of the Fund in supporting Social Enterprise.
• To identify the impact of the SEIF including some evidence of the types of social benefits produced through the activities of SEs.
• To identify lessons and make recommendations for the future improvement of the Fund in supporting Social Enterprises in the delivery of health and social care services.

How will it be achieved?

Our evaluation is based on three phases of research:

• ‘Phase One’ gathers documentary evidence and carries out interviews with those involved in the formulation and management of the Fund. The phase aims to understand the ‘programme theories’ underpinning the SEIF by gathering explanations about how it intends to achieve its goals. See phase one report and stakeholder analysis. 
• 'Phase Two’ compiles a database of all applicants to SEIF and conducts a national survey with SEIF applicants.  The purpose of phase is to generate findings about the processes, outputs and early outcomes of the SEIF. See phase two survey.  
• ‘Phase Three’ carries out in depth case studies within four health and social care localities in England. This phase aims to provide further in depth analysis of the processes and outcomes of the Fund.

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