VOLUNTEER SOCIAL INVESTMENT PANEL MEMBER (Somerset Social Investment Programme)

We award over £4 million every year to small charities and community groups in Somerset.

As part of this work, we manage the Somerset Social Investment Programme (SSIP). SSIP offers blended finance which is a combined loan and grant. Social enterprises and charities who apply for this funding need to pay the loan part of the funding back to us, but not the grant. This means they can grow the income they earn from selling their goods or services, which in turn helps them benefit their communities.  

Making decisions about which organisations get some money and which don’t is one of the most important things we do. The social investment panel will need to review applications and award funding on the basis that the investment will: 

• create sufficient surplus to repay the loan  
• provide positive social impact to the community.  

We want you to help us make those decisions.  

About our social investment panel  

A group of people meet 4 times a year to decide which applicants will get an investment.  

Our social investment panel is made up of volunteers from the community, alongside representatives from Somerset Community Foundation and Somerset Council who fund this programme.  

We’re looking for people from the community to join this panel, which has around £500,000 to award over the next 4 years, to around 12 organisations. As part of the funding is paid back to us, we’re able to recycle it into new investments through future applications for SSIP funding that we receive.   

Panel members work together to make the best decisions they can with the money we have. 

This isn’t easy, but we’ll support you to make your decisions. Panel members will receive detailed assessments and a chance to meet with applicants at the panel meeting. We’ll also give you some training before you start. 

Who would make a good social investment panel member? 

Everyone who joins our panel knows different things and has lived different lives. It’s these differences that help the panel make good decisions.   

You don’t need experience of sitting on a panel and you don’t need any qualifications, but we are looking for people with some understanding of the amazing work done by local social enterprises and charities in our county, and how they operate.  

What you do need is:  

• a passion for Somerset  
• a willingness to work with others to tackle some difficult decisions  
• some free time to read about the things people are asking for money for, in preparation for a panel meeting 
• flexibility to attend panel meetings, which normally take place during office hours  
• basic computer skills 
• to be at least 18 years of age.  

We’re particularly interested in people who have experience in running their own social enterprises.  

We can pay expenses to help you take part. This can include travel costs to attend a meeting, or childcare for example.  

Our panels represent our communities 

We welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you have lots of experience making decisions like this or want to take your first step, we would love to hear from you.   

At the moment our panels don’t always represent all of Somerset’s diverse communities. We would especially welcome applications from people with disabilities, minoritised communities, or LGBTQ+ people. 

We’re committed to increasing opportunities for people to contribute to their local community. This means we’ll do everything we can to respond positively to your individual needs during the recruitment process and, if successful, attendance at panel meetings.  

When we’d need you 

There are 4 panel meetings a year.  

A week before the panel meeting we’ll send you information about the charities and social enterprises that have asked for money.  

It’s important that you have the time to read this information and come to the meeting with your ideas.  

Interested in getting involved? 

To take part, we need you to fill in a short form online. In the form you’ll need to: 

• provide some basic contact details so we can get in touch with you 
• write answers to 4 short questions. 

Please be aware that if lots of people want to volunteer to join the panel, not everyone will be able to take part. If this happens we’ll talk to you about it.