The Australian Social Enterprise Loan Fund Study

Evaluating Australia’s first social enterprise loan fund to improve access to finance and support employment-focused social enterprises.

The Centre for Social Purpose Organisations is working with White Box Enterprises and White Box Finance to undertake longitudinal research and evaluation (2026 – 2029) of their innovative Social Enterprise Loan Fund (SELF).

Launched in 2025, the SELF is Australia’s first loan fund specifically designed for social enterprises supporting employment pathways, to address the access to capital challenges that these organisations face. Access to affordable, appropriately structured social finance is a huge issue for Australian social enterprises.

Our research will focus on understanding the impact of the SELF as well as capturing the experience of the Fund’s backers, who include the Westpac Foundation, Macquarie Group Foundation, the Australian Government, Victorian Government, the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation and the English Family Foundation.

Ultimately, we aim to inform the further development of social financing initiatives for employment-focused social enterprises across Australia.