Launch of WA Impact Investment Partnership

29th August 2019

Chorus, Rise and Ruah Community Services are excited to announce the launch of Impact Collective.  This is a WA first collaboration addressing social and sustainability challenges through impact investing into innovative enterprise models.

Impact Collective will pilot a program in partnership with Impact Seed, WA’s peak impact investment and social enterprise intermediary, to identify social entrepreneurs wishing to align their enterprise models with the impact areas of the collective, and support them towards impact investment readiness.

Impact Seed Co-Founder Sven Stenvers said 2019 has seen unprecedented interest in identifying community-based issues and supporting social entrepreneurs to collaborate and develop investable enterprises to help address these problems. “Impact Collective’s funding partnership is a game-changer in the WA not for profit sector as it demonstrates a commitment by the sector to partner in building and investing in sustainable social enterprises” Sven said.

The collective’s funding partnership will go towards social entrepreneurs and changemakers tackling serious issues facing the WA community, such as the rise in Family and Domestic Violence, the lack of transportation options for older people and people with a disabilities, the reported increase in loneliness across the community and upskilling the not-for-profit workforce to respond to the changing needs of the industry. “We are looking for social enterprises that want to make significant change in our communities” said Ruah’s CEO Debra Zanella.

Rise CEO Justine Colyer said “We have chosen these focus areas as they matter not only to the Impact Collective partners but to the WA community and if we can come up with solutions to our issues, we can assist others too”.

Chorus CEO Dan Minchin said “Chorus was created to do things differently. Our commitment to bring a fresh approach to community service makes Impact Collective a logical and exciting step to take.”

Impact Collective will soon be releasing expressions of interest for WA social entrepreneurs and changemakers to get involved with the Collective.

As a member of the Impact Investment WA Alliance which launches in September, Impact Collective is also part of a broader network of cross sector partners who are working towards growing finance for good, and government policy for social innovation, social enterprise and social procurement.

For more information visit www.impactcollective.org.au.

ENDS

Media enquiries:
Dan Minchin
+61 408 315 254

About Chorus
Chorus provides in-home and community support so that people can live the life they choose. We support seniors, people living with disability and those in mental health recovery. More than 1000 staff and volunteers partner with customers to deliver a tailored plan that meets individual needs. Chorus was created to do things differently, through our merger genesis. This is matched by our commitment to bringing a fresh approach to community service, thanks to our experience in community-based ways of working, volunteer heritage, diverse service mix and willingness to embrace risk. www.chorus.org.au

About Rise
Rise assists people with disabilities, mental health issues, the aged, young people at risk, carers, people fleeing from domestic violence, and others of disadvantage. Since 1983, Rise has established itself as a leading provider of proactive, highly personalised solutions to people in our community. www.risenetwork.com.au

About Ruah Community Services
For 60 years, Ruah has been connecting the WA community by empowering vulnerable and disadvantaged people to create meaningful change in their lives. Providing support across three core areas – housing and homelessness, mental health and wellness and family and domestic violence – the Ruah team works from 11 offices across Perth, Geraldton and Albany, and directly at our client’s homes, to create opportunities and build a better, more connected community. www.ruah.org.au

About Impact Seed
Impact Seed is Western Australia’s peak capacity builder for impact investment and social enterprise development. Its role is in market development on both supply and demand sides for impact investment with government, not-for-profits, corporates, foundations and family offices. Our vision is to develop a thriving and innovative impact investment and social enterprise market in WA that leverages this state’s greatest strengths, which include its natural and geographical advantages, a resources rich public and private investment sector, and exceptional entrepreneurial talent. www.impactseed.org