REGENERATIVE ECONOMY ACTIVATOR PROGRAM

Join our 9-week growth program for entrepreneurs regenerating the Adelaide Hills and Southern Coasts region

We pay our respects to Peramangk, Kaurna, and Ngarrindjeri people and elders, past and present. We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to work with Aboriginal entrepreneurs on Country.

What is the Regen Economy Activator Program?

The Regen Economy Activator Program (REAP) is a 9-week program designed for enterprises in the Adelaide Hills and Southern Coasts. It includes a combination of in-person, virtual and self-paced learning and collaboration.

The REAP brings together a cohort of passionate enterprise leaders from this region who want to collaborate for greater impact across social, economic, cultural and ecological realms. We are ready to help these local leaders to grow their capabilities, their revenue and their impact.

Program focus

Together we can:

  • identify the potential, needs and opportunities of this region

  • create local meaningful employment for people living with disability and mental illness

  • increase climate resilience and viability of the local food system

  • regenerate degraded landscapes and habitat for threatened species.

Program features

The REAP includes:

  • world-class enterprise development modules

  • identifying where you fit in the region’s enterprise map

  • wellbeing support and insights on inclusive workplaces

  • shared learning and collaboration with brilliant enterprises in regional leadership

  • opportunities to increase your enterprise’s impact

  • guidance from experienced leaders in social enterprise, finance and regeneration

  • networking with ecosystem partners, including government, business, community development and philanthropy

  • connection with investment and catalytic finance opportunities through Regen Labs’ forthcoming Regen Community Investment Fund (coming soon)

Who is this program for?

The REAP is tailored for up to 12 enterprises seeking to regenerate the Adelaide Hills and Southern Coasts region of South Australia. We are seeking entrepreneurs who are passionate about the region and the opportunities of the regenerative economy.

The eligibility criteria are:

  • Your enterprise operates in or near Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island on Peramangk, Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri Country

  • You’re passionate about leading an enterprise that is creating social, environmental, cultural and economic impact for your region

  • You’re an existing business looking to scale impact in terms of strengthening the local economy, social outcomes, and environmental conditions of the region

  • You’ve been trading for at least 12 months, and have an annual trading revenue of greater than $25K.

  • You are willing to share what you have learned as a participating enterprise to improve this program for future cohorts

  • You’re an enterprise leader motivated to collaborate for greater viability, resource sharing, and impact

How do I apply?

Next steps

  • Submit your application (expression of interest) by COB 30 June

  • Participate in an interview with Regen Labs to discuss your application

  • Decision made and notified provided by COB 7 July.

The first REAP component commences 17 July (self-paced learning)

What are the benefits?

✔ Four masterclasses & peer learning sessions with specialist advisors

✔ 12 months of access to the Business for Good Network Changemakers Hub

✔ Enterprise profile hosted on Regen Labs’ website

✔ Connections with local enterprises, networks and partners

*Exclusions. The program does not currently include tailored business advisory services or 1:1 mentoring for each enterprise. We are identifying additional funding for this aspect of the program.

REAP Foundation Modules

1. Foundations of regenerative enterprise

  • Regenerative enterprises work to catalyse the shift to an economy that works to heal our social, ecological and economic challenges.

    What’s involved:

    • Principles of place-based regeneration

    • Business models for regenerative enterprise

    • Introduction to philanthropy and funding

    • This is a self-paced online module you can access through our online learning platform.

    • Includes an online peer reflection session.

2. Mapping collaboration & impact

  • Regenerative enterprises deliver multiple benefits by design, harnessing value by responding to challenges and needs of a region in an entrepreneurial way.

    What’s involved in this masterclass:

    • Connect to Country

    • Understand place-based regeneration

    • Map relationships between enterprises, networks and support (including funding pathways)

    • Explore the region’s regenerative potential, viability and impact

    • Identify strengths and opportunities

    • Clarify needs and challenges

    • Network with supporters and partners of the program

    • This is an in-person module held in the region.

