- The BoP Fund provides affordable start-up finance for social entrepreneurs, typically ranging between EUR 5,000 and 100,000, with a view to increase the maximum volume per investment over time.
- The Fund provides equity and low-interest finance to social enterprises who lack access to commercial finance. With its investments, GEXSI seeks to leverage further – market based – finance.
- In exceptional cases, the BoP Fund may offer small kick-off grants, provided the social entrepreneur has a viable business model which allows to eventually become financially self-sustaining.
- Investments are made with regard to achieving measurable targets related to the UN Millennium Development Goals, in particular to their primary goal: poverty alleviation.
- With its BoP Fund, GEXSI strives to maximise the social benefits; the Fund is sourced by donations; returns on investment flow back into the fund and are recycled to benefit further social businesses.
- GEXSI uses a project assessment scorecard and development impact measure, and reports accordingly on assessment methodologies (such as SRoI) of BoP Fund investments.
- The BoP Fund does not aim for an overall positive return on investment at fund level; the Fund’s mission is to fill a gap between grant support schemes (100 % capital loss) and commercial investment vehicles (positive returns on fund level).
