1) What is a social enterprise?

A company or organisation that:

• aims to fulfil a social, cultural and/or environmental mission;
• is (or will be) less than 50% dependent on grants; and
• has (or will have) paying clients providing the majority of revenue.  

Social enterprise start-ups are different to traditional startups, and often experience a longer pathway to financial sustainability or higher grant dependence of 5-7 years, and so may be more grant dependent during startup phase.

2) What is impact investment?

An investment seeking social, cultural and/or environmental impact first, alongside a financial return.

3) What types of organisations can Impact Seed support in this program?

I2i is available to support the following kinds of entities:

• Not for profit organisations meeting the definition of social enterprise above (company limited by guarantee, or incorporated association)
• For-profit organisations (must be certified social enterprises, or in the case of First Nations organisations, see below) OR ALTERNATIVELY – For-profit businesses that can demonstrate a strong community benefit, for example employment of at-risk or excluded workers, or provision of an essential community service/product.
• First Nations organisations (Native Title organisations (PBC’s), Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO’s), ORIC registered entities, for-profit Aboriginal businesses meeting the criteria below)
• Co-op and mutual organisations (where social, cultural, environmental impact is clearly articulated and core to the mission)

I2i is unfortunately not available to support:

• Sole traders or other unincorporated businesses;
• Not-for-profits that rely primarily on philanthropic, government or corporate funding to provide their services;
• For-profit entities that don’t have an explicit focus on delivering a clear community benefit
• Government entities (including schools and local governments)

4) I am a for-profit Aboriginal business.  Can Impact Seed support me?

The i2i program can support for-profit Aboriginal businesses that are Aboriginal-led AND majority Aboriginal-owned, and with a community focus.

5) If I have previously applied or been supported by Impact Seed in earlier years, can I apply again?

Yes. Impact driven enterprises are always on a journey to grow their impact.  We welcome past applicants to apply in 2025.

6) I have an existing organisation based outside WA but looking to establish itself in WA.  Can Impact Seed’s program support me?

No.  i2i is focused on WA registered and headquartered organisations.

7) What kinds of support does Impact Seed provide me with?

We provide support tailored to the individual needs of each enterprise selected in our program.  Some examples from past participants have included:

• Coaching, mentoring and acting as a sounding board for the social enterprises in our program
• Support mapping and articulation of a unique value proposition`
• Support with incorporation and potentially referrals that can provide deeper support with ACNC registration applications and DGR
• Support with an impact framework
• Support with pre-feasibilities/business cases/prospectus including market research and business/financial modeling
• Support with pitch deck development
• Practical support in engaging with stakeholders (eg govt or commercial entities) for more complex business development activities or site activations
• Help writing a grant application and meetings with grant makers
• Investment readiness and due diligence support for enterprises approaching impact investors for debt/equity funding

8) How many organisations will you support?

We aim to provide intensive bespoke support to 8 enterprises each year.  We also aim to provide a second tier of support to a larger number of organisations that come through our expressions of interest.  All support is provided on a one-to-one basis with Impact Seed staff.

9) Do I get cash for my enterprise as part of this program?

No. There is no cash “award” to the social enterprises selected as part of Impact 2 Innovate.  We provide practical and business support to help participants scale their impact.  In some circumstances we provide wraparound support for enterprises to approach grant makers and assistance with grant applications, reporting and acquittals. 

10) What is the value of the support Impact Seed provides?

For the 8 selected social enterprises we work with each year, support levels vary depending on the needs of the enterprise.  However as a guide, the value of support Impact Seed provides is valued at between $15-50K.

11) Is there any cost to me of participating in Impact Seed’s enterprise development program?

We work on an as-needs basis with the organisations that get support through our enterprise development program to ensure underserved people and communities and those experiencing financial exclusion are prioritised for our support, free of charge.  As part of this model, we may ask established organisations with financial capacity to make a small co-contribution. 

12) I have an idea for a social enterprise, but haven’t started anything yet.  Can Impact Seed help?

As a general rule we focus our support on validation, development and growth stage social enterprises (see the nationally recognised definition of social enterprise stages of development here).  However we can support new enterprises which have an established link to an existing organisation (eg a new social enterprise idea being developed within an established Native Title organisation).  

13) Is there any cohort-based collaboration in Impact Seed’s program?

Impact Seed provides several opportunities to gather with other program participants past and present throughout the year.  These range from virtual gatherings and conferences to our annual flagship Impact Economy Forum.

14) What are examples of some organisations Impact Seed have supported?

Reboot (South West), Noongar Land Enterprise Group (Wheatbelt), FISH-Foundation for Sustainable Indigenous Health (Kimberley), Spinifex Hill, Juluwarlu Aboriginal Corporation (Pilbara); Loop Upcycling, Dismantle, Mettle (Perth Metro).

15) Can Impact Seed provide impact investment to my enterprise directly?

Potentially.  Through our WA Catalytic Impact Loan Fund, we invest directly in development and growth stage enterprises between $50-250K through concessional impact loans.

16) Do you have any free tools and resources I can get started with now?

Yes. Over the past 10 years we have created a range of tools and resources for social enterprises and impact ventures to guide them in the establishment and validation journey, and build towards taking on impact investment. You can access our free tools here.

17) Is this a mentoring program?

Each participating enterprise will develop an individualised support program, tailored to their specific needs and priorities. This can include mentoring, but the scope of support we can provide or help the enterprise access is much broader. Our enterprise development specialists can be a trusted sounding board, a connector to other sources of funding and expertise, a mentor, and a partner in developing specific business plans and strategies.

18) How long does the support from Impact Seed last? What is the program duration?

Impact Seed is funded to deliver i2i over a 3-year period. The specific needs of individual participants will determine the duration of support. Some enterprises may require a short but intensive piece of work on an aspect of their business, while others may need support over a longer period of time on a range of issues. In general, our commitment tends to be between 6 and 18 months of consistent support – and we remain available as a sounding board and cheer squad for as long as we’re needed!

19) What is the selection process? When will I hear if I have been successful?

Impact Seed is conducting a two-stage expression of interest process. The first stage is a very brief online questionnaire to determine eligibility and broad fit with the program. The second stage is a more detailed questionnaire about the applicant’s needs and context. We are aiming to complete the selection process within one month of the end of the EOI deadline.