Sector Readiness Fund

The Sector Readiness Fund provided grants to assist established social enterprises to increase their social impact.

About the trial

The Australian Government committed $8 million from 2018-19 to 2022-23, to support the Sector Readiness Fund. The Fund provided grants to assist established social enterprises to: 

  • buy capability building services 
  • help attract investment 
  • grow the business 
  • increase social impact. 

The trial commenced in November 2018 and ceased on 30 November 2023. Impact Investing Australia(Opens in a new tab/window) administered the Fund on behalf of the department and undertook an impact evaluation of the project. 

Evaluation of the department's social impact investing program included assessment of the impacts of the Sector Readiness Fund. Learnings fed into development of the Social Enterprise Development Initiative (SEDI). SEDI was announced in the 2022-24 Budget in the Entrenched disadvantage package. 

Growth grants

Through the Fund’s growth grants, established social enterprises could receive up to $140,000 in funding. The funding allowed them to buy services to strengthen their capability in: 

  • business planning 
  • financial modelling 
  • capital raising 
  • contract negotiations 
  • legal support 
  • outcome measurement 
  • evaluation. 

 

Eligible organisations must have focussed on one of the 14 outcome areas, including: 

  • communities and inclusion 
  • employment 
  • training and participation 
  • health and disability 
  • education and child development 
  • Indigenous Australians 
  • online services 
  • microenterprise development. 

 

Eighteen social enterprises reached their investment targets with a combined investment of $83.3 million. This included: 

Applications to funding rounds have now closed. No further rounds are planned. 

Resilience grants

In 2021-22, the Fund offered resilience grants of up to $30,000 to eligible organisations experiencing financial stress due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

These grants provided organisations with funding to access advice on strategies to continue or restructure business activities in response to the coronavirus impact. 

Resilience grants totalling $0.54 million were provided to 18 organisations. 

Get in touch 

If you want to contact us, send an email to SocialImpactInvesting@dss.gov.au.  

  • Print
  • Email

Was this page helpful?

Your feedback has been successfully submitted.
Thank you for providing feedback. Help us improve by telling us what you think.
DSS2501 | Permalink: www.dss.gov.au/node/2501