Social enterprises can now receive the help they need in order to get a head start.

Social Traders is calling for applications to its Crunch accelerator start-up program and Social Investment Portfolio.

Social Traders’ Crunch works with new and existing social enterprises to test ideas and build a robust business plan and model. By the end of this year, Social Traders is seeking to select eight enterprise proposals to work with in the first half of 2017.

Social Traders’ Managing Director David Brookes said, “We are seeing an increased awareness of social enterprise in Australia. As the level of interest grows, we want to see new and existing social enterprises succeed, be financially sustainable and generate positive social impact. To do this, we need to provide the most appropriate forms of support and capital to help them reach their full potential.”

According to Finding Australia’s Social Enterprise Sector national research released in June this year, 73 per cent of Australian social enterprises are small businesses, and 34 per cent have been in operation for between 2-5 years.

This year, the Social Traders portfolio aims to invest $900,000 of patient capital in up to four social enterprises. Successful social enterprises will also receive business coaching valued at $20,000 each year.

For more information visit http://www.socialtraders.com.au/