Q: What are the eligibility requirements for the ACT Social Enterprise Grant?

A: To apply, your organisation must: hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be registered for GST if applicable; be pre-revenue or turning over less than $500,000 in annual revenue; have its registered office and principal place of business in the ACT, or be primarily focused on or operating in the ACT; and meet the program's definition of a social enterprise. The full eligibility criteria are set out on page 7 of the 2026 Grant Guidelines.

Q: My organisation is based in the ACT, but I personally live just across the border in NSW. Is that a problem?

A: Not at all. The program supports the ACT and its neighbouring region, so living or working just over the border is fine. What matters is that your social enterprise and your proposed project clearly contribute to the ACT economy and community — your work doesn't need to be delivered exclusively within ACT borders.

Q: If I'm just starting out and only have a proof of concept or prototype, can I still apply?

A: Yes — you won't be excluded based on the stage your social enterprise has reached. However, you'll need to be especially clear in your application about what your project involves, what the funding will be used for, what your organisation exists to do, and how it serves its beneficiaries. Applicants earlier in their journey may find it helpful to spend extra time preparing before submitting.

There is a single application, being the Expression of Interest (EOI). It is not a short pre-application ahead of a longer process; it is your full application. The EOI link and a full list of the application questions are available on The Mill House Ventures website, so you can prepare your responses in advance.

View the application form questions here: ASEG EOI Application Form Questions

1. Gather Information about your eligibility: Review the information on The Mill House website, attend an information session and read the 2026 ACT Social Enterprise Grant Guidelines.
2. Develop your application: Document your project, decide on your milestones and calculate the required funding. Review the questions asked in the ASEG EOI and ensure you have collected and developed all of the required information.
3. Submit application through the online ASEG EOI, grant portal including all supporting documentation. There is only one written application required in this grant process.

Should the Independent Assessment Panel require clarification and/or additional information The Mill House Ventures team may contact you within two weeks following the closing date by email to give you an opportunity to present additional information.

Once submitted you will not have the opportunity to add, remove or edit any part of your application.

What happens next?

1. Your application, submitted in the ASEG EOI, will be checked for eligibility.
2. All eligible applications will be assessed by two members of the Independent Assessment panel, using the Assessment Criteria (page 11 of the Grant Guidelines).
3. A shortlist will be created. Applicants who are shortlisted will be notified via email and invited to present, in person, to the Independent Assessment panel at Q&A sessions.
4. Q&A sessions are held so that an applicant can present their project to the panel and then answer questions the panel asks. The Q&A process enables the panel to make a final assessment against the criteria, which includes the relative merit to other shortlisted applications.
5. The Independent Assessment Panel makes a final decision about which applications will receive funding and the amount of funding.

1. After signing the Funding Agreement, you will invoice us for the first 50% of the grant.
2. Future grant payments are made on a reimbursement basis after meeting milestones. We will work with you to ensure reporting requirements are met.
3. You will need to provide evidence of all paid expenditure eg. Receipts, paid tax invoices and bank statements. In-kind time and commitment to the project should be recorded through timesheets.
4. Milestone claims require an online written report of activities undertaken and outcomes achieved. You should also provide relevant evidence to demonstrate the completion of the milestone.

Q: What obligations come with accepting the grant?

A: Successful applicants take on reporting requirements and agree to public acknowledgement of their funding (for example, being publicly listed as a grant recipient). We'd encourage you to read both the Grant Guidelines and the Funding Agreement template. Both are available on our website. By reading these documents in detail before applying, you go in with a clear understanding of what you're committing to.

Q: What can the grant funding be used for?

A: The grant is designed to fund a specific project with a clear start and end date. A project that helps move your social enterprise toward greater stability or supports its growth. It is not general, administrative or operational funding, and it cannot be used to cover staff wages, for example. Full details of what activities are eligible, and those that are not eligible are listed in the Grant Guidelines.

Q: Are there tax or legal implications I should think about before applying?

A: The Mill House Ventures isn't able to provide specialist advice on tax matters (including GST) or on the most appropriate legal structure for your organisation You may need to seek independent professional advice on these points. It's also worth noting that grant funding is treated as income in the financial year it's received, so you may want to think through how your organisation will account for that before applying.

Any request for extension should be sent to aseg@millhouseventures.com.au at least five business days prior to the closing date and outline the reasons for seeking an extension. The request will be reviewed, and the requestor will be notified of the outcome. All decisions made by the program delivery team is final.

You can access the content from the information sesions here: ACT Social Enterprise Grant Online Information Session

Q: What does “matched funding” mean, and how does it work?

A: If your application is successful, you're expected to contribute an amount equivalent to your grant — either financially, through in-kind contributions (such as your time, resources or other investment), or a combination of both. For example, an award of $30,000 requires a matching $30,000 contribution from your organisation.

Q: Is there a set formula for valuing in-kind contributions?

