The program will focus on 3 areas of training and support that are crucial for creative businesses to be well positioned to take on debt financing via impact investment.

1. Impact – social and cultural impact definition and measurement, including a theory of change model.
2. Business foundations – governance and leadership, financial management and fundraising, business model and operational efficiency.
3. Growth planning – growth or development strategy, ability to execute against strategy.

Format of the program

Across the twelve weeks of the program, commencing in May 2025, participants will engage with the following: 

• bi-weekly online group learning sessions
• weekly workplans with prescribed deliverables
• bi-weekly one-on-one coaching sessions
• two in-person training sessions at the Creative Australia Sydney Offices.

Applications

As this is a pilot program, participants will be selected via a limited EOI process.

Outcomes

Outcomes of the readiness program for participants will be: 

• development of a Theory of Change and the ability to both articulate and measure impact  
• identification of business foundations required for investment readiness and a strategy for reaching a stable operational state
• development of a growth strategy that aligns with the Theory of Change and business foundations
• assessment of impact investment readiness via an ‘Opportunity Profile’ before and after the program
• proposed areas of longer-term development to increase investment readiness and suggested resources to support this. 

While this program is designed to move organisations towards impact investment readiness, it is intended that the skills and tools provided in this program will be of significant benefit to participating organisations regardless of their eventual suitability for impact investment. This program also provides a roadmap for greater organisational stability, with opportunities to identify the potential for growth and innovation for participants.