Resource library

Global Footprint Network: Measuring Humanity’s Impact on the Planet

Platforms

The Global Footprint Network is an international nonprofit organisation focused on measuring and tracking ecological footprints. By providing tools and data, it supports governments, businesses, and individuals in making informed decisions that promote sustainability and help live within Earth's ecological limits. The organisation works on ecological footprint accounting, policy support, and public education, offering resources to guide sustainable living and ecological resilience.

'Go-to Market Strategies', Harvard Innovation Labs

Videos

This is a long-form video lecture from Harvard Innovation Labs for conventional start-ups and business, but it provides a comprehensive framework for thinking about and planning 'go-to' market strategies.

Greening Australia: Large-Scale Environmental Restoration

Platforms

Greening Australia addresses key environmental challenges through reforestation, habitat restoration, and climate resilience projects. By combining scientific research, community engagement, and innovative solutions, it works to restore degraded ecosystems. Its efforts include reforestation, carbon sequestration, waterway protection, and collaboration with local communities and Traditional Owners, strengthening environmental resilience and restoring Australia’s natural habitats on a national scale.

Having Better Conversations about Data: Tips for Social Enterprises

Webinars

This resource is currently being developed. If you would like to be notified when it is published, please email team@understorey.org.au.

Health Justice Australia

Platforms

Health Justice Australia integrates legal services into healthcare to address social factors affecting health. Through partnerships, resources, and training, it supports healthcare and legal professionals in delivering holistic care, particularly for vulnerable communities.

'How Communities Awaken', Vivian Hutchinson

E-books

“How Communities Awaken” by Vivian Hutchinson explores active citizenship, community development, and Māori cultural wisdom. Based on the Taranaki Masterclass and Community Conversations, these essays provide insights on fostering connection, creativity, and social change.

‘How social entrepreneurship works’, Sally Osberg and Roger Martin

Articles

This article by Sally Osberg and Roger Martin examines how social entrepreneurs drive systemic change, highlighting Andrea and Barry Coleman’s Riders for Health. By addressing transportation gaps in African healthcare, the Colemans exemplify how leveraging expertise and engaging stakeholders can create sustainable impact. The authors argue that successful social entrepreneurs focus on specific needs while aligning broader ecosystems, enabling transformative change that goes beyond business-driven outcomes.

'How to Be a Super Board Chair', Huggett and Zitter, Stanford Social Innovation Review

Articles

This Stanford article outlines nine strategies for effective board leadership in social enterprises, focusing on building legacy, fostering respect, clarifying roles, and supporting executive success. Key tactics include tailored board experiences, efficient meetings, succession planning, professional recruitment, feedback, and addressing underperformance, all aimed at creating a collaborative, impactful board culture.

‘How To Have Challenging Conversations. Tips From Organisational Science’, Thinking About Teaching

Articles

This resource, adapted from the teaching profession, provides social enterprise leaders with strategies for navigating challenging management conversations. It highlights the ineffectiveness of "hard sell" or "soft sell" approaches in driving change and maintaining relationships. Instead, it introduces the "Open to Learning" framework, emphasising validity, respect, and commitment. Leaders are guided to approach conversations with shared decision-making and an open mindset, offering a practical tool for addressing performance issues and implementing change in dynamic work environments.

'How to revive a neighborhood: with imagination, beauty and art', Theaster Gates

Videos

Theaster Gates, a potter by training and a social activist by calling, tells his story of transforming abandoned buildings to create community hubs that connect and inspire those who live there. A famously inspiring talk, it shows how problems can be reframed as opportunities, how to start with what you’ve got, how to make something out of nothing and how culture can be a catalyst for social transformation.

ILO Decent Work Agenda

Platforms

The ILO Decent Work Agenda promotes fair, secure, and productive employment worldwide. It provides policy guidance, resources, and best practices to support job creation, labour rights, and social protection.

