joleverittSocial Change Maker of the Year
Social Change Maker of the Year recognises a business owner using business, advocacy and action to create measurable change around a social, environmental or community issue. It celebrates clear purpose supported by practical initiatives, partnerships and outcomes that move the issue forward.
Choose this category when: Your strongest story is measurable progress on a social, environmental or community issue through advocacy, programs or action.
Is this your category?
A quick read on the businesses this title is written for.
Leads a business with a clear social, environmental or community mission.
Can demonstrate measurable change created through advocacy, education, programs or systemic action.
Uses their voice, platform or business model to address barriers or urgent issues.
Builds partnerships or participation that increase the reach and effectiveness of the work.
What judges need to see.
The five areas your answers are assessed against.
Foundation
Foundation: The issue being addressed, the business model and the entrant's purpose in taking action.
Results
Results: Measurable progress, reach and outcomes connected to the cause or community.
Decisions
Decisions: Campaigns, initiatives, partnerships or strategies that advanced the work.
Leadership
Leadership: Advocacy, mobilisation and the ability to bring others into meaningful action.
Impact
Impact: Evidence of lasting social change and a credible direction for expanding that impact.
Evidence to start gathering
Start collecting these now so the writing is quick later.
Read the Evidence Pack guidePeople reached, supported or participating with outcome data.
Program or campaign results.
Policy, practice or systemic changes contributed to.
Funds raised with evidence of deployment and outcomes.
Community participation or engagement data.
Partnership outcomes.
Independent reports, surveys or evaluations.
Media or third-party recognition that verifies the change created.
Entry details and eligibility
The format, the dates and the conditions that apply to this title.
- Assessment period
- 2024–27.
- Minimum business age
- 12 months.
- Written responses
- 5.
- Evidence Pack
- 5 pages.
1 January 2024 to 28 February 2027
Minimum 12 months in business as at 4 October 2026.
5 written responses, up to 400 words each.
One PDF, up to 5 pages and 10 MB.
Resources
Before you enter
Five short reads that answer almost everything. Each one opens the Entry Guide at the right place.
Evidence Pack guide
What counts as evidence, what does not, and how to lay the PDF out.
Full eligibility
The rules that apply to every title, including trading dates and locations.
How judging works
Who reads your entry, how it is scored and how finalists are chosen.
Build a strong entry
How to answer the five questions with specifics instead of adjectives.
Frequently asked questions
Costs, deadlines, multiple entries and everything else people ask first.
Category partner
joleveritt
Jo Leveritt, Founder · Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne
Presenting Social Change Maker of the Year
Presenting partners do not score, select or influence entrants. Judging is run independently.
RAYE Awards 2027
Social Change Maker of the Year
Entries are written and submitted in the RAYE Awards portal, a separate system to RAYE Haus. Read the criteria, gather your evidence, then head across.