Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE)

What Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE) does

PLACE (Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment) is an Australian non-profit infrastructure organization, founded in 2024 and headquartered in Richmond, Victoria, that supports place-based change initiatives across the country. Operating through four pillars — Enable, Collaborative Solutions, Strengthen Data and Impact, and Learn and Share — PLACE convenes communities, governments, philanthropic funders, service providers, and researchers to address persistent disadvantage through community-led approaches grounded in subsidiarity, accountability, and partnership. The organization employs 12 staff and is governed by a Board chaired by Sean Gordon AM, with a Community Council and Leadership Team.

Its core assets are intellectual and relational rather than technological. The '12 Elements of Place-Based Change' framework provides a codified methodology for community-led practice, while the Compass data tool supports community-level data collection, program design, policy engagement, and grant writing. PLACE delivers programming through national roadshows (a 79-day inaugural Listening Tour visiting 53 communities and generating 202 expressions of interest), regional roundtables, an events portfolio (Place in Practice, Place-based Impact Summit, Collaborative Commissioning, Who Decides webinars), a podcast, a workforce training initiative with scholarship and training-directory components, and partnerships such as the Children in the North Alliance — a 10-year, A$20M collaboration with Minderoo Foundation and the South Australian Government.

PLACE does not sell products or services; its revenue is grant-based and drawn from philanthropic foundations (Paul Ramsay Foundation, Minderoo Foundation, The Bryan Foundation, The Ian Potter Foundation, Dusseldorp Forum) and the Australian Government. Distribution is primarily domestic and relationship-driven, with national direct engagement, an online resource library for self-serve access by practitioners, and a partner organization network of community foundations, councils, and peak bodies. A national workforce strategy is scheduled for 2027, positioning PLACE to evolve from convening body into a sector-wide capability and standards setter.

Name

Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE)

Legal name

Partnerships for Location Action and Community Empowerment

Website

https://placeaustralia.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

PLACE is an Australian non-profit founded in 2024 that supports community-led place-based change through frameworks, data tools, workforce training, and convening, serving communities, governments, funders, and researchers across Australia with a 12-person team based in Melbourne.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

akta.pro primary industry

Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

Keywords

• Place-based community development
• Nonprofit capacity building
• Workforce training programs
• Community-led change initiatives
• Philanthropy funded programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Foundation Funding: PLACE receives support from philanthropic foundations including Paul Ramsay Foundation, Minderoo Foundation, The Bryan Foundation, and The Ian Potter Foundation. These partners provide funding to support PLACE's national workforce strategy, place-based initiatives, and community empowerment programs.
2. Government Grants and Funding: PLACE receives funding and support from the Australian Government to support place-based change initiatives and workforce development programs.
3. Dusseldorp Forum Partnership: Dusseldorp Forum is listed as a supporter, providing partnership and potentially funding support for PLACE's initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PLACE is an Australian nonprofit infrastructure organization that supports and enables place-based change across the country. It delivers its work through four pillars: Enable (national workforce strategy), Collaborative Solutions (convening expertise and incubating concepts), Strengthen Data and Impact (data, monitoring, evaluation supports including the Compass data tool), and Learn and Share (connecting communities, policymakers, and researchers). Its primary assets are the 12 Elements of Place-Based Change framework, workforce training and scholarship programs, a resource library, and a national Listening Tour engaging communities across Australia.

Product overview

PLACE operates as a national organization focused on enabling place-based change in Australia. The organization offers a portfolio of initiatives including workforce training programs, a training directory, scholarship opportunities, community engagement programs (such as the Listening Tour), and educational resources including the 12 Elements of Place-Based Change Framework. PLACE also produces a podcast and organizes events to connect practitioners and share learning. The organization does not offer a technology product platform but rather serves as a convening, capacity-building, and advocacy body for community-led change initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 12 Elements of Place-Based Change Framework
• Compass Data Tool
• Workforce Training Program
• Training Directory
• Scholarship Program
• National Listening Tour
• PLACE Podcast
• PLACE Events (Place in Practice, Place-based Impact Summit, Collaborative Commissioning, Who Decides webinar)