A: There's no fixed formula. In-kind contributions are assessed based on what you state them to be. For example, a specific number of hours dedicated to a particular activity, valued at a realistic market rate. If a contribution appears to be valued well above market rate, we'll ask you to explain that further.

Q: Does project activity need to be spread evenly across the funding period?

A: No. Every project is different. Some applicants front-load their delivery, while others need to complete research or in-kind groundwork before the funded activity begins. There's no requirement for even distribution of the activity. Projects simply need to be completed within 12 months of the funding agreement, with limited exceptions able to be granted.

Q: How do I apply?

A: There is a single application, being the Expression of Interest (EOI). It is not a short pre-application ahead of a longer process; it is your full application. The EOI link and a full list of the application questions are available on The Mill House Ventures website, so you can prepare your responses in advance.

Q: How does the program define “social enterprise”?

A: Under the Grant Guidelines, a social enterprise is a business that has a defined primary social, cultural or environmental purpose consistent with public or community benefit; derives a substantial portion of its income from trade; and invests its efforts and resources into that purpose so that the public or community benefit outweighs private benefit. Unlike other business structures, there is no single legal or tax framework that defines a social enterprise in Australia — it comes down to genuinely choosing purpose over profit.

Q: Where can I get help working out whether my organisation qualifies as a social enterprise?

A: A few good starting points: People and Planet First publishes five global standards used consistently around the world; the Social Enterprise Council of NSW and the ACT (SECNA) is a great local resource that unpacks this definition further; and The Mill House Ventures has a short guide on its website exploring the non-linear journey many organisations take toward becoming a social enterprise. It's worth taking the time to reflect on this question properly — applicants who have already thought this through tend to find the grant application process much more straightforward.

Q: What happens after I submit my EOI?

A: We first check your eligibility (ABN, ACT/region operations, revenue threshold, and meeting the social enterprise definition). Eligible applications then go to the Independent Assessment Panel, who assess them against the criteria in Item 8.2 of the Grant Guidelines. Applications that progress are shortlisted and invited to a Q&A session.

Q: What criteria are applications assessed against?

A: Three broad areas: general eligibility; project viability and value for money (including the relevant experience of your team and your ability to deliver the matching contribution); and how well the project supports your social enterprise's mission, including its contribution to growth, sustainability and relevance to ACT operations. Applications are assessed comparatively rather than in isolation, it is a competitive process.

Q: What happens at the Q&A stage?

A: Shortlisted applicants are invited to an in-person Q&A session of 15–20 minutes at The Mill House at the University of Canberra, where the Independent Assessment Panel asks questions to better understand your project and funding request. Once all Q&A sessions are complete, the panel meets to discuss and moderate scores together before finalising funding recommendations.

Q: Who sits on the Independent Assessment Panel?

A: The panel is co-chaired by a representative of The Mill House Ventures and a representative of the ACT Government, alongside three independent panel members who are not staff of either organisation and who change each round. Panels typically bring a mix of relevant expertise. For example, community and ecosystem-building experience, early-stage business and grant administration expertise, and finance-sector experience in social enterprises. Where the panel cannot reach agreement, the ACT Government co-chair makes the final decision.

Q: What happens if my application is successful?

A: A Funding Agreement is developed setting out your project milestones, funding amount and matching contribution. Once this is signed, The Mill House Ventures pays the first 50% of your grant on invoice. You then work towards your milestones, complete any interim reporting, and invoice for the final 50% once you can demonstrate the project has been completed.

Q: How many applications does the program typically receive, and what's the success rate?

A: This varies significantly from round to round. Over the past three and a half years, the number of applications received has ranged from around 26 up to nearly 60 in a single round, with no consistent pattern in how many progress to shortlisting or funding. Historical figures aren't a reliable guide to how competitive any particular round will be, so we'd encourage every eligible organisation to apply on its merits.

Q: Can I get one-on-one help with my application?

A:This is not a service provided by The Mill House Ventures in its capacity as the administrator of the grant process. That being said, The Mill House has a broader purpose to support Social Enterprise in the ACT. As part of this broader purpose we have a range of resources and activities. For example, our guide to support you building a support enterprise titled “Have you thought about…? Available on our website. You can also book one complimentary introductory session with Nicole Deen at The Mill House Ventures to talk through your organisation and its social enterprise journey. Please note this session focuses on your organisation rather than specific questions about the ACT Social Enterprise Grant. For grant-specific questions, you'll be directed back to these weekly information sessions. If you'd like to go deeper in a one-on-one format, paid Strategic Clarity sessions are also available for a more detailed, strategic look at your organisation; pricing is shown when you book via the website.

Q: What if I need adjustments to take part in this process?

A: Please email your requirements to aseg@millhouseventures.com.au and we will work with you to arrange appropriate support — for example, adjustments to how the EOI form is displayed for assistive technology, or adjustments to the language used throughout the process.

Q: Where can I ask further questions?

A: You're welcome to join one of our free weekly online information sessions, held every Monday at 2pm while applications are open, or email us anytime at aseg@millhouseventures.com.au.