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Sharing insights from SVA’s work and across the social sector to prompt learning and discussion about effective practice.

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Indigenous evaluation: how you do it is as important as what you find out

Indigenous evaluation case study: why the process was important, the critical insights and resulting implications for evaluators and the Indigenous sector as well as the client.

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Paying what it takes to create impact

New research from SVA and CSI has found that not-for-profit organisations across Australia are, in general, not funded for the actual cost of what they do. The result is less effective operations and reduced impact.

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Rethinking social networks for equity, excellence and flourishing

Researchers in social network theory and educational leadership provide an analysis of how SVA’s The Connection is using networks to improve education outcomes within communities experiencing disadvantage.

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Restoring the balance of power

Exploring what is required of non-Indigenous executives who hold positions of power in First Nations organisations.

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Building a sector-wide approach to measuring impact

Financial capability foundation, Ecstra, has designed a framework to enable a common approach to measuring impact for all its grant partners with the intention of creating long-term change across the sector.

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The art of supporting grief: have we lost it?

Grief support is core business: don’t outsource it as it’s critical to effective holistic care. +Podcast

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Recent Issues

A systems approach to food insecurity

Supply chain mapping, leveraging data and enhancing the collaboration in food relief systems are ways that local government or other key players can support everyone in the community to access the food they need.

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Insights to grow philanthropic giving for not-for-profits

Recent research identifies key opportunities to increase philanthropic giving with implications for not-for-profit organisations.

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Scaling community programs the BackTrack way

How do you spread the impact of your program when it is rooted in your local community’s response to young people doing it tough? BackTrack has been finding out.

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How to reduce child poverty in Australia

Research from the Australian National University has SVA and BSL calling on the government to raise income support given the current levels predict dire outcomes for children and families relying on social security payments.

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Social impact bonds: a tale of three Newpins

The Newpin family reunification program has been deployed under the Social Impact Bond (SIB) mechanism in three states: one successful landing; one termination; one taking flight. What has SVA learned? +Podcast

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Vulnerability and resilience in the social sector: what we learnt through Covid-19

Supporting social purpose organisations through 2020 taught the Paul Ramsay Foundation and SVA key lessons about what leads to vulnerability or resilience in a crisis.

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