2017 lending results

In 2017 Co-op Loan Fund provided six loans totaling £190,000.

Since the fund started in 2002 it has lent nearly £5m to 157 co-operatives throughout the UK.

When the loans are repaid the money is lent again to other co-operatives. Six loans were fully repaid during 2017. At the end of the year the fund was worth £1.5m with £1.1m out on loan and £500,000 available to lend.

The default rate on our lending has averaged about 3% since 2002. This is despite the fact that Co-op Loan Fund deliberately lends to ventures that mainstream lenders would consider to be ‘high risk’. It shows that 1) our loan assessors have very good judgment and 2) co-operatives are generally more reliable than most small businesses.

Co-op Loan Fund made a good operating surplus in 2017 which was reinvested into the fund. This means that all of our donors’ funds were available for lending and were not spent on administration.