CFAs: Aboriginal Engagement Support Coordinators Program (Australia)

Deadline: 06-Oct-26

The Aboriginal Engagement Support Coordinators Program (AESC) provides grants of $140,000 to $750,000 to Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) and eligible not-for-profit Aboriginal Engagement Organisations supporting First Nations communities affected by declared natural disasters in New South Wales. The program funds culturally appropriate, community-led recovery initiatives that strengthen resilience, improve disaster recovery engagement, and support the long-term wellbeing of Aboriginal communities.

About the Aboriginal Engagement Support Coordinators Program

The Aboriginal Engagement Support Coordinators Program is part of a $7.2 million Community Recovery and Resilience Package developed in response to AGRN 1212. The program recognises that First Nations communities can have distinct recovery needs following natural disasters. It therefore supports approaches that are community-controlled, culturally appropriate, locally informed, and grounded in Aboriginal knowledge and decision-making. The program enables Aboriginal organisations to lead recovery activities rather than relying solely on standard disaster recovery models. What Are the Main Objectives? The AESC Program aims to strengthen the participation of First Nations communities in disaster recovery and resilience planning.

Key objectives include:

Helping First Nations communities identify and define their own recovery priorities. Supporting community-controlled organisations to deliver tailored recovery initiatives. Improving access to culturally appropriate disaster recovery information. Strengthening relationships between Elders, cultural knowledge holders, community representatives, and disaster management decision makers. Building stronger networks between ACCOs and Aboriginal Engagement Organisations. Improving engagement between Aboriginal communities and disaster management agencies. The role of Elders and cultural knowledge holders. Existing community networks. Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property. The AESC Program places these considerations at the centre of disaster recovery. By supporting Aboriginal-controlled organisations, the program seeks to ensure that communities have a meaningful role in defining their recovery priorities and determining how recovery activities should be delivered. What Is an Aboriginal Engagement Support Coordinator? An Aboriginal Engagement Support Coordinator can help connect First Nations communities with disaster recovery and management systems.

The role may involve:

Engaging with Aboriginal communities. Identifying community recovery needs. Connecting community members with relevant services. How the position will connect communities with relevant stakeholders.

Step 6: Address Cultural Considerations

Explain how the project will protect and respect Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP). Projects involving Aboriginal knowledge, stories, cultural practices, or community information should demonstrate appropriate community ownership, consent, and governance.

Step 7: Submit the Application

Complete the application according to the current AESC Program guidelines and provide all required supporting information and documentation. What Makes a Strong Application? A strong proposal should demonstrate that the project is genuinely community-led and culturally appropriate.

Applicants should clearly establish:

A demonstrated community recovery need. Strong Aboriginal community leadership. Meaningful involvement of Elders and cultural knowledge holders. Clear recovery and resilience outcomes. Strong relationships with relevant disaster management stakeholders. Proposing a generic disaster recovery project without a clear First Nations focus. Failing to demonstrate Aboriginal community control. Providing limited evidence of community involvement. Ignoring local recovery priorities. Failing to explain the role of Elders or cultural knowledge holders where relevant. Treating cultural knowledge as ordinary project information without addressing ICIP. Providing an unrealistic budget. Failing to demonstrate geographic eligibility. Describing activities without explaining their expected community outcomes. Assuming that funding will automatically be provided simply because an organisation meets the eligibility requirements. Key Facts at a Glance

Program: Aboriginal Engagement Support Coordinators Program (AESC)

Funding package: $7.2 million Community Recovery and Resilience Package

Context: AGRN 1212

Grant amount: $140,000–$750,000

Primary beneficiaries: First Nations communities

Main focus: Disaster recovery, resilience, community engagement, and long-term wellbeing

Eligible organisations: ACCOs and eligible not-for-profit Aboriginal Engagement Organisations

Consortia: Eligible consortia may apply where program requirements are met

Key activities: Aboriginal Engagement Support Coordinators, culturally relevant information, workshops, capacity building, recovery planning, and community engagement

Eligible LGAs: Bellingen, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, MidCoast, Nambucca, Port Macquarie, and Port Stephens

Frequently Asked Questions What is the Aboriginal Engagement Support Coordinators Program? The AESC Program is a NSW disaster recovery and resilience funding initiative that supports Aboriginal-controlled organisations to deliver culturally appropriate and community-led recovery activities for First Nations communities. How much funding can organisations receive? Grants range from $140,000 to $750,000, depending on the proposed project and its requirements. Who can apply? Eligible applicants include Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and not-for-profit Aboriginal Engagement Organisations that meet the program’s requirements for First Nations control, incorporation, not-for-profit status, location or service delivery, ABN, insurance, and other eligibility conditions. Which NSW areas are covered? Eligible org