The 9th Annual SIMNA Awards

Read the 2023 SIMNA Awards recap and view the full event recording here!

The 2023 SIMNA Award winners and runners up were announced at the virtual 2023 SIMNA awards Ceremony on Thursday 30 November. Meet the winners and runners-up here!

Hosted by SIMNA Board members Benjamin Jardine and Sarah Barker, the ceremony commenced with a video address from Hon Dr Andrew Leigh, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury.

This was followed by a panel discussion led by SIMNA Board member, Aden Date. Joining Aden on the panel was:

• Anthony Cavanagh, CEO of Ganbina
• Kathy Richardson, Executive Director of Our Community, and
• Siobhan Henderson, Strategy & Impact Manager at Australian Unity.

Following a short break, we heard from this year’s finalists before the winners and runners-up were announced. Thank you to our presenters, Jess Dart from Clear Horizon Consulting, Caroline Tomiczek from Urbis, and Lou Campbell from SVA Consulting. And to our judging panel for taking the time to score all the entries and provide feedback to everyone who submitted an entry.

Award Categories

The Collaboration Award is intended to recognise a social impact measurement initiative that promotes strong collaboration. The intent is to celebrate collaboration and co-design involving stakeholders supporting, participating in or affected by the change – funders, impact organisations, beneficiaries and community members. While consultancies may be involved in the initiative, the engagement of a consultancy or advisor is not generally regarded as a collaboration in the assessment of this award.

The Innovation Award is intended to recognise a social impact measurement initiative that promotes emerging or innovative approaches. Social impact measurement may be planned or in pilot stage. Judges will be looking for creativity and experimentation, supported by rationale for adopting the chosen approach. Organisations (large and small) trying new approaches are encouraged to apply. This award category also recognises the introduction of new tools or frameworks that could positively disrupt the sector. 

The Excellence Award is intended to recognise a social impact measurement initiative that promotes best practice and leads by example. Social impact measurement must be put into practice with demonstrable results across a cohort, community, or place. Judges will be looking for strong stakeholder engagement, robust measurement frameworks, a body of evidence and transparent sharing of results.

As part of the 2023 Awards, we promoted a Leading Funder in Social Impact Measurement category. This category has run for the last two years (adapted from the Effective Investment in Social Impact Measurement Award in 2019-2020).

It has consistently been the category that receives the fewest applications. Unfortunately this year we did not receive enough applications to warrant a competitive awards process. We are reflecting on why that might be, and what we might do differently next year. There may be opportunities to adapt the award further. We are also considering ways we might surface good examples of impact measurement in grants, investment and social enterprise, through case studies or events in 2024.

Our Sponsors

Each year, the SIMNA Awards are made possible through the generous financial support of our incredible sponsors. Our deepest gratitude goes to this year’s award sponsors, Clear Horizon, SmartyGrants, SVA Consulting, and Urbis’ Social and Economic Advisory Unit. A particular mention to our Platinum Sponsor the Department of Social Services (DSS) for their continued support.