Strengthening Our Culture Funding Pool
Being connected to, and strong in, culture can have positive health outcomes for Aboriginal people.
The Strengthening Our Culture funding pool aims to improve Aboriginal health and wellbeing by supporting community projects and partnerships that strengthen culture and encourage healthy lifestyles.
Projects and partnerships supported through the funding pool must align to one or more of the Cultural Determinants of Health. Funded initiatives must also align to one or more of the following prevention priorities: Alcohol and other drugs, obesity, tobacco and vaping, social and emotional wellbeing, suicide prevention, chronic conditions and cancer screening.
Key information
Who can apply?
To be eligible, the applying organisation must:
- be a South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) or Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO)*
- have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
- have an Australian bank account in the name of the legal entity
- be currently operating in South Australia delivering services, programs or support to Aboriginal people
- be able to identify a project committee to oversee the project.
The following organisations are not eligible to apply, but may be a partner:
- government agencies, including local councils
- for-profit businesses
- Aboriginal-owned private organisations
- non-government organisations (NGOs)
- individual/sole traders.
* Find more information about eligibility in the Grant Guide. including an exemption in areas where an ACCO or ACCHO is not present in a community.
Resources and support
All applicants are encouraged to review the Grant Guide and Frequently Asked Questions resources before applying.
Grant writing workshops
A series of online workshops have been held to support applicants - watch a recording of the workshop. You can request further workshops by contacting the Aboriginal Health team.
The Aboriginal Health team can be contacted for support 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday via email: PreventiveHealthSA.AboriginalHealthPromotion@sa.gov.au.
You yarned, we listened - community consultation
Preventive Health SA’s Aboriginal Health team thanks everyone who participated in the Statewide consultation on the proposed Aboriginal Health Funding Pool.
The Strengthening Our Culture Funding Pool is a new funding model in South Australia, launched in August 2026. The funding pool replaces multiple long running grant programs such as the Strengthening Our Culture Community Grant Program and Aboriginal Cancer Screening Grants.
The new funding model responds to what we heard from Aboriginal communities and partners across a statewide consultation.
Throughout the consultation, we heard a clear and consistent message. Communities and partners called for a funding model that is culturally grounded, strengthens Aboriginal leadership and self-determination, supports long-term and place-based prevention, and invests in the Cultural Determinants of Health. We also heard the call for more flexibility, easier navigation and reduced administrative burden.
The Strengthening Our Culture Funding Pool has been designed to reflect these learnings.
Find out more about what we heard across the consultation and how we've put this feedback into action in the Aboriginal Health Funding Pool Stakeholder Engagement Feedback Report.
Apply now
Applications are now open – padni’adlu (let’s go)! Eligible applicants are invited to apply for grant funding across four streams. Applications will be accepted until funding is exhausted.
Strengthening our People Grants
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- Individual grants of up to $5000 are available from a total funding pool of $40,000.
- Funding to support group based professional development and training that has a preventive health focus.
- Recipients have up to six months to spend the grant.
Strengthening our Mob Grants
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- Individual grants of between $10,000 - $30,000 are available from a total funding pool of $240,000.
- Funding to support medium projects that support action towards a preventive health priority area.
- Ideal for developing or testing new programs, expanding existing programs, and building evidence for future action.
- Recipients have up to one year to spend the grant.
Strengthening our Communities - Major Projects
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- Individual grants of up to $50,000 are available to support major projects from a total funding pool of $100,000
- Funding to support major projects that will support community-led, place-based action that brings people together to improve health and wellbeing.
- These grants focus on building community capacity, strengthening leadership, connecting local efforts and achieving substantial outcomes for communities.
- Flexible funding - either $25,000 per year for two years, or $50,000 over a single year.
Strengthening our Communities - Major Partnership
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- A grant of up to $100,000 per year for three years is available to support a major partnership.
- Funding is available for a significant partnership that will support large-scale initiatives and deliver sustained improvements in preventive health outcomes through innovative and transformative approaches.
- Collaboration, co-design, and local leadership will be central to the proposed work.
- Funding aims to strengthen community capability, support long-term change, and generate evidence to inform future policy and investment.
- This grant is subject to indexation.