Findhorn Foundation Trust

Over the decades, the Findhorn Foundation Trust developed a global reputation for its work, including spirituality, environmentalism, community living, art, music, and education.

However, like many organisations, the Trust faced unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitating significant changes to its operations and strategy.

A new direction

The pandemic’s financial disruptions placed immense pressure on the Trust’s liquidity, prompting the organisation to pivot its business model. This included various cost-cutting exercises, restructuring, and a decision to wind down the Trust and use the net proceeds to fund successor organisations aligned with the Trust’s charitable purposes.  This ongoing process should be finalised by the end of 2025 and will position the Trust’s successor organisations to better serve their mission and communities in the long term.

Addressing challenges

To bolster liquidity during this transition, the Trust decided to sell some property assets within the Ecovillage at The Park, Findhorn.

In late 2023, the Trust contacted Social Investment Scotland (SIS) for short-term loan funding to bridge the gap until the property sales were completed.

Recognising the long-standing reputation of the Trust, its track record, and the high value of the heritable assets, SIS was happy to provide the Trust with £705,000 loan funding up front, which would be repaid in full once the said properties were sold.

Jim Simpson, Chair of the Findhorn Foundation Trust Finance Committee said: “The support from SIS was critical to allow us to cover our costs while the properties were on the market and give us the time and space for an orderly wind down of the Trust. SIS was easy to work with throughout, and their flexibility and efficiency in processing our loan applications was vital to us at a time when cash was very tight.”