To provide tailored business support to create and explore pathways to connect scale-up social enterprises in Canberra to growth, sponsorship and philanthropic opportunities

For Canberra based social innovation & impact

The Mill House Ventures has partnered with the ACT Government to administer the Scale for Impact Program 

The Scale for Impact program is a competitive program with all applications assessed on relative merit. It is not possible to approve all requests for participation, therefore acceptance should not be deemed automatic or anticipated.

The Program consists of two components:

1. Masterclass Retreat – A two and a half day intensive residential workshop program incorporating selective masterclass sessions delivered by The Mill House Ventures team along with acknowledged specialist professionals providing immersive learning and networking experiences and a focused environment to encourage deeper learning and practical application.

2. Diagnostic and support services – strategy and sequencing for impact investment readiness and development and recommendations for growth and development

The cost of the program is $1,000 (inc. GST)

Expressions of interest
Open 9th of September 2024 
Close 4th of October 2024

Program outline

Throughout the program you will cover essential topics to put you in the best position to know your enterprises path forward to scaling up and expanding operations to increase revenue, market share, or overall size. Whether you are looking to increase production, enter new markets, hire more staff, or enhancing the your enterprises infrastructure to support higher levels of activity. The goal of scaling up is to grow the business sustainably while maintaining or improving profitability and efficiency.

Retreat workshops include;

  • Measuring Outcomes & Demonstrating Impact
  • Governance Masterclass
  • Identifying Scaling Pathways & Considering Expansion
  • Building a Best Practice Social Enterprise Financial Model
  • Getting the Right Capital from the Right Investor(s) at the Right Time
  • The Experience Raising Capital
  • Developing a Compelling Investment
  • Story & Engaging Investors
  • Deep Dive into Debt with SEFA

 Plus post retreat Growth & Impact, and Impact Investment Readiness diagnostics 
 

Scale for impact road map

Frequently Asked Questions

Any social enterprise applying for the Program must:

  1. have an Australian Business Number (ABN) prior to application and be registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST) if applicable.
  2. have its registered office and principal place of business in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) or have its business primarily focussed (or operating) in the ACT.
  3. demonstrate sustained growth in revenue, customer base and/or market presence.
  4. meet the program’s definition of a Social Enterprise.
  1. Book a consult with one of the team at The Mill House Ventures for an information session to determine your eligibility and requirements
  2. After the Information Session if you are eligible you will be invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI).
  3. We will review your submitted EOI and if shortlisted, you will be contacted for further clarification and discussion on your application.
  4. If successful you will be asked to enter into a Participant Agreement with The Mill House Ventures
  5. Congratulations; you’re ready to make scale your impact! 

Applications open: Monday 9th September 2024 8:30am AEST

Applications Close Friday 4th October 2024 5pm AEST

You will be notified if you're shortlisted by the 9th of October 2024 and any additional documentation to support your application should be provided by the 14th of October 2024. 

The program will be delivered over 2.5 days from the 9:00am 6th of November until 1:30pm 8th of November

Should you require an extension please submit a  request to The Mill House Ventures team a minimum of 5 days prior to the closing date through clinic@millhouseventures.com.au. 

The Mill House Ventures will:

  1. Assess each application against the program guidelines and the Assessment Criteria
  2. Consider the relative merit of each application against the Assessment Criteria in determining which ones to offer participation.

Even though an application may meet the Assessment Criteria, approval will depend on the number of applications received and the relative merit of the application.
The Mill House Ventures will decide which applications to approve and is unable to provide feedback on the outcome of your application prior to the conclusion of the assessment process

The program is heavily subsidised and so we are able to offer it for just $1,000 (inc. GST)

More Information

The Program aims to achieve the following objectives:

  • Provide tailored business support to create and explore pathways to connect scale-up social enterprises in Canberra to growth, sponsorship and philanthropic opportunities.
  • Encourage the growth and maturation of the local social enterprise ecosystem.
  • Encourage growth opportunities of trading social enterprises.
  • Strengthen and enhance the positioning of Canberra as a social innovation and entrepreneurial hub
  • Address systemic gaps in the ACT’s social innovation ecosystem


Applicants must familiarise themselves with the relevant participation guidelines and eligibility criteria.