Our vision
Our vision is to embed prevention, innovation, partnerships and an outcomes-focus at the heart of how NSW delivers impact for the people of NSW.
What we do
OSII leads the implementation of the NSW Social Impact Investment Policy (PDF 238.43KB). We are responsible for:
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Social impact investment
We partner with other government agencies to commission innovative outcome-based programs to address complex social issues that cut across policy domains.
Social impact investment (SII) is an emerging approach that provides governments with an opportunity to address social issues by collaborating with the for-purpose and for-profit sectors. Programs are funded through outcomes-based contracts where part of the funding is dependent on achieving outcomes.
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NSW Sustainability Bond Programme
We partner with TCorp and the Office of Energy and Climate Change (OECC), to deliver the NSW Sustainability Bond Programme.
We lead the asset evaluation and selection process, and annual reporting.
Our journey
Initially focused on catalysing the social impact investing market and piloting Social Impact Bonds, our remit and approach to driving better outcomes, services and value through impact investing evolved over the past decade.
Our remit expanded to include administration of the NSW Sustainability Bond Programme, and we adapted our outcome-based funding approach to enable diverse organisations - including emerging not-for-profits, Aboriginal organisations and social enterprises - to participate. This has involved trialling new investment structures such as simplified payment-by-results contracts and funding portfolios of smaller organisations. More recently we have invested in targeted capability building initiatives and supported NSW Government agencies to transition programs to an outcome-based model and attract Commonwealth co-funding.
Our evolving approach reflects a commitment to continuous learning, flexibility and collaboration.
Our first Social Impact Investment Policy launched in 2015, with the Office of Social Impact Investment (OSII) established to implement it.
We led the establishment of the Social Impact Investment Interjurisdictional Network, and facilitated capability building and sector-readiness through the Expert Advice Exchange.
OnTracc (recidivism) social impact investment commenced in 2016, followed by Resolve (mental health), and Silverchain (palliative care) social impact investments in 2017.
OSII expanded its remit in 2018 and commenced leadership of annual impact reporting and asset identification for the NSW Sustainability Bond Programme.
The Resilient Families (family preservation) became the first social impact bond to mature in Australia in 2018 and continued under a payment-by-results contract.
We started the Sticking Together Project (youth employment) and Home and Healthy (homelessness) social impact investments in 2019.
The Newpin (family restoration) social impact bond matured in 2020 and we supported the Department of Communities and Justice to continue it under a payment-by-results contract.
The Youth Employment Impact Program and Foyer Central (OOHC leavers) social impact investments commenced in 2021 and the Social Impact Outcomes Fund was announced.
In 2022, we supported the re-commissioning of the Department of Communities and Justice’s Opportunity Pathways program as a portfolio of payment-by-results contracts and secured co-funding from the Commonwealth.
Our second Social Impact Investment Policy was launched in 2022, focusing on building a broader and more diverse social impact investment ecosystem. The same year we launched Momentum (Aboriginal Economic Development).
In 2023, we partnered with five job-focused social enterprises through the Advancing the economic wellbeing of women social impact investment and launched the Social Enterprise Capability Building Program.
We launched the second tender under the Social Impact Outcomes Fund in 2024 and partnered with two Aboriginal organisations through the Advancing education outcomes for First Nations girls social impact investment.
We supported NSW agency partners to submit proposals to Commonwealth Outcomes Fund’s first Expression of Interest and secured $5m in co-funding for the Department of Education’s Get Back In the Game program (supporting disengaged youth).
Our governance and advisors
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Social impact investment
We report to the Social Impact Investment Steering Committee that guides and endorses our overall strategic direction. We also seek independent insight from an Expert Advisory Group on growing the impact investment market in NSW, including building awareness and capability. Learn more and meet the Expert Advisory Group.
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Sustainability Bond Program
We report to the the NSW Sustainability Bond Committee (NSBC) that is responsible for the Asset Identification Group and the Reporting Groups led by OSII. Learn more about the governance of the NSW Sustainability Bond Program on TCorp's website.
Contact us
Address: 52 Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000
Postal address:
Office of Social Impact Investment
GPO Box 5341, SYDNEY NSW 2001