Sefa Partnerships:
Learning and Innovation Programs

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Where it fits in:

Learning and Innovation Programs are a key component to the Sefa Partnerships model of creating impact through capital funding and capability building.

Innovation to us is the process of creating and implementing new ideas to generate value – and borrowing from Rediscovering Social Innovation, we take a systems approach to social innovation, where the novel solution is “more effective, efficient, sustainable, or just than existing solutions” and where value creation “accrues primarily to society as a whole rather than private individuals.”

Our learning and innovation programs deliver systems-wide insights for social entrepreneurs, non-profits, government and corporate organisations, and are delivered by our in-house team and network of subject matter experts in specialty areas that explore:

Cross-sector exchanges of ideas and values,
Shifts in roles and relationships across sectors,
The integration of private capital with public and philanthropic support.

Growth Incubator

In 2023 Sefa Partnerships, in collaboration with Sefa, delivered a Growth Incubator for eight social enterprises working across Australia to break cycles of disadvantage in different ways – from creating employment opportunities for people facing barriers to work, to providing a unique education program that strengthens children’s emotional and social skills and resilience.

Organisations poised for growth participated in a 10-month incubator program, and Sefa Partnerships supported them through customised learning sprints, expert coaches, one-on-one coaching and access to networks within the wider for-purpose sector to: Reach or expand sustainable operations, accelerate their growth, and deliver greater impact.

Sefa Partnerships & Macquarie Group | Alignment with purpose

At Sefa Partnerships, we have a longstanding connection with the Macquarie Group and the Macquarie Group Foundation, which drives social impact for the whole organisation and strengthens communities through financial support, volunteering and skills sharing.

The benefit of the partnership was evident from the start: Sefa offered Macquarie Group Foundation invaluable social enterprise perspectives, while Macquarie supported Sefa’s mission – through leadership (former Head of the Macquarie Group Foundation, Julie White, served on the Sefa board of directors) and capital (Macquarie Bank provided a bridging loan that shaped the early beginnings of the organisation’s operations and capability building pillar).

Sefa Partnerships only deepened this connection, partnering with the Foundation to focus on nurturing early-stage social enterprises through specialised programs, including as facilitator of Macquarie’s Kickstarter program, a 12-week program that matches social entrepreneurs with Macquarie mentors to develop a business plan and test their business models.

What began as a trial, evolved into a long-running signature program thanks to the overwhelming positive feedback from both supported enterprises and Macquarie mentors.

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Anna Le Masurier, Foundation Regional Head for Australia and New Zealand.

“Sefa Partnerships is a pioneer in looking at early-stage financing and building capability of for-purpose businesses outside of mainstream capital in this market. Their understanding of Macquarie’s perspective and its links to the social enterprise sector make it a balanced intermediary that can bring the two cohorts together. The team understand what social entrepreneurs need and can pair them with the right Macquarie mentor,”

"We view Sefa Partnerships and Sefa as really valuable stakeholders in the overall ecosystem of social enterprise capacity development,”