Quantifiable outcome

• Connected with 50+ communities across Australia in 79 days through the Listening Tour
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• YouthWorx NTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading the Greater Darwin Community Investment Committee (CIC), the largest in the country, driving local solutions to local problems with focus on young people and people with disability.
• Brotherhood of St. LaurencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in CIC building long-term pathways for young people; involved in advocacy and systems change work.
• Miwatj Health Aboriginal CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWalking Together partnership - Yolngu-led health initiative developed with Miwatj Health, University of Melbourne, and Peter Doherty Institute in Galiwin'ku.
• SouthWest Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosting and co-convening regional roundtables in partnership with Deakin University in Warrnambool and Hamilton, bringing together local councils, not-for-profits, philanthropies, and education providers.
• Deakin UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner co-convening regional roundtables with SouthWest Community Foundation and PLACE.
• Kaiela InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Nations-led organization developing the Goulburn Murray Regional Prosperity Plan with Empowered Communities, targeting $150M regional value and 500+ jobs by 2036.
• Empowered CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for regional development and economic transformation with First Nations governance in the Goulburn Murray region.
• National Youth Employment Body (NYEB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational body partnering with YouthWorx and other organizations to build long-term employment pathways for young people.
• University of MelbournecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the Walking Together Yolngu-led health initiative with Miwatj Health and Peter Doherty Institute.
• Peter Doherty InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute partner in the Walking Together Yolngu-led health initiative with Miwatj Health and University of Melbourne.
• Marthakal Homelands Resource Centre and Aboriginal CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBackbone organization supporting Yolngu self-determination across homelands in the NT, demonstrating cultural governance and infrastructure.
• Children's GroundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Nations-led organization operating in Central Australia and Top End with a 25-year vision across education, health and social wellbeing.
• Atyenhenge Atherre Aboriginal Corporation (AAAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-governed Aboriginal corporation in Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa) leading local place-based empowerment and governance.
• Collaboration for ImpactcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey collaborative partner providing frameworks and resources on collaborative governance, collective impact, and place-based change.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Collaboration for Impact: Australian nonprofit focused on collaborative governance, collective impact, and place-based change. A documented core partner of PLACE; the two organizations share frameworks, language, and target audiences across Australian community-led initiatives.
• Tandem: Australian intermediary organization supporting collective impact and place-based initiatives across Australia, with similar audiences (communities, funders, policymakers) and overlapping frameworks for collaborative change.
• Collective Impact Australia: Peak body advancing collective impact practice in Australia. Operates in the same 'community-led systems change' niche as PLACE, convening practitioners, funders, and researchers across the country.
• The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI): Australian social innovation organization that designs and tests new approaches to complex social issues with communities, funders, and government — directly comparable model and stakeholder set to PLACE.
• Dusseldorp Forum: Australian place-based philanthropy forum that convenes funders and practitioners around long-term community change. Listed as both a funder and conceptual peer to PLACE in the place-based change ecosystem.
• Empowered Communities: First Nations-led place-based initiative partnering with PLACE on the Goulburn Murray Regional Prosperity Plan. Directly aligned in mission, geography, and constituency.

Broad incumbents

• Paul Ramsay Foundation: Major Australian philanthropic foundation with a core portfolio in place-based change, youth employment, and systems reform — a current PLACE funder and a much larger incumbent shaping the same agenda.
• Minderoo Foundation: Large Australian philanthropic foundation co-funding the $20M Children in the North Alliance with PLACE. Operates multi-decade, place-based initiatives in Indigenous communities with overlapping target population.

Regional players

• Regional Australia Institute: Australian policy and research organization focused on regional development outcomes. Comparable to PLACE in its emphasis on data-driven, community-grounded regional prosperity work.

Emerging players

• Centre for Place-Based Impact: Adjacent Australian/UK-aligned place-based impact organizations (including initiatives under agencies such as the Productivity Commission and CSI's place-based work) operating in overlapping methodology and policy translation spaces.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PLACE.Australia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/place_australia
• Instagraminstagram.com/place.australia

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE)