Sefa’s advisory services are ramping up to build capability
Written by Renee Martin, Head of Engagement
Before I started my role at Sefa, the team had been observing demand from for-purpose organisations for good advice about how to navigate:
identifying the need for finance for sustainable growth and deeper impact
confirming the amount and terms of capital needed to achieve growth and impact objectives
supporting capability within organisations to enable confidence to commit to financing and investment decisions; and
attracting and securing investors that are aligned with the organisation and its purpose.
I started working with Sefa in 2020 when a confluence of factors presented us with a fabulous opportunity to really drive our advisory services offering:
The COVID pandemic allowed us to thoroughly examine the needs of for-purpose organisations as they continued to strive for social impact in an uncertain and somewhat precarious operating environment. We were fortunate to be able to interview social enterprise leaders with whom Sefa had existing relationships (e.g. executives at Shopfront Theatre, Corryong Neighbourhood Centre, The Cage). We also spoke with sector stakeholders (in the social services, philanthropy and government) to learn about what they need, for themselves and as part of the for-purpose sector, to be resilient to shocks and economic upheaval. We developed a suite of offerings anchored around four pillars: commercial acumen, partnerships, governance and advocacy.
Sefa and Sefa Partnerships committed to a shared strategy which has at its core a commitment to ‘un-siloing’ capability and capital. We meet clients where they are at, understand their challenges and the drivers that underpin those challenges, and then work with them to build the internal capability needed to progress towards investment (if investment is the optimal path).
Sefa employed a few new team members who individually brought in diverse, but complementary, skills and experiences and who can be called upon to contribute technical, sectoral and methodological expertise to support clients on their journeys.
We have subsequently enjoyed working on a number of engagements with clients who are keen to understand the role that finance and investment can play as they stabilise, strengthen, thrive and/or grow. We are working with the governing board of an innovative housing solutions provider in Melbourne to improve their confidence and competence in finance and investment. We are working with Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR), providing business coaching services for community leaders in Leeton in regional NSW, supporting them to develop their organisations’ theories of change before unlocking a pathway for greater impact. We have supported an Aboriginal health organisation to work through decisions about how to optimise their existing asset base, to strengthen their operating capability and improve the likelihood of securing investment for growth. We have undertaken research into how philanthropic funds can best be deployed to contribute to addressing Australia’s affordable housing crisis. We are also working, in partnership with WWF Australia, with bushfire affected communities to explore regenerative economy. The work to date been across the health, housing, environment and Indigenous impact sectors.
It has been a very exciting and validating period for the Sefa team. We have taken our values of togetherness, integrity and being a champion for our clients and systems change into every engagement and really believe that how we do things, and the process of learning is as important as the end point. We pride ourselves on working with, not for, our clients. We are patient and progress at a pace that works for our clients as they often grapple with scarce human and financial resources.
We are looking forward to increasing our reach in the future, working in partnership with other expert organisations to augment our offering. If you are interested in exploring whether we are the right organisation to work with we’d love to hear from you. Please contact me as a first step, my email is: renee.martin@sefa.com.au.