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Cancer Australia is leading activities to progress actions in the Australian Cancer Plan to improve equity and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
On 2 May 2023, the Hon Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Aged Care announced $238.5 million in funding through the Improving First Nations Cancer Outcomes budget measure to help deliver better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Funding provided to Cancer Australia through this measure is targeted at ensuring mainstream cancer care services are culturally safe and accessible, and building the capacity of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research sector ($38.6 million).
Partnerships for culturally safe cancer care grant program
The Partnerships for culturally safe cancer care grant program supports partnerships between mainstream cancer services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led organisations to co-design and deliver culturally safe, accessible and responsive cancer care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities across Australia. The program funds Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led, co-designed approaches to improve the delivery of culturally safe cancer care tailored to the needs of local communities.
The program aligns with priority actions in the Australian Cancer Plan and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Plan to improve equity in cancer care through strengthening partnerships and building the capacity of mainstream services to deliver culturally safe, community-informed cancer care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Cancer Australia is pleased to announce successful recipients of the 2025 Round of the program. The recipients are:
- Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District - Co-design and implementation of a culturally safe cancer care navigation and support model
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (NSW), in partnership with Waminda South Coast Women’s Health and Welfare Aboriginal Corporation, South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation, and Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service. - Navigating Cancer Care and Country - Tasmanian West and Central Coast Cancer Care Pathways
Rural Health Tasmania (TAS), in partnership with Tasmanian Aboriginal Health Service Indigenous Corporation. - SCGH Aboriginal Cancer Navigators - Embedding culturally safe cancer care through partnership and workforce development
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (WA), in partnership with Marr Mooditj Training Corporation, Charlies Foundation for Research, and Aboriginal Health Council WA. - Strong Spirit Pathways: Strengthening Aboriginal Wellbeing Across Cancer Care
Mid North Coast Local Health District (NSW), in partnership with Strong Spirit Services. - Aboriginal led model of culturally safe cancer care in the Bendigo Health catchment area
Bendigo Health (VIC), in partnership with Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative. - South West Aboriginal Medical Service and South Metropolitan Health Service partnership to co-develop a culturally safe multidisciplinary cancer care model
South Metropolitan Health Service (WA), in partnership with South West Aboriginal Medical Service and Cancer Council of Western Australia. - Walking with Mob with cancer in Southern Melbourne project
Monash Health (VIC), in partnership with Weenthunga Health Network.
A list of successful recipients of the 2024 Round is available here.
Across the 2024 and 2025 Rounds, a total of 22 grants have been awarded nearly $18 million to deliver activities over the three-year funding period (2024-25-2026-27).
A call for applications to any future rounds of the grant program will be advertised on Cancer Australia’s website and listed on GrantConnect.
Partnerships for Cancer Research grant program
Cancer Australia has established the Partnerships for Cancer Research grant program, a new $9.6 million initiative aimed at improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and building the capacity of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer research sector.
The grant program will facilitate partnerships between organisations that will work together with community to deliver research activities. Partnerships can be between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led organisations and mainstream organisations (including research groups and cancer services), or between two or more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led organisations.
Grants of between $0.8 to $2.5 million are available for research partnerships over a 3-year period.
Cancer Australia is delivering this grant in partnership with the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
Applications have now closed. Successful recipients of the 2024 grant round have been announced, with 5 academic institutions in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations awarded grants to deliver Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led, community-informed cancer research. A list of successful recipients is available here.
First Nations Cancer Scholarships
Cancer Australia, in partnership with the Aurora Education Foundation, has established the First Nations Cancer Scholarship program. The scholarship supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, health professionals, and early-career researchers to compete full-time postgraduate study or research in a cancer-related field.
The aim is to grow the network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who drive improvements in cancer control, including through research, creating change for communities.
The scholarship will see Indigenous scholars receive up to $120,000 per year over three years, as well as academic, wellbeing and community support. Scholarships will be awarded each year from 2024 – 2027.
Nine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander postgraduate students from across Australia have already benefited from the program, progressing their studies and research in key cancer‑related fields and contributing to a growing network of future leaders. Read about previous recipients here.
Applications for the scholarships are now open until 11 September 2026. For more information on how to apply, visit First Nations Cancer Scholarship Application.
Optimal Care Pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer - Second edition.
The Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer aims to reduce disparities and improve outcomes and experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer. It provides health professionals with culturally safe optimal care options for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the course of their cancer journey.
The Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer has been designed to complement the cancer-specific optimal care pathways, focusing on the specific needs and challenges of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer.
- Optimal Care Pathway
Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer Second edition
- Quick Reference Guide
Optimal care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer - quick reference guide Second edition
Guide to co-design for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
The Guide to co-design for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is available for health professionals and all people working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to develop, design, implement and facilitate culturally safe health services, policies and programs.
This resource provides practical guidance on best practice when engaging with and designing culturally safe services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Building the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer care workforce
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce is essential to the delivery of culturally safe cancer care. Growing and supporting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce across all roles and disciplines is a priority to improve access to engagement with the cancer care system.
Cancer Australia acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations are best placed to deliver effective programs to address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander outcomes.
We are working in collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations to support their leadership in driving workforce growth across key roles: medical specialists, nursing, allied health and Aboriginal Health Workers and Practitioners.
Our work complements the activities led by the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) to build the cancer workforce in primary care.
