Social Enterprise Growth Fund (Australia)

Aims

• The Social Enterprise Growth Fund aims to empower new & established social enterprises, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned businesses, to grow or expand their services into the Banyule City Council region or to support not-for-profit organisations who are developing a social enterprise business model. Recognising the funding challenges that often limit growth and innovation, this growth funding provides flexible support for these groups to develop and strengthen sustainable social enterprise models.

Focus Areas

• As a champion of social enterprise, Banyule City Council’s Social Enterprise Strategy 2020-2025 identified 4 key focus areas;
  • Advance place-based social enterprise innovation
  • Build business capability and capacity
  • Improve market access
  • Increase community awareness and engagement

Objectives

• This funding supports these pillars with a particular focus on building business capability and capacity, with the following core objectives;
  • Support new and existing social enterprises & Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned businesses to grow or expand into Banyule
  • Enhance business development capacity through engaging external parties for marketing, business planning or operational efficiencies
  • Facilitate purchases that increase opportunity for impact
  • Funding not-for-profit enterprises who are developing a social enterprise business model and need support in business planning and/or research.

Purpose

• This funding round has 2 purposes:
  • Support for Existing Businesses
    • To help established social enterprises, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander businesses and not-for-profit organisations scale their operations and increase their social, cultural, or environmental impact.
  • Support for New Business Development
    • To assist in the creation of new social enterprise models or in the expansion of emerging businesses with a focus on delivering positive outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Funding Information

• Banyule City Council’s Social Enterprise Growth Fund pool consists of $16,500 available to support social enterprises, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned businesses & not-for-profits to create social, cultural or environmental benefits for the Banyule City Council area.
• You can apply for Social Enterprise Growth Funding of up to $3,000.

What won’t be funded?

• Political activities.
• Projects submitted by individuals who are not auspiced.
• Projects submitted by non-incorporated organisations/groups that are not auspiced.
• Projects which are the responsibility of another funding body or level of government.
• Uniforms, prizes, trophies, scholarships, donations, sponsorships or gifts.
• Applications seeking retrospective funding.
• Costs related to project management or auspicing fees for groups or organisations (individual applicants can include the costs of auspicing as a part of the funded component of their project).
• Fundraising.
• Catering expenses unless you can demonstrate that they are integral to the project’s community benefit.
• Delivery fees.
• Projects where the group/organisation has received full funding for the same project from another source.
• Projects that require ongoing financial support from Council.
• Projects that have taken place previously, unless the applicant can demonstrate that the project is significantly different in scale, scope or ideas.
• Projects run for private or commercial purposes.
• Recurrent operational expenses (including utilities such as fuel, gas, water and electricity).
• Costs related to higher education course fees or educational expenses.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must fall into one of the following groups;
  • Meet Banyule’s definition of a Social Enterprise
  • An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander business registered with Kinaway Chamber of Commerce or Supply Nation
  • A certified social enterprise with Social Traders
  • Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs)
• Be incorporated or have appropriate auspice support.
• Provide (or be planning to) support, programs or services to people living in Banyule.
• Have an ABN, or be willing to complete a “Statement by Supplier”
• Provide a current detailed profit and loss statement (preferred) or a detailed, current financial statement or detailed business plan with financial projections if you are a start-up. Bank statements are not appropriate and should not be submitted.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Groups/individuals with outstanding grant acquittals. All previous grants from Banyule City Council, where the acquittal is due prior to the closing of the current funding round, must be acquitted to a satisfactory standard. Unacquitted, or insufficiently/unsatisfactorily acquitted grants will deem the application ineligible.
• Groups who undertake or promote gambling.
• Groups/individuals seeking support or assistance from Councilors in their application.

For more information, visit Banyule City Council.