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Investment Ready Programme

Our 20-week Investment Ready programme is for social entrepreneurs who are ready to take the next step. It equips you with the skills, tools and confidence to grow a sustainable, high-impact organisation. Through weekly sessions with industry experts, you’ll master leadership, finance, branding, storytelling, pitching, impact measurement and more. Designed to be practical and transformational, this programme helps you lead with clarity, tell your story powerfully and scale your impact with confidence.

No Qualifications Needed!

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Included in this fully-funded programme:

  • 20 weeks of expert-led online business development training

  • Weekly 2-hour interactive sessions with industry leaders

  • Practical learning across leadership, finance, branding, storytelling, and strategy

  • Guidance on programme delivery in schools and community settings

  • Pitching and presenting practice with real funder panels

  • Tools for impact measurement and one-page reporting

  • Business planning, legal structures, and compliance support

  • Templates and resources for policies and procedures

  • Networking and peer-learning opportunities with like-minded organisations

  • Ongoing support to help you apply your learning in real time

No Qualifications Needed - We prioritise passion, drive, and dedication and welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds—including care and criminal justice experienced, young carers and those with first-hand experience of the inequalities they aim to change.

Is this programme right for me?

You should apply if you:

  • Are 18-30 years old

  • Live, work or aspire to work in East London

  • Have a social business or project idea

  • Are passionate about creating change

  • Are an independent learner

  • Can engage in peer-to-peer mentoring

  • Are seeking specialist mentoring

  • Can commit to the full programme

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The Investment Ready programme was a game changer for me as a social entrepreneur. From bid writing and pitching to understanding cost, board structures and working with schools, it gave me the practical knowledge I needed to run Sirlute professionally. Before the programme, I was probably just winging it. This was the crash course I didn’t know I needed. I left with £90,000 in funding, which helped get Sirlute back on track financially after COVID-19 and opened doors to work with ELAM College and London College of Fashion. I’m proud to stay involved with Social Ark, providing mentoring to new participants

JR Joseph, Founder & CEO of Sirlute

I have had the pleasure of working with Lisa and the Social Ark team, it’s always been a privilege, working with them as a group, and also doing one-to-one sessions with the fabulous social entrepreneurs. They have always been quick to learn, and I have seen their confidence grow in leaps and bounds. I love working with them and will continue to do so as long as they want me

David McQueen

I came onto the Investment Ready programme because I wanted to secure funding for my social enterprise and leave my full-time job. I never really anticipated the skills that I would learn. This programme has been so valuable, I’ve learned how to value my lived experience and package it into sellable products and services that inspire others. My work varies from training the police to frontline mentoring work with at-risk youth, I’ve also learned about evaluation and bid writing, and this has helped me to secure funding and valuable partnerships. Social Ark helped me to confidently take the next step in my leadership journey

Gideon Buabeng Founder & CEO of Our Pain 2 Power

I have never wanted to learn so much until this programme, I’ve managed to get all my policies in place and secured funding to run my projects over the next 12 months.

Programme Participant

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