About SEDI

What is SEDI?

The Social Enterprise Development Initiative (SEDI) is an Australian Government initiative that helps social enterprises build their capability, grow their impact and deliver social and economic benefits to people experiencing disadvantage.

The Australian Government initially committed $11.6 million over three years from 2023–24. It has since committed a further $3.3 million for First Nations social enterprises and $3.4 million to extend SEDI to June 2027.

SEDI provides support through:

• Capability-building grants: grants of up to $120,000 to help eligible social enterprises access specialist support and grow their impact, including dedicated grants for First Nations social enterprises.
• Education and mentoring: online information, resources, learning communities and networks to help the wider social enterprise sector grow its impact.

Impact Investing Australia administers the grants, including the dedicated First Nations grants in partnership with Indigenous business Malu.

Social Enterprise Australia is the SEDI Education and Mentoring Coordinator.

Read more about SEDI on the Department of Social Services website.

SEDI grants for social enterprises

SEDI grants help social enterprises access specialist services to strengthen their businesses and increase their social impact. This includes business planning, financial management, legal support, outcomes measurement and evaluation, and access to finance.

There are two grant streams for 2026–27:

• SEDI Capability Building Grants: for eligible social enterprises. Applications opened on 8 May 2026. Find out more and how to apply through IIA.
• SEDI First Nations Capability Building Grants: dedicated grants for eligible First Nations social enterprises, administered by IIA in partnership with Indigenous business Malu. Applications opened on 22 July 2026. Find out more and how to apply through IIA.

Grants of up to $120,000 are available. For current eligibility, application details and grant availability, visit the relevant IIA page.

SEDI grants in action

Between 2024 and 2026, IIA delivered eight competitive grant rounds, awarding grants to 56 social enterprises.

In October 2026, the Australian Government announced a further six social enterprises receiving SEDI funding to strengthen their businesses and grow their impact.

Read the October 2026 ministerial announcement.

See the impact of SEDI

The Department of Social Services has published four video stories showing how SEDI grants are helping social enterprises support their communities.

Meet Ability Enterprises, HoMie, ReLove and SisterWorks, and hear how capability-building support is helping them grow their impact.

Watch the SEDI video stories.

You can also view the social enterprises selected for SEDI grants.

SEDI education and mentoring

As the SEDI Education and Mentoring Coordinator, Social Enterprise Australia helps build capability across the social enterprise sector through shared resources, learning and connections.

This includes:

• Supporting learning communities where people can share experiences, learn from each other and collaborate.
• Bringing together trusted tools, guides and practical resources, and commissioning new ones where clear gaps exist.
• Connecting these resources and opportunities through Understorey, a sector-informed knowledge hub.
• Seeking input from across the sector, including rural and regional, First Nations, and culturally and linguistically marginalised voices, to help shape what's developed.

Understorey builds on the knowledge, resources and support that already exist, making them easier to find, use and share.

Explore Understorey to find resources, organisations, learning communities and opportunities to get involved.