Cancer Australia established thePartnerships for culturally safe cancercaregrant program to facilitate innovative, community-informed improvements to the delivery of cancer care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia.

Addressing long-standing equity and cultural safety issues within mainstream health services where specialist cancer care is delivered is crucial to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can access and complete high quality treatment and experience better outcomes.

Nearly $18 million is available over 2024-25 to 2026-27 through the program to close the gap in cancer outcomes and experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Grants of up to $700,000 over two years are available to mainstream cancer services in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations to embed culturally safe, accessible, and responsive care across the cancer sector.

To apply for the grant, applicants must demonstrate a partnership between a mainstream cancer service (lead organisation) and at least one Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisation (partnering organisation).

Eligible organisations include:

Lead organisation

• Mainstream cancer service (public or private) that support the screening, diagnosis, management, and treatment of people with cancer, their families, and communities.

Partnering organisation/s

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations that provide primary and supportive care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
• Not-for-profit organisations that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people affected by cancer.

The lead organisation must fill out the application form.

Please refer to Section 4 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines for information on eligibility.

• Email: FirstNationsGrants@canceraustralia.gov.au