Impact Boom Blog and Podcast

Podcasts

Impact Boom has undertaken 100s of interviews with social entrepreneurs and change-makers from across Australia and around the world. Produced as podcasts and blogs, their platform provides an amazing range of impact insights and stories.

'Impact Investment Playbook', Impact Investing Hub

Guides

The free, self-directed Impact Investing Hub Playbook supports Australia’s impact investing ecosystem, offering modular content on Impact Investing, Impact Measurement, and Revenue Diversification, tailored for investors, advisors, and organisations seeking investment.

Impact Measurement Journeys for Social Enterprise

Webinars

Social Good Outpost hosted a webinar sharing how social enterprises begin and evolve their impact measurement. With insights from TABOO, Echo Impact, and Native, the session explored practical ways to track what matters, centre community outcomes, and embed ethical, meaningful measurement into everyday business practice.

Inclusive Business Playbook, Acumen-EY

Guides

This playbook by Acumen and EY provides a framework and case studies for building inclusive businesses that benefit low-income and marginalised communities while remaining financially sustainable. It offers practical guidance on strategy, governance, workforce inclusion, and impact measurement.

'Inclusive Service Standards', Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing

Platforms

The Inclusive Service Standards provide a framework for culturally safe and inclusive service delivery, particularly in aged care. They offer training, self-assessment tools, and case studies to help organisations embed inclusivity and improve service practices.

‘Indigenous Governance Toolkit’, The Australia Indigenous Governance Institute (AIGI)

Platforms

The AIGI Indigenous Governance Toolkit supports Indigenous organisations in building strong, culturally-rooted governance.

Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKCs)

Other

Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKCs), operated by the State Library of Queensland, empower Indigenous communities to preserve culture, share knowledge, and integrate modern technology. They support local leadership, digital access, and cultural innovation.

Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC): Supporting Indigenous Stewardship

Platforms

The ILSC supports Indigenous communities in reclaiming and managing land and sea Country. By providing funding and fostering partnerships, it helps restore ecosystems, creates economic opportunities, and strengthens environmental governance. Through projects that integrate Indigenous knowledge with modern conservation practices, the ILSC promotes leadership and sustainable development, ensuring the restoration of cultural and ecological heritage for Traditional Owners.

'Indigenous Leadership in Business', University of Sydney

Videos

This video series explores 'Indigenous Leadership in Business,' highlighting themes of collective leadership, stewardship, relationships, community benefit, and cultural responsibility to inspire empowerment and transformative change.

Inner Development Goals (IDGs): A Framework for Personal and Collective Growth

Other

The ‘Inner Development Goals (IDGs)’ framework outlines 23 essential skills and qualities to foster personal growth, leadership, and systemic change, enabling individuals and organisations to better address global challenges like the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

Intellectual Property Australia (IP Australia)

Platforms

Protecting intellectual property is essential for social enterprises. IP Australia offers info on patents, trademarks, and more, including registration support.

'Interview with Sally McGeoch discussing inclusive employment', Room for All – Inclusion in Hospitality Podcast

Podcasts

This podcast episode features Sally McGeoch from the Westpac Foundation, discussing her journey, social enterprise challenges, and opportunities. The conversation covers funding, collaboration, and impactful initiatives supporting meaningful employment for marginalised groups.

‘Introducing the Impact Economy’, Griffith Centre for Systems Innovation

Articles

This article introduces the 'impact economy', a model integrating social, environmental, and economic outcomes. It explores its definition, relevance in the Anthropocene era, and components like impact-driven business, investment, and trade. Key topics include political leadership, innovation, impact measurement, and challenges such as inclusion and new economic indicators. A valuable primer for understanding how reshaped economic systems can address global challenges and better serve people, places, and the planet.

Introduction to Theory of Change from NESTA's DIY Toolkit

Videos

A Theory of Change articulates the link between intentions, activities, outputs, and outcomes. It presents a hypothesis of how we think we can create change in the world. This short video uses an example to explain how to use the tool to define goals and the pathways to reach them.

