The Australian Centre for Social Innovation

What The Australian Centre for Social Innovation does

The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI) is a national, not-for-profit social innovation organization founded in 2009 and headquartered in Adelaide, with additional offices in Sydney and Melbourne. Operating as a registered charity (ABN 90 528 422 430), TACSI designs and delivers peer-led, community co-designed programs targeting complex social challenges including child welfare, family disconnection, ageing, and community wellbeing. Its core offerings are organized into three streams: peer-to-peer programs such as Family by Family, Weavers, Virtual Village, and Foster to Family, which use lived-experience practitioners to support families at risk of or exiting out-of-home care; place-based initiatives such as the $20 million, 10-year Our Town program, which partners with a single regional community on long-horizon systems change; and futures initiatives including the National Futures Initiative, Impact Networks, and Future Wellness Accelerator, which apply foresight and co-design to shift philanthropic and policy investment. A fourth stream, the TACSI Learning Hub, packages the organization's methodology and training as a capability offering for external practitioners.

TACSI is governed by a co-leadership model under co-CEOs Chris Vanstone and Kerry Jones, with a staff of 11–50 nationally. The business model is 100% project-funded: revenue is derived from multi-year grants and contracts with Australian federal and state government departments, philanthropic foundations, Primary Health Networks, and partner not-for-profits, rather than from fee-for-service product sales or earned income. Documented impact includes a 44% reduction in out-of-home care placements for participating families, 2,630+ families supported, $75 million+ in philanthropic investment reshaped through portfolio-level work, and co-design contributions to 15+ state and Commonwealth social policies. Customers are institutional — government agencies, foundations, PHNs, and NFP partners — rather than individual consumers.

TACSI has no proprietary technology platform in the conventional software sense; its "product" is a codified methodology for human-centred design, peer-led delivery, and community co-design, supported by longitudinal program outcome data. The TACSI Learning Hub represents the closest analog to a productized revenue stream, but its primary function is capability transfer rather than technology licensing. There is no evidence in the input of in-house AI/ML capability, patents, or named proprietary models.

Name

The Australian Centre for Social Innovation

Legal name

The Australian Centre for Social Innovation

Website

https://www.tacsi.org.au/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI) is a national Australian not-for-profit founded in 2009 that designs peer-led, co-designed programs in child welfare, family support, ageing, and community wellbeing for government, philanthropic, and Primary Health Network funders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Innovation Consulting

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Policy Management, Training & Ethics/Whistleblowing (BPAEAPAI)

Keywords

• Social innovation consulting
• Co-design services
• Peer support programs
• Systems change advisory
• Policy innovation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Project-based consulting: TACSI is currently 100% project funded, deriving revenue from project-based consulting engagements with government, philanthropy, PHNs, and NFPs. They seek core funding from values-aligned funders to support operational costs and strategic growth areas.
2. Learning Hub courses and training: Revenue generated from social innovation training programs, courses, and workshops offered through the TACSI Learning Hub for organizations and individuals seeking to build social innovation capabilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

TACSI provides project-based social innovation consulting, co-design and co-production services, peer-to-peer support program design, and structured training to government, philanthropic foundations, Primary Health Networks, not-for-profits and communities. Its core products are practical, evidence-based programs (Family by Family, Weavers, Virtual Village, Foster to Family) and large place-based initiatives (Our Town, National Futures Initiative, Future Wellness Accelerator) that apply TACSI's proprietary methodologies (Co-design+, Peer-to-Peer+, Systems Innovation+, Impact Networks+). The TACSI Learning Hub offers courses to build social innovation capability across sectors.

Product overview

The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI) is Australia's national centre for social innovation, operating as a not-for-profit consultancy rather than a traditional software product company. TACSI offers a portfolio of social innovation programs, initiatives, and a learning platform. The core offerings include: peer-to-peer support programs (Family by Family, Weavers, Virtual Village, Foster to Family) that connect people with shared lived experience; place-based initiatives (Our Town) supporting regional mental health; futures-focused initiatives (National Futures Initiative, Impact Networks, Future Wellness Accelerator); and the TACSI Learning Hub providing courses in co-design, co-production, allyship, and systems work. These offerings work together to help government, philanthropy, PHNs, NFPs, and communities tackle complex social challenges through social innovation practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Family by Family: An award-winning peer-to-peer support model that helps families experiencing setbacks by connecting them with families who have successfully navigated similar challenges.
• Virtual Village
• Weavers
• Foster to Family

Products and services

• TACSI Learning Hub
• Family by Family
• Weavers
• Virtual Village
• Foster to Family
• Our Town
• National Futures Initiative
• Impact Networks Initiative
• National Fund for Social Innovation Learning
• Future Wellness Accelerator
• Peer-to-Peer Initiative

