Centre for Social Impact

The Centre for Social Impact is an Australian research and education body created in 2008.^[1] It assesses^[2] and promotes^[3] integrated social change across a range of issues^[4] including health, children and young people, ageing and disability,^[5] financial inclusion and employment, population diversity and mobility, education and housing.

CSI was founded to meet the main recommendation of a Global Access Partners taskforce on philanthropy in higher education co-chaired by Peter Fritz AO and Professor Ian Young (academic) AO. Its inaugural CEO was Peter Shergold AC. As of 2022^[update], the centre is headed by Arminé Nalbandian. It is a collaboration of academics and researchers based at four universities: UNSW Sydney, New South Wales; Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Victoria; The University of Western Australia in Perth, Western Australia; and (since 2022) Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia.^[6]

CSI is funded by an Australian Government endowment of A$12.5 million and matching funds from private partners, including the Macquarie Group Foundation, AMP, National Australia Bank and PwC.^{[citation needed]}

CSI has worked with government agencies, commercial firms and not-for-profit organisations on over 30 research projects and has developed an extensive post-graduate program as part of its work in assessing the social impact of government and philanthropic activities.^[7] Its projects include a map of Australia's "Social Pulse" to assess national progress on social issues.