Social Enterprise Development Initiative (SEDI) capability-building grants, valued at up to $120,000 each, are now available.

The grants are designed to help eligible social enterprises better demonstrate and grow their social impact. They are for social enterprises to purchase business and impact capability-building services, such as financial services, evaluation and impact measurement, business consulting and legal advice. 

The initiative supports Australian social enterprises that are delivering services for Australians experiencing disadvantage in a range of social outcome areas.

Grant eligibility

Eligible SEDI Grant applicants: 

• Are a social enterprise (see definition below) or a trading Indigenous owned or controlled organisation with a defined social benefit
• Have an impact in one or more of the approved Department of Social Services outcome areas
• Currently provide benefit to those experiencing entrenched disadvantage in Australia
• Are an Australian organisation
• Have beneficiaries who primarily reside in Australia
• Have a turnover of at least $50,000 per year
• May be early stage but have progressed beyond the start-up phase
• Are seeking to scale impact (now or in the future) in one or more of the approved outcome areas to address entrenched disadvantage in Australia.

A social enterprise is a business that puts people and planet first. It trades like any other business, but exists specifically to make the world a better place. A social enterprise seeks to solve a social or environmental problem. It can be a for-profit or non-profit organisation, or a charity that trades.

Grant process

Organisations that believe they qualify for a SEDI Grant should submit an Expression of Interest. The grants’ administrator, Impact Investing Australia (IIA), will then arrange a phone conversation to discuss grant eligibility and the selection process. Organisations meeting the eligibility criteria will be invited to submit a grant application, which will be assessed by an expert panel. 

Grant timeframe

The SEDI Grants program will run through to June 2026. There will be rolling grant rounds, ensuring ample time for submissions by eligible social enterprises. Grants will be awarded based on the merit of the enterprises/projects, not on the order of application.

More information 

Impact Investing Australia is the Administrator of the SEDI Grants.

More details on SEDI Grants and the grant application process are available here.  

To complement the grants, SEDI includes whole-of-sector education and mentoring support. Social Enterprise Australia is the SEDI Education and Mentoring Coordinator. More information on SEA’s role and how to get involved is available here.

SEDI is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.