Using Social Investment to Secure a Disability‑Led Future

Introduction

Liberdade Community Development Trust is a disability arts charity founded in 2003 in the North East of England, pioneering a model where people with learning disabilities set up and run their own physical theatre company. Over 21 years, the organisation has grown significantly and now operates Gosforth Civic Theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne, benefiting more than 45,000 people annually with a turnover exceeding £1.2m. Liberdade delivers arts, health and wellbeing programmes for people with learning disabilities, alongside outreach work in SEND schools and colleges and work placements through its café and deli.

Central Support Offer – Identifying the Need

Despite being a strong and well‑established organisation, Liberdade was facing mounting sector‑wide pressures. Grant funding had become increasingly competitive, wage costs had risen by 22% over three years, and uncertainty remained around Arts Council funding timelines. Although Liberdade had recently completed a successful £2.5m capital redevelopment, leadership recognised the need to strengthen long‑term financial resilience and further diversify income, while protecting their distinctive disability‑led model.

Initially approaching YIF for strategic communications support, discussions revealed an opportunity to pivot the support towards developing a social investment application as part of a broader business‑model transformation.

Support Provided

Through the YIF Central Support Offer, (who was the CSO provider??) worked closely with Liberdade’s CEO, manager and the Big Issue Invest social investment manager to develop a £100k social investment application.

The consultant undertook an in‑depth review of strategic plans, budgets, internal documentation and research materials. This analysis highlighted a key organisational strength: prior to the pandemic, 62% of Liberdade’s income was self‑generated, demonstrating a strong foundation for trading and earned income activity.

Working collaboratively with the leadership team, the consultant helped articulate a clear narrative for investment, positioning the application as strategic growth funding rather than rescue support. Together, they developed a four‑part income diversification strategy:

• Enhanced fundraising through membership, corporate partnerships and major donors
• Optimising programming and venue use
• Growing trading income from café, events and subsidiary activity
• Targeted grant funding aligned to mission

The Result and Impact

Liberdade successfully secured the £100k social investment from Big Issue Invest. This has enabled the organisation to consolidate existing debt, strengthen reserves and create the capacity to recruit a Major Donor Fundraising Manager, supporting long‑term sustainability.

Additional Impacts

The investment supports continued delivery of arts and wellbeing programmes for 245 people with learning disabilities each year, protects outreach work reaching over 150 young people annually, and sustains Liberdade’s unique governance model where people with learning disabilities co‑lead decision‑making. It also positions the organisation to increase self‑generated income and reduce reliance on grant funding over time.