Art work by Rach Viski exploring the term ‘partnership’.

I’ve just returned from a few weeks in Europe where late summer felt surprisingly similar to the autumn sunshine now settling into Sydney. It’s been a good reminder that no matter where we are, cycles of renewal and momentum keep us moving forward.

Over the last quarter, one theme has stood out: how we understand, prepare for, and access fit-for-purpose capital.

Unlocking capital in regional Australia – Sefa Partnerships’ Rural and Impact Funding Learning Community has been convening funders and social enterprises to unpack barriers to capital in regional, rural and remote communities. These conversations set out to shape better financial solutions, and we’ve started talking about it on LinkedIn.
Creativity and confidence – six creative arts organisations have spent the past 12 weeks walking their pathway to investment readiness with Sefa, in a program co-designed with Creative Australia. At the final event, it was a joy to see each team confidently articulate their impact outcomes and funding needs – unleashing the full potential of their creativity.
Growth capital in action – earlier this year we backed Clean Slate Clinic with a loan, working in partnership with The Snow Foundation across the capital continuum. I’m excited to share that Robofit is now the next organisation to benefit. Our loan will help them expand their clinic footprint, providing cutting-edge rehabilitation technology to people living with neurological and musculoskeletal conditions.

We’ve also grown our own team. Jennifer Turner has joined as Head of Social Finance, bringing deep banking and finance expertise to do more good with capital. Cindy Chen and Joel Bird have bolstered our Impact & Engagement team, with diverse backgrounds spanning government, consulting and international development. You can meet our new recruits – and their guilty pleasures outside of work – here. And yes, we’re still on the lookout for more socially minded finance humans, so please share this Relationship Manager opportunity across your networks.

Creative Australia Investment Readiness Event

Looking ahead to the next couple of months, we’re putting in place the systems, communication tools and strategic foundations to strengthen our work – so the sun on our next horizon shines brighter, with even more impact. We’re excited to walk towards it with you.

Warmly,
Hanna

Hello from the CEO - September