There are plenty of opportunities for the community sector and non-government organisations to enhance sustainability and capacity to deliver outcomes and mission
Opportunities for community sector organisations and NGOs to lead and act
Scaling impact and investment
Approach impact investing as a tool to increase impact
Design for scale and sustainability in operations, utilising the full range of sector capability and capacity – including promoting shared value
Seek expert advice from specialist intermediaries to identify and measure value created and how it can generate revenue, assist with deal structuring, stakeholder negotiations and bringing the right blend of capital to the table
Proactively drive sector led incubation including funding and capacity for scalable solution-led approaches
Explore feasibility for industry-owned investment funds
Bring focus to broader opportunities for procurement that embeds social value
Become an impact investor in other NFPs social impact initiatives as a means to better achieve purpose and leverage assets for impact
Building the field
Sector leadership and stewardship to actively shape the way impact investing affects the sector’s future and its work with communities
Develop rigorous impact management frameworks and appropriate measures which allow (but is not driven by) reporting to funders and investors
Convene other sector actors to enable better and more consistent and comparable management and reporting of impact
Develop future focused models informed by clear theories of change for delivering impact objectives
Work with others to encourage funders to resource field building and collaboration
Work with others at industry level and in subsectors to influence supply chains, pool capital and develop skilled workforce and technology
Leverage philanthropy to grow impact readiness and access to capital
Making it easier to participate
Continue to create and develop community sector industry research and development capability
Share data and frameworks as appropriate
Know your impact, measure what matters, and back the organisation e.g. through payment by outcomes contracts that can facilitate a better way of working with communities, clients and government
Build fluency and capability to utilise the full range of capital (including underutilised assets) in funding and financing sustainable operations
Work with others to encourage funders to resource solution-led approaches
Identify priorities for regulatory and policy clarity (e.g. NDIS) to reduce uncertainty and risk