The City of Parramatta Council wanted to strengthen its social investment practice and deliver more intentional, measurable outcomes for communities. Engage2 was engaged to understand global practice, synthesise insights and recommend practical ways Council could improve its approach.

The Approach – Engage2 analysed 31 international case studies and interviewed 25 leaders across government, philanthropy, social enterprise and impact investing. The insights highlighted how councils can make better use of existing mechanisms – grants, procurement, partnerships, assets and staff time – when aligned with shared impact priorities.

Using these insights, we developed a set of recommendations and a prioritised pathway for two action plans over the next decade, with a strong focus on enabling community‑led, place‑based change and creating clearer pathways for partners to co‑invest in local priorities.

Engage2 also supported Council to begin developing a measurement framework to track investment, outcomes and progress against its impact priorities.

The Outcome – This work provided Council with a clear understanding of social investment and a practical roadmap for strengthening and measuring its role in place‑based change.