'Investing in your community: A guide to managing community funds', Highlands and Islands Enterprise

Guides

This guide, supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, helps communities manage funds from renewable energy projects and other sources. It covers fund management models, practical steps for distribution, case studies, governance, and long-term sustainability. By providing best practices and real-world examples, it equips communities with the tools to reinvest in local initiatives, ensuring transparency, resilience, and long-term benefits.

'Is Your Program Suitable for the Outcomes Fund?', SVA

Guides

This guide by Social Ventures Australia (SVA) helps organisations assess program suitability for the Australian Government’s $100 million Outcomes Fund. It outlines key funding criteria, evaluation methods, and practical guidance for securing outcomes-based contracts and social impact bonds (SIBs).

Landcare Australia: Community-Led Conservation

Platforms

Landcare Australia empowers local communities to take action on environmental issues through conservation and sustainable agriculture. By supporting land restoration, revegetation, and sustainable farming, Landcare fosters community engagement and provides funding, training, and resources. The organisation also focuses on biodiversity conservation through collaborative projects that protect native species and ecosystems, ensuring long-term, sustainable environmental solutions.

'Leadership in Social Enterprise: How to Manage Yourself and the Team', Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship

Reports

This report by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship supports social enterprise leaders in tackling unique challenges like balancing social impact with commercial goals, managing diverse teams, and meeting stakeholder expectations. Grounded in global insights from interviews, case studies, and surveys, and developed with input from experienced social entrepreneurs, it offers practical, stage-specific guidance. Designed as a collaborative tool, it fosters knowledge sharing and equips leaders with strategies to drive mission-driven organisations effectively.

'Legacy: how to build the sustainable economy', Dieter Helm

Videos

Dieter Helm’s video lecture series examines the steps needed for a sustainable economy, addressing polluter responsibility, resource maintenance, and investment, with detailed insights, downloadable slides, and an accompanying book.

Legal Structures for Social Enterprises – a nationwide conversation on law reform

Articles

On Monday 17 August 2020, the Australian Law Reform Commission co-hosted with the University of Melbourne a webinar with a panel of experts discussing the potential for a future ALRC inquiry into legal structures for social enterprises.

'Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System', Donella Meadows

White papers

This foundational paper by Donella Meadows introduces 12 leverage points within systems where small interventions can drive significant change. It highlights the potential of paradigm shifts in addressing complex challenges, while acknowledging the resistance systems often present to such transformations.

‘Lights, Camera, Action: How to Craft a Compelling Pitch Video’, Indiegogo

Guides

Crafting a compelling pitch video can provide you with an excellent (and multi-use) resource. This guide shares tips for creating standout videos, different story arc models and advice for working with production agencies.

‘Making Embassy with Tyson Yunkaporta’, Regeneration Rising, Season 2 Episode 11

Podcasts

Discover Tyson Yunkaporta’s concept of “making embassy,” which fosters respectful, reciprocal, and meaningful relationships between people, groups, and systems. Rooted in Indigenous cultural practices, it emphasises relationality, shared purpose, cultural respect, and adaptability. Explore how this dynamic approach creates spaces for dialogue, collaboration, and the intersection of diverse knowledge systems.

‘Managing the Managers: Nine Tips to Help Social Enterprises Build Outstanding Management Teams’, Next Billion

Articles

This NextBillion article provides nine essential strategies for building strong management teams in social enterprises. It highlights the importance of fostering a high-performing culture, implementing supportive systems, and prioritising continuous learning. Key approaches include effective talent assessment, incremental onboarding, meeting management, and coaching skill development. The article emphasises how strong management is vital for scaling operations and achieving meaningful impact.

‘Managing volunteers’, Justice Connect

Guides

This Justice Connect guide outlines the key legal obligations organisations have towards volunteers. It provides practical examples, templates, and tips to help organisations navigate crucial areas, including the legal differences between volunteers, employees, and contractors; managing volunteer relationships; ensuring volunteer safety; addressing unlawful workplace behaviour; and handling intellectual property, privacy, and record-keeping issues.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Co-Design Hub

Platforms

The NDIS Co-Design Hub supports inclusive disability service design by involving people with disabilities and their families. It provides resources, case studies, and best practices to foster collaboration between participants, service providers, and policymakers.

