Hello from our CEO - Summer 2022

As the year ends, teams Sefa and Sefa Partnerships have felt the energy around finishing up, progressing or kicking off projects. We also hit another Sefa milestone this year, turning an operational profit for the first time: read our Annual Report full of impact and sustainability here.

A few weeks ago, we completed our action-based research on older women’s access to affordable home options. But for us the report is not the end. It’s the beginning of what is next. Together with the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, we invited two women with lived experience to join us for a panel discussion at Yirranma Place to highlight their experiences and challenges. We then heard from the director of the Under Cover documentary before enjoying a private screening. Read my colleagues Renee Martin and Manfred Bauer’s summary of the event and how we plan to shift the conversation to action, with older women firmly at the centre.

Four years after meeting co-founding sisters Fiona and Anna Glumac, the Social Finance team is excited for The Herd to open the doors of their intergenerational child care centre on the Mornington Peninsula. And yesterday, we celebrated our client Covidence who won the Impact Enterprise of the Year Award 2022. Our Social Finance team is of capital raising a bespoke loan syndicate that will support their future growth journey. Please get in touch with me you are interested in finding out more.

One of our business plan priorities this year is embedding cultural competency in how we work alongside First Nations clients. Yilabara Solutions, a social enterprise set up by NSW Aboriginal Land Council, facilitated a Development Day for the team, Board and Investment Committee – helping us take a step back before we move forward. The workshop with a “Future Focus” brought to life the current political agenda, trends and opportunities for Indigenous communities, followed by a safe space for reflection and discussion.

After an extended research, collating insights and listening to over 35 social entrepreneurs, we launched the first round of applications for the Paul Ramsay Foundation (PRF) Growth Incubator. We are now busy reading through the responses to shortlist interviews. Sefa Partnerships spearheads the incubator delivery and is excited to offer a unique program for enterprises. The program includes customised support to help them reach or expand sustainable operations, accelerate their growth and deliver greater impact.

Team Sefa and Sefa Partnerships had fun celebrating the silly season with a pasta making class. I hope that you enjoy similar celebrations across work and family circles and wish you a restful Christmas break.

See you in 2023, with new energy to drive the for-purpose movement.

Hanna