Lirata is a small, independent not-for-profit organisation based in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. We support the work of organisations who are protecting human rights, caring for those in need, and creating positive social and economic alternatives. We partner widely to develop constructive solutions to social and environmental issues.

Each year we work on 25+ social impact projects with Australian and international partners.


Our vision, purpose and values

Vision

A socially just world in which power, resources and opportunities are shared equitably, all people are fully valued and included, and people live sustainably and free from violence, abuse and exploitation.

Purpose

Lirata is a social justice multiplier. Through consulting and capacity building, we strengthen the ability of organisations with a charitable or social purpose to achieve socially just outcomes for communities.

Our charitable purposes are set out in more detail in our Constitution.

Values

  • Integrity
  • Learning
  • Collaboration and community
  • Positive effective change

Download Lirata values statement (PDF)

Image showing Lirata's values of Integrity, Learning, Collaboration & Community, and Positive Effective Change

Our work

We specialise in the health, community services, education and development sectors, within Australia and internationally.

To achieve positive change, Lirata works with a wide range of organisations with a charitable or social purpose, including government, service providers, peak bodies and advocacy organisations. We assist these organisations to:

  • Become more effective in their work towards social inclusion, health and wellbeing
  • Become more sustainable, so that they can continue their social purpose work in the long term
  • Become more ethical and empowering in their approaches, ensuring that equity remains a priority.

We are a social enterprise, delivering our work through consultancy, capacity building and systems advocacy. We assist our partner organisations with monitoring and evaluation, organisational and program review, strategic and operational planning, organisational development, data systems development, training and mentoring.

We also develop new approaches, tools and frameworks for social justice work.

Download Lirata overview brochure (PDF)


Our plan

Lirata’s Strategic Plan guides all of our work. Between 2022-27 we are focused on four strategic priorities. These are balanced between the need to strengthen our own organisation and operate sustainably, and the work we do with our partner organisations to deliver on our social purpose.

1. Financial sustainability

We will strengthen our financial models, systems and income streams to ensure Lirata’s financial sustainability and financial resilience.

2. Staff sustainability & workforce development

We will strengthen our structure, processes and team to ensure a sustainable workforce capable of leading Lirata’s growth into the future.

3. Social justice consulting & capacity building

We will consolidate the core strengths of Lirata’s current consulting and capacity building social enterprise, to assist our partner organisations to achieve social justice goals.

4. New directions

We will pursue new, diversified opportunities for growth and development that will strengthen our capacity to achieve social justice outcomes.

Download Lirata's Strategic Plan (PDF)


Our Reconciliation Strategy

Lirata's Reconciliation Strategy outlines our commitment to supporting the aspirations of First Nations Peoples and Cultures across Australia.

We celebrate and learn from First Nations culture and ways of being.

We build strong connections with First Nations people so we can make our workplace more inclusive, create jobs, respect First Nations knowledge, and challenge racism.

We seek to create positive and lasting change by following the leadership of First Nations Australians in working toward a vision of First Nations self-determination.

We acknowledge that First Nations sovereignty was never ceded, and we seek practical and meaningful ways to honour that sovereignty. As part of this, we Pay the Rent as an organisation for our use of First Nations land.

Download Lirata's Reconciliation Strategy (PDF)

Download Reconciliation Strategy Progress Report July 2023 (PDF)


Our legal structure and funding

Lirata Ltd is a charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. All of our work is focused on achieving our charitable purpose of advancing social or public welfare, advancing health, promoting reconciliation, mutual respect and tolerance and advancing the natural environment.

We pursue our charitable purpose through a range of activities. We partner with organisations which have a charitable or social purpose to build their capacity and capability; provide consultancy services to organisations including charities, not-for-profit organisations and government to strengthen leadership, inclusiveness and sustainability of initiatives that promote our charitable purpose; and communicate and collaborate with a range of networks and audiences to develop knowledge, strategies, tools and support for our charitable purpose.

Lirata is a social enterprise and is certified by Social Traders. We operate with a primary charitable purpose. Our revenue is currently derived from trade via our fee-for-service consultancy and capacity building work. All income and property of Lirata is used to pursue our charitable purpose. We are working to diversify our funding base so we can broaden our activities and work more with smaller organisations with limited resources.

Lirata Consulting is a registered business name of Lirata Ltd. The word Lirata and the Lirata flower logo are registered trademarks of Lirata Ltd.


Our name and history

Our Name

Our organisation is named after the Snow Daisy Bush, Olearia Lirata, a native Australian plant with beautiful white flowers which grows in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. Our focus on social justice includes a commitment to appreciating and protecting our natural environment.

Our History

Lirata’s staff and Associates have worked in leadership, frontline, research and advocacy roles in the health, community services, education, international development and environment fields since the 1980s. Lirata’s consulting practice was established in 2010 by Mark Planigale, originally under the name Mark Planigale Research and Consultancy. Between 2013 and 2015 Dr. Tonya Stebbins and Celia Clapp joined the leadership team, our work grew and our joint consulting practice was renamed Lirata Consulting.

In 2016 we restructured as a not-for-profit to reflect our core focus on advancing social justice. The new organisation, Lirata Ltd, was incorporated on 1 September 2016. From 2016 to 2022 we worked as a non-for-profit which enabled our team to continue to expand to include experts across a wide range of areas relevant to social justice.

As we reviewed our strategic directions in 2022, we identified that becoming a registered charity would allow us to better achieve our charitable purpose and strengthen our contribution to advancing social or public welfare, advancing health, promoting reconciliation, mutual respect and tolerance and advancing the natural environment. Our charity registration with the ACNC is effective as of August 2022, and will assist us to continue to partner with smaller grass-roots social purpose organisations which may not have significant resources.


Annual Reports

Our Annual Reports provide more information on our history, our team, our projects, and our contribution to social justice.

Download Annual Report 2017-18 (PDF)

Download Annual Report 2018-19 (PDF)

Download Annual Report 2019-20 (PDF)

Download Annual Report 2020-21 (PDF)

Download Annual Report 2021-22 (PDF)

Download Annual Report 2022-23 (PDF)