National Employment Services Association (NESA)

Platforms

The National Employment Services Association (NESA) is Australia's peak body for employment services, advocating for systemic improvements, workforce development, and inclusive hiring. It supports employment practitioners and promotes job access for disadvantaged groups.

Nature on the board - an open source guide

Guides

This guide shares, in plain English, how Faith in Nature recognised the legal Rights of Nature within its organisational structures. Based in the UK, It sets out how they went about it and the changes made to their ‘Articles of Association’.

Nature positive business models

Articles

This online resource by Wedgetail brings together multiple examples of nature-positive business models being explored around the world.

'Now we are all measuring impact', Griffith Centre for Systems Innovation

Articles

A rich introduction to the history of measurement and how different drivers have informed how we think about, and practice, impact measurement and evaluation today. Also includes some useful graphics that help distinguish different terms and approaches from each other.

Organising in Place and Working Across Altitudes

Webinars

This resource is currently being developed. If you would like to be notified when it is published, please email team@understorey.org.au.

'Outcomes Funds: Explained', Centre for Social Impact

Guides

This guide by CSI explains what an outcomes fund is - a financing mechanism that pools funding to support organisations addressing social issues, with payments tied to achieving specific measurable outcomes. This guide by CSI shares more detail on what and who are usually involved in setting up and managing an outcomes fund.

'Part Discount Grocer, Part Social Connection: Defining Elements of Social Supermarkets', Centre for Social Impact

Reports

This research paper by the Centre for Social Impact Flinders explores social supermarkets as an innovative model for addressing food insecurity. Combining affordable food access with social support, these supermarkets move beyond traditional food relief by integrating dignity, choice, and community connection. The paper highlights how social supermarkets offer a comprehensive approach, including financial, emotional, and skill-building services, fostering long-term independence and resilience for clients.

'Participatory Budgeting: Meaning, Benefits & A Step-by-Step Guide', Delib

Articles

This article introduces participatory budgeting, a democratic process empowering citizens to influence public fund allocation. It covers its origins in Porto Alegre, Brazil, outlines key stages, and highlights benefits like transparency, trust, and community empowerment, making it an ideal resource for those exploring the concept.

'Payment by Outcomes: Measuring the Effectiveness of Jobs-Focused Social Enterprises', Centre for Social Impact

Reports

This report by CSI Swinburne evaluates the Australian Government’s Payment by Outcomes (PBO) trial, which funds jobs-focused social enterprises based on employment outcomes. It assesses the impact on individuals facing work barriers, including those with disabilities, and explores the trial’s systemic and policy implications for employment services.

People and Planet First (PPF)

Platforms

People and Planet First is a participatory verification and a global collective that’s helping accelerate the transition to an economy that puts people and the planet first.

Permaculture Australia: Sustainable Living Through Design

Platforms

Permaculture Australia promotes sustainable living and growing practices through the principles of permaculture, tailored to Australia’s unique climate and ecosystems. The organisation provides education, training, and certification in permaculture design, supports local projects focused on food security and regenerative agriculture, and advocates for ecological and social resilience. By fostering self-sufficient, sustainable communities, Permaculture Australia helps communities work in harmony with the environment.

‘Pitching and fundraising’, Acumen Academy

Articles

The Acumen Academy offers free online courses and resources for social entrepreneurs. Their blog series on fundraising and pitching social enterprises provides valuable insights for changemakers seeking to refine their pitching skills and increase their chances of securing support and funding. 

Platform Cooperatives Toolkit

Platforms

The Platform Cooperatives Toolkit provides practical resources for building fair, worker-owned cooperatives in the digital economy. It includes step-by-step guides, case studies, and tools to promote equitable ownership and sustainable employment.