Quantifiable outcome

• 44% relative reduction in risk of children entering out-of-home care through Family by Family program (2025 longitudinal study)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles9 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• South West Hospital ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with TACSI to co-design a roadmap to enhance community-based and peer-led wellbeing in Queensland's South West through the 3 Seeds project.
• Brisbane South PHNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing strategic partner for mental health and AOD system integration, RRR model implementation, and integrated support recommendations.
• Western Victoria PHNmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for co-design and capability building for forensic mental health services.
• Ballarat Community HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to redesign Forensic Mental Health in Community Health program, building side-by-side service model for people on Community Correction Orders.
• UnitingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership to scale Family by Family, TACSI's award-winning peer-to-peer service model.
• Victorian Government Koori Justice UnitmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year partnership with Koori Caucus to co-design systemic Aboriginal justice reform.
• Clear HorizonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 20 joint projects over 10 years with Australia's largest independent evaluation agency, integrating co-design and community-led expertise.
• Social Research Centre (ANU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 5 joint projects over 5 years supporting integration of qualitative insights as complement to quantitative research with marginalised communities.
• Adelaide University / BetterStartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop evidence for Family by Family program including quasi-experimental evaluation showing 44% reduction in out-of-home care placements.
• Third CampmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAboriginal led and owned organisation that has shared Welcome to Countries and workshops with TACSI network, with Jade Kartanya Brook co-facilitating Learning Hub workshops.
• AIMEmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in National Futures Initiative, providing guidance through Seven Circles of Design and Inquiry paper on working with Indigenous Systems Knowledges.
• Dana ShenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Future Wellness Accelerator initiative focused on mental health innovation.
• University of Sydney Mental Wealth InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Future Wellness Accelerator exploring how to grow community action to stem Australia's mental health crisis.
• Roses in the OceanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Future Wellness Accelerator for mental health innovation.
• Centre for Policy DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Future Wellness Accelerator initiative.
• Social Health AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Future Wellness Accelerator.
• Centre for Relational CareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Future Wellness Accelerator.
• The Groove and Wellness Society Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Future Wellness Accelerator.
• Neami NationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Future Wellness Accelerator.
• Amnesty InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as client/partner for social innovation work.
• LELANmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Adelaide PHN Local Link function for domestic and family violence response.
• Dusseldorp ForummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in writing Philanthropy, Systems and Change to apply systems approaches to philanthropic practices.
• Perpetual LimitedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in developing Philanthropy, Systems and Change resource.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nesta: UK-based global foundation for social innovation that designs, funds and spreads new approaches to social challenges. Closest international analogue to TACSI's combination of co-design, peer-based models, impact networks and applied R&D in the social sector.
• Social Ventures Australia: Australian social-purpose organisation providing advisory, impact investing and innovation support to mission-driven enterprises. Comparable to TACSI in working at the intersection of philanthropy, government and NFPs on systems change in Australia.
• Centre for Social Impact: Australian multi-university centre focused on social impact measurement, research and capability building. Overlaps with TACSI in translating social innovation research into practitioner tools and government/policy engagement.
• ThinkPlace: Australian social impact consultancy specialising in human-centred design, co-design and service design for government and NFPs. Directly comparable offering to TACSI's Co-design+ and Systems Innovation+ practices.
• FSG: Global social impact consulting firm advising foundations, corporations and governments on strategy, evaluation and systems change. Closely comparable global peer in mission, methodology and client base to TACSI.
• The Young Foundation: UK social innovation organisation that develops, tests and scales new approaches to social problems through research and venture-style incubation. Similar role to TACSI as a national social innovation intermediary.

Broad incumbents

• The Bridgespan Group: Global non-profit consulting firm advising philanthropies and non-profits on strategy, org design and impact. Broader and more strategy-focused than TACSI but operates in the same social-sector advisory market.
• BCG Henderson Institute / Social Impact Practice: Boston Consulting Group's social impact practice advises governments and foundations on systems change and innovation. Represents the broader incumbent consulting threat to TACSI's specialist positioning.

Emerging players

• Liminal: Australia-based impact advisory working with philanthropy, business and government on systems change. Smaller and more niche than TACSI but increasingly competing for the same co-design and social innovation briefs.
• Springboard Impact: Australian social impact advisory that helps funders and governments design outcomes-based commissioning and impact measurement. Overlaps with TACSI's PHN/government commissioning work but from a measurement/commissioning angle.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OzInnovation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/700140
• Instagraminstagram.com/oz_innovation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Australian Centre for Social Innovation