Social Investment in Ending Homelessness

Throughout the world, homelessness is recognised as a grand challenge (Padgett et al., 2016). As such, innovations in policy and practice are required to address that challenge. To that end, social investment from both the public and philanthropic sectors have been activated to test innovative new approaches to ending homelessness. These approaches span the development of new programmes, creations of new networks, and reorganising efforts from the public sector. In this study we will review three innovations (Social Impact Bonds, Collective Impact Networks,and New Approaches to Address Equity) that have been funded to end homelessness and will provide an assessment of the progress to date.