3. Wellbeing & inclusive workplaces

  • These masterclasses will show how place-based regenerative enterprise creates opportunities for supportive workplaces and employment for people with lived experience of mental ill health. Also, it will share ways to support the wellbeing of entrepreneurs.

    What’s involved:

    • Learning how to increase an enterprise’s impact on mental health and wellbeing

    • Deeper understanding of the challenges and needs of people and the benefits of your team, workplace, offerings and customers

    • Peer learning to explore this knowledge

    • Development of practices of personal wellbeing and regeneration

    • This is an in-person module held in the region.

  • Enterprises in the region have identified the need to improve their capacity to communicate their unique value and impact to funders.

    In this module, you will learn how to clearly articulate the unique value and impact of your enterprise in ways that are attractive to investors and funders (as well as your teams, partners and customers).

    What’s involved:

    • Create an effective impact narrative

    • Review impact measurement approaches.

    • Interpret the needs of grant providers and catalytic financiers

    • Communication and presentation tips (including exemplars)

    • Review of social enterprise verification processes, including such as People and Planet First Verification

    • This is an in-person module, delivered in the region.

4. Impact narratives for growth

Meet your REAP team

Dr Dimity Podger, Program Director and facilitator

Matthew Wright-Simon, Place Convenor and facilitator

Phil Freeman, Finance Lead

Reece Proudfoot Innovation Lead

Dave Booth, Cultural advisor

Liz Sanders, Food system activator

Margot Tucker, Wellbeing facilitator

Jay Marinis, Wellbeing facilitator

Program fees and funding

Your investment

The program fee is $1500+GST per enterprise* (payment plan available).

Successful applicants will be invoiced at program commencement. A small number of bursaries are available, should this fee prevent participation.

*Each place is valued at $10K+GST. The balance of $8.5K is generously contributed by our philanthropic funders.

Our funders

This program would not be possible without the generous contributions of our partners:

  • Fay Fuller Foundation

  • English Family Foundation

  • S Pfeiffer

  • Mount Barker District Council

FAQs

  • The fee for an enterprise participating in the REAP is $1500+GST (this represents 15% of the value of the program). We are able to offer this subsidised rate because of the generous support from the Fay Fuller Foundation, English Family Foundation, S Pfieffer, and Mount Barker District Council.

  • This program is tailored for entrepreneurs seeking to regenerate the Adelaide Hills and Southern Coasts region of South Australia. This includes Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island on Peramangk, Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri Country.

    You are likely to be an:

    • existing business looking to scale impact in terms of strengthening the local economy, social outcomes, and environmental conditions of the region

    • also, you’re an enterprise leader motivated to collaborate for greater viability, resource sharing, and impact

    • trading for at least 12 months

    • operating with annual trading revenue of >$25K

    • Your enterprise has been trading for at least 12 months

    • Your annual trading revenue is >$25K

    • Your enterprise is based in or near the focus region (Adelaide Hills and Southern Coasts region of South Australia)

    • Your enterprise could be operating in almost any sector, such as the food system, mental health and wellbeing, housing, hospitality, renewable energy habitat restoration, or textiles.

    • You have strong interest in the principles of regenerative business and how it can positively benefit the communities of this region

    • You’re available to commit to the 9-week program schedule which includes five in-person sessions

    • You’re eager to explore collaborative opportunities in your cohort

    • You are seeking to grow your business and may be seeking grant funding or finance (e.g. to add a revenue stream, purchase plant or equipment, enhance marketing and brand etc)

    • You are open to becoming verified as a People and Planet First enterprise or social enterprise

    • You are willing to share what you have learned as a participating enterprise (to enhance the program for future participants).

  • We recognise that your core leadership team will need to be aligned. Therefore, two people from each participating enterprise are welcome to join the program.

    We also know that some modules make sense to be undertaken by key team members.

    We are open to discussing during the application and enrolment process who attends. It is important that anyone participating at any time attends the first in person workshop for Module 2.

Apply now

We encourage you to apply for this unique program focused on supporting enterprises regenerating the Adelaide Hills and South Coasts region of South Australia.

Please complete the application form and submit. Once we have assessed applications, Regen Labs will make contact with applicants. (See our privacy policy here)