Key terms

Organisations that provide training, mentoring, and resources to help social entrepreneurs and social enterprises develop and grow. May include consulting firms, support agencies, and education providers.

Large companies that engage with social enterprises through partnerships, procurement, investment, and corporate social responsibility programs.

Shared facilities that provide affordable workspace and community for social entrepreneurs and enterprises.

National-level government agencies and departments that determine social enterprise policy and funding.

An institution or entity that facilitates the channelling of finance between the supply and demand-sides of a capital market. Includes banks, credit unions, crowdfunding platforms, and specialised financial organisations that offer tailored products and services for social enterprises.

Universities and institutes that offer courses, research, and incubation programs related to social innovation, entrepreneurship, and enterprise.

Impact investors are individuals or institutions that invest with the intention of generating measurable social or environmental impact alongside a financial return.

Impact investors may invest in a range of organisations, including social enterprises, charities and for-profit businesses. What defines them is not the type of organisation, but their clear intention to create positive impact as well as financial value.

In the social enterprise sector, impact investors can play an important role in providing capital that supports both mission and sustainability. They often look for evidence of outcomes, using data and impact measurement to understand the difference their investment is making.

In practice, impact investors help shift how capital is used, supporting organisations that aim to deliver both financial returns and meaningful change for people, communities and the environment.

Centres that foster creativity, collaboration, and experimentation to develop new social enterprise ideas and solutions.

City or local-level authorities that have a specific influence on community-based social enterprises and localised initiatives.

Brokers that link social enterprises with customers to facilitate and grow trade. They may use a variety of platforms and means of intermediation, and specialise in different customer segments including retail, business-to-business, public sector procurement, or outcome purchasers.

Collaborative projects and alliances that bring together multiple stakeholders around shared interests, learning inquiries, and to address specific social, environmental, or organisational challenges.

National or regional associations that represent and advocate for the interests of social enterprises and the broader sector. Peak bodies may be governed by their members and also provide networking activities, capacity building, and events.

Foundations, trusts, and individual donors that provide grants and donations to support social causes.

Firms and consultants that offer specialised support to social enterprises, such as legal advice, accounting, marketing, and impact measurement.

Vocational training entities that provide applied learning and skills development programs for social enterprise practitioners and stakeholders.

Academic units and think tanks that conduct studies and critical analysis on social enterprise trends, practices, and impacts.

A social enterprise is a business that puts people and planet first. They trade like any other business, but exist specifically to make the world a better place. Social enterprises can adopt a range of legal structures, identities, and play multiple roles, across different domains, in the ecosystem.

Bodies that establish and maintain certification schemes and benchmarks for social enterprise performance and impact. Standards may be related to specific areas of impact (e.g. animal welfare), specific products (e.g. Fair Trade), or whole of organisation (e.g. People and Planet First).

State and Territory-level government bodies that oversee regional social enterprise policies, development strategies, and regulations.