This report examines the barriers preventing or inhibiting access to investment finance for non-conventional entrepreneurs, for new forms of business organisations, and for poorer communities, and offers strategic proposals for improving the situation. The report introduces the concept of development banking as a means of tackling market imperfections in the availability and allocation of development finance for business. It analyses a series of strategic objectives and sets out a strategic approach based upon the idea of enterprise development investment, which would be achieved through the development of a network of Local Enterprise Development Funds. These would be based initially upon existing organisations and would seek to enhance current provisions by attracting new finance from mainstream financial institutions and the public and non-profit sectors, by co-ordinating and upgrading existing facilities and by improving professionalism and the level of technical assistance available to third sector enterprises. In the longer term, a national dimension is envisaged via the establishment of a National Enterprise Development Fund. The purpose of this fund would be to invest in the local funds, financially, and in training, support and monitoring, and to facilitate leverage of additional local investment.