Global impact leaders meet, blended finance, education + funding opportunities
Message from IIA CEO
In this issue, we share highlights from the recent GSG Impact annual meeting where global leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing impact economies, even amidst growing global uncertainty. Active in over 50 countries, GSG Impact works to progress the transformation of global financial systems, so that every investment, business and government spending decision takes into account impact, as well as risk and return. IIA is proud to be Australia’s representative and a National Partner of GSG Impact.
This month we’re hosting a blended finance webinar in partnership with the University of Melbourne, featuring expert speakers who’ll share practical insights into unlocking capital through innovative finance models.
After many months in development, we recently launched the IIA Impact Deal Tracker – a new, valuable online tool designed to help investors and funders find verified, up-to-date impact investment opportunities in and from Australia.
Also in this issue, we provide an update on the progress of our Australian Benchmarking Impact Report, details of a social entrepreneur fellowship and share a new international report that analyses trends from 34 countries working to grow impact economies.
We hope you enjoy these insights and welcome your feedback.
Best wishes,
David
David Hetherington, CEO
Impact Investing Australia
GSG Impact brings together global impact leaders in Japan
David Hetherington joined National Partners in Kyoto for the annual meeting of GSG Impact, its National Partners and other impact leaders. More than 170 people from 48 countries gathered to explore the potential of impact investment and impact economies.
GSG Impact CEO, Elizabeth Boggs Davidsen, noted in her keynote address the global impact investing landscape faces significant challenges – economic uncertainty, weakened global alliances, and shrinking aid budgets. Yet, there are opportunities – increased domestic capital mobilisation, new partnerships and innovation driven by scarcity.
Despite the tough climate, impact investing continues to deliver strong value, and GSG Impact’s global model gives it a distinct advantage. Elizabeth shared the three key priorities the organisation is focused on:
- Strengthening National Partners: expanding and supporting the network of National Partners to build strong, local impact investment ecosystems. This includes developing financial infrastructure, improving governance and fostering cross-border collaboration and learning.
- Mobilising capital through impact fund-of-funds: supporting the creation of large-scale investment vehicles – impact fund-of-funds – especially in emerging markets. These funds, often enabled by public policy and anchored in domestic capital, provide capital efficiently to intermediaries, empowering local financial actors. Successful examples include the UK’s Better Society Capital and Japan’s JANPIA, which use dormant bank assets to fund impactful initiatives.
- Shaping policy and promoting transparency: continuing to work with governments to strengthen sustainable finance frameworks through better reporting, clear taxonomies and mandatory sustainability disclosures. Adoption of ISSB standards across 35 jurisdictions is a promising development, creating consistency and reducing greenwashing.
The meeting reaffirmed a shared belief in the power of collective action and a strong commitment to building a more just, inclusive economy through impact investing – while staying focused on value and unity in uncertain times.
Blended finance webinar: Case studies from across the capital spectrum
Join us for the next instalment of our impact investing webinar series in partnership with the University of Melbourne, as we explore the power of blended finance in unlocking capital for social and environmental impact. Hear from our three leading experts: Vito Dellerba (Managing Director, Sustainable Investing at Canadian pension fund, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ)), Dr Catherine Brown (Enterprise Professor, University of Melbourne; Board member at IIA and Philanthropy Australia) and Ben Smith(Head of Impact Investing, Paul Ramsay Foundation). They’ll discuss:
- How blended finance deals are structured, what they can look like in practice and who’s involved
- How blended finance deals are different to traditional deals – the process and outcome
- Considerations and risks for investors new to blended finance
- Key lessons from blended finance deal makers in Australia and globally
- Strategies for aligning diverse investor and investee objectives, expectations and ways of working
- Roles of all parties (including the investee) during the investment period through to exit, and potential challenges along the way
When: 9am–10am, Tuesday 17 June 2025
Cost: Free (registration is essential)
Where: Online, via Zoom
Details and register for the webinar here
New Impact Deal Tracker to help drive capital to impact
Last month, we launched the country’s most comprehensive online platform for tracking verified impact investment deals and opportunities across Australia. The IIA Impact Deal Tracker aims to improve transparency, accessibility, and ultimately, the flow of capital into initiatives that deliver both financial returns and positive social or environmental outcomes.
Designed as a central resource, the platform provides investors, funders and market builders with access to up-to-date, credible data. It includes detailed information across asset classes, deal types, dollar values and impact areas aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Users can search and filter based on interests such as affordable housing, renewable energy, Indigenous enterprise, sustainable agriculture, health and more.
The tracker serves a wide user base, including institutional investors, government bodies, family offices and philanthropic organisations. Each deal listed is vetted for accuracy and the platform includes historical data, enabling users to identify trends and assess market development over time.
Usability was a key focus in developing the tracker. With an intuitive interface and flexible search tools, the platform allows easy navigation and comparison of deals.
The Impact Deal Tracker is part of IIA’s broader mission to build a more connected and informed impact investing ecosystem. It functions as foundational infrastructure to help unlock more private capital for initiatives that address social and environmental challenges.
New deals are being added regularly and contributions from across the ecosystem are encouraged. Reach out to the IIA team at enquiries@impactinvestingaustralia.com if you know of a deal that should be included. The tool is positioned as a dynamic, evolving resource that will grow alongside the market.
The Impact Deal Tracker is accessible via our website at impactinvestingaustralia.com/impact-deal-tracker.
Benchmarking Impact Report coming soon
Thanks to those who completed our Australian Benchmarking Impact Market Sizing Survey over the past few months. Your participation has provided crucial data and insights into the Australian impact investing market.
We are now working through the data with the Centre for Social Impact at UNSW to deliver the fourth Benchmarking Impact Report. The Report will provide insights into key market-based data on the composition, growth and performance of Australian impact investment products, along with the preferences, practices and intentions of Australian investors and advisers.
We’ll keep you updated on the Report’s launch.
Funding and support for early-stage social entrepreneurs
The Snow Foundation is accepting applications for the next round of its Snow Entrepreneurs – Fellowships for Social Change program, aimed at early-stage social entrepreneurs. The program supports individuals who are creating practical solutions to serious social issues and want to grow their impact.
The Foundation is looking for people who are working on innovative projects that already show early results and ideally generate some of their own income. The focus is on initiatives that address issues such as gender equality, support for First Nations communities, youth, LGBTIQ+ inclusion and areas like mental health, domestic violence, disability employment and civil society.
Fellows receive between $200,000 and $500,000 in funding over two years (with the potential for a third), along with mentorship, leadership training, expert advice and opportunities to connect with a community of like-minded changemakers. To date, 17 fellows have been supported, with more than $8.5 million invested in the program.
Applications for the 2025 intake close 8am Monday, 16 June 2025.
More details and the application form
If you’re working on a bold solution to social disadvantage and need support to grow your impact, this could be your opportunity.
International impact news
New report analyses the global impact economy ecosystem
GSG Impact has launched its latest global report analysing the impact economy ecosystem in 34 countries with cross-cutting trends. Impact Economies Traction & Trends: Insights from 34 GSG National Partners provides key insights on government actions, the role of market-building groups, impact capital intermediation and supply, demand for impact capital and contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Pleasingly, the report findings showcase that:
✅ national strategies and development plans are increasingly integrating impact
✅ impact investing funds-of-funds offer platforms to unlock capital at scale
✅ institutional and retail capital is on the rise and contributing to the development of impact economies
We’re proud to contribute to this work as GSG Impact’s National Partner in Australia.
