Indigenous Australians' Health Programme Northern Territory Pathways to Community Control

This grant opportunity is aimed at supporting Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCHOs) in the Northern Territory to transition health service delivery to Aboriginal community control.

Key features and objectives:

• Supports planning and implementation of the transition to community control, including:
  • Development of corporate and clinical governance models and systems
  • Creation of a regional health plan
  • Community engagement and stakeholder consultation
  • Establishment of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs)
  • Legal entity changes and governance restructuring
  • Capacity building activities
  • Agreement on an evaluation strategy
• Objectives include building organisational capacity to deliver culturally safe, sustainable, high-quality comprehensive primary health care services.
• Ensures minimal or no disruption to service delivery during the transfer period, with all programs, staff, and services transferring on the agreed date.
• Successful completion results in the transfer of Indigenous Australians’ Health Programme primary health care funding from the Northern Territory Government to the ACCHO.

Target beneficiaries:

• Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in the Northern Territory invited by the Commonwealth Department of Health.
• Organisations approved by the Northern Territory Aboriginal Health Forum (NTAHF) and the Commonwealth Department of Health.
• Organisations with demonstrated capability, infrastructure, experience, and community support to manage health service delivery.

Application process:

• No formal application submission is required by eligible organisations.
• Suitability is assessed by the Department of Health based on existing information, including:
  • Endorsement and support from NTAHF
  • Business and transition plans with timelines and stakeholder engagement frameworks
  • Project governance and risk management plans
  • Proposed operating budgets
• Performance history and compliance with previous grants are also considered.

Total funding available is AUD 5 million, with a total program funding of AUD 13.75 million since 2021. The program is a closed non-competitive grant opportunity focused on enabling community control of health services in the Northern Territory.