How Local Governments Can Cultivate Civic Wealth
New research reveals women-led social enterprises are building inclusive economic and social value across their communities.
Published on the 10 December 2025
The Centre for Social Impact UNSW and the City of Parramatta’s latest study, spotlights the vital role of women-led social enterprises in Western Sydney. Beyond business ventures, these enterprises build community wellbeing, contribute to jobs, mental health, cultural connection, and social resilience.
Despite their contributions, women-led social enterprises are often overlooked in funding, procurement, and policy systems. However, the report ‘Civic Wealth Creation and Women-Led Social Enterprises in Western Sydney’, found they are uniquely positioned to address local challenges due to their deep community networks, lived experience, and cultural insight into the barriers their clients face.
Measuring Civic Wealth
To better understand this contribution, the study applies a Civic Wealth Creation framework to social enterprises, which identifies three distinct forms of value:
- Economic wealth: job creation, infrastructure use, and local spending
- Social wealth: improved mental health, safety, and family wellbeing
- Communal wealth: cultural identity, mutual aid, and social cohesion
Lead researcher for CSI UNSW, Tasnia Alam Hannan, explains, “These enterprises don’t just respond to needs, they reflect it. They emerge from within the communities they serve, and that’s what makes their impact deep and long lasting.”
Local Government as an Enabler
While many founders launched their ventures with little formal support, often self-funding and relying on personal networks, the City of Parramatta has taken a different approach.
The Council provides targeted grants and reformed procurement to recognise social value and has established dedicated infrastructure to embed support.
“Parramatta is showing how local government can be a platform for inclusive innovation,” said Professor Danielle Logue, Director CSI UNSW. “This is about enabling women to drive economic empowerment and social cohesion in the places they call home.”
