Social Enterprise Development Initiative
About the Social Enterprise Development Initiative
The Social Enterprise Development Initiative (SEDI) aims to help social enterprises be more efficient and effective in delivering social and economic benefits to vulnerable people.
SEDI provides support through:
- grants of up to $120,000 to eligible social enterprises to grow and help more people facing disadvantage. This includes grants for First Nations social enterprises
- online activities to help the wider social enterprise sector build knowledge and skills.
SEDI runs for 4 years – from 2023–24 to 2026–27. The Australian Government initially committed $11.6 million for 3 years until June 2026. This was part of the Targeting Entrenched Disadvantage package.
The government has also committed $3.3 million for First Nations social enterprises and $3.4 million to extend SEDI to June 2027.
These investments are to support the growth and impact of the social enterprise sector in Australia.
Creating SEDI
In 2023, we worked with Social Enterprise Australia(Opens in a new tab/window) (SEA) to help design SEDI. They asked the sector for ideas through workshops and surveys.
Read the summary of the views SEA collected (Opens in a new tab/window).
SEDI also drew on the success of the Sector Readiness Fund. The $8 million fund ran from 2018 to 2023. It provided grants to social enterprises to be able to attract more investment and increase their impacts.
How SEDI works
SEDI supports social enterprises to build the capability they need to create more impact through:
- grants, including for First Nations social enterprises
- online sector-wide information, resources, and networks.
Our partners help deliver SEDI. They are:
- Impact Investing Australia(Opens in a new tab/window) (IIA) – as the SEDI Capability Building Grants Administrator.
- IIA – as the SEDI First Nations Capability Building Grants Administrator in partnership with Indigenous business Malu.
- SEA(Opens in a new tab/window) – the SEDI Education and Mentoring Coordinator.
SEDI grants administrator
We selected IIA to be the SEDI grants administrator following an open, competitive grant round.
SEDI Capability Building Grants help social enterprises to buy capability building services from capability providers with specialist skills, including:
- business planning
- financial management
- contract negotiation
- legal support
- outcomes measurement and evaluation
- help to access finance such as investment loans or grants.
SEDI grants
Between 2024 and 2026 IIA delivered 8 competitive grant rounds. They selected 56 social enterprises for grants of up to $120,000 each.
IIA received more than 900 expressions of interest and more than 400 applications. Many were from First Nations, rural and regional social, enterprises.
Apply for a SEDI grant
Applications for the 2026–27 SEDI Capability Building Grants opened on 8 May 2026.
For more information and to find out how to apply, visit IIA's SEDI grants page(Opens in a new tab/window).
SEDI First Nations grants
We selected IIA, partnering with Indigenous business Malu, to be the SEDI First Nations grants administrator following a targeted and competitive grant round.
Apply for a SEDI First Nations grant
Applications for SEDI First Nations Capability Building Grants opened on 22 July 2026.
For more information and to find out how to apply, visit IIA's SEDI First Nations grants page(Opens in a new tab/window) .
SEDI education and mentoring
SEDI offers widely accessible online information and education resources for the sector.
SEA is the Australian social enterprise peak body. Its goals match those of the SEDI Education and Mentoring activity. This is why SEA was chosen as the SEDI Education and Mentoring Coordinator. The partnership means the sector has a voice in SEDI.
Understorey
SEA developed an online hub for SEDI called Understorey. Understorey offers resources, tools and training for the sector. Understorey also helps people in the sector connect with each other. It includes a sector guide and a directory of sector organisations to help people to find them. It also has information about other funding opportunities.
Understorey will continue to improve based on input from the sector and feedback from users.
Working with the sector
Anyone in the sector can reach out to SEA with ideas or feedback on Understorey. Let SEA know what content and support you would like it to provide. Please email hello@socialenterpriseaustralia.org.au.
To find out more about getting involved, visit SEA(Opens in a new tab/window).