Pilot Funding for Indigenous Social Enterprise
1 July 2015 at 11:57 am
Koori Kulcha Aboriginal Corporation (KKAC) is the first organisation to receive investment from a $1 million Indigenous Social Enterprise Fund (ISEF) – a pilot funded by Indigenous Business Australia and delivered by Social Ventures Australia.
KKAC is an Indigenous social enterprise offering Indigenous cultural experiences for schools, corporate clients and Government departments, with a core focus to provide employment for Indigenous people.
KKAC also runs an Indigenous youth training program with the emphasis on graduating its students to work in the enterprise.
Currently providing cultural training workshops, cooking workshops, and event management services from a picturesque NSW Southern Highlands location to venues across NSW, Social Ventures Australia said the ISEF Investment Package will allow KKAC to expand hospitality training and employment opportunities with improvements to their in-house training centre, cultural performance venue and Koori Kulcha Café, and also to assist with part of their initial operating expenses.
“We’re excited to accept this funding and take Koori Kulcha from strength to strength, providing more employment opportunities to Indigenous people in the Southern Highlands and South East corridor of NSW,” KKAC’s Program Director, Marie Barbaric said.
“Our vision is to improve the well-being of our Indigenous people by offering them genuine economic opportunities. Expanding our business will also allow us to share Australia’s rich Indigenous cultural heritage with a much broader audience”.
“ISEF was established to assist Indigenous enterprises to use business as a mechanism for achieving dual social and economic benefit to the community,” ISEF Development Manager, Indu Balachandran said.
“Koori Kulcha is a locally embedded Indigenous enterprise, combining an ambitious vision for the wellbeing of First Australians with practical solutions on the ground.
“Over the next five years KKAC plans to provide employment opportunities to as many Indigenous staff as possible and support at least 10 Indigenous youth graduates from the training program per year to employment.”
The Indigenous Social Enterprise Fund is a two year pilot fund that was established in September 2013 by Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) and Reconciliation Australia (RA) and managed by Social Ventures Australia to support the development of financially sustainable Indigenous social enterprise. IBA have $1 million for the pilot fund.
SVA said it intends to transfer the Fund to an Indigenous-led organisation after the two year pilot period in late 2015.
Download the Indigenous Social Enterprise Fund ISEF fact sheet (PDF, 181KB)
