Social Enterprise Grant in Australia

The purpose of the Social Enterprise Grant (Grant) is to:

Support Australian Social Enterprises and/or Indigenous female entrepreneurs to innovate and solve social issues facing their communities and improve the economic security of Indigenous women.

Funding Information

• Applicants can apply for partnerships from $50,000 and up to $200,000 excl GST.

Eligible Partnership Activities

To be eligible the partnership activity must:

• Be program based, can be delivered in a peer/group environment or one-on-one.
• If a program, coaching or training focus, be developed and delivered by First Nations women. Exceptions will be made where technical or accredited skills or practices are required.
• Be focused on First Nations Women’s Economic Security, in one or more of the following areas and directly result in building women’s, girl’s and sistergirl’s financial confidence and empowerment:
• Support for start-up and existing First Nations women in businesses.
• Building financial skills and confidence.
• Access to job-readiness programs.
• Workplace coaching and mentoring.
• Managing housing and affordable living initiatives.
• Creating and maintaining networks relating to the above-mentioned themes.
• Wellbeing and selfcare programs that support women manage their family, work, business, and community obligations.
• Accredited/technical training of Social Enterprises staff that results in creating change and impact for First Nation women and communities.
• Innovation through Digital/Technology that results in creating change and impact for First Nation women and communities.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for the Social Enterprise Grant, the applicant must be a (majority) female owned or led Australian Social Enterprise, and are, or work with, First Nations female entrepreneurs that provide capability, capacity building support and that achieve measurable economic safety outcomes for First Nations women, girls or sistergirls and their communities.
• First Nations Enterprises must be female led and have at least 50% First Nations shareholding and active management of the business.
• Non-First Nations Australian Social Enterprises must have an advisory board of at least 50% First Nations women representation or 50% First Nations women in leadership/executive roles and the initiatives must be designed and delivered by First Nations women.
• Must be an Australian Social Enterprise with experience in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, girls or sistergirls and communities and able to demonstrate cultural safety and capability.
• Beneficiaries of the program must be First Nations women, girls or sistergirls and their communities. Transgender First Nations women and sistergirls are welcome and encouraged to apply or be the beneficiaries of this grant under a partnership.

For more information, visit IBA.