Nineteen Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) across Western Australia will benefit from a share of $850,000 in grants aimed at building their business capabilities and ability to be more competitive in an open market.
Projects being funded include training and development of organisation boards in the Wheatbelt, Metropolitan, Murchison and Kimberley regions, operational planning, strategic communication and upskilling of staff in the Kimberley and metropolitan regions, and development of a cultural governance framework and structure for Aboriginal women in the Kimberley.
The ACCO Capability Grants Program is a partnership between the Department of Finance and the Department of Communities. It supports and develops the capabilities of ACCOs, aiming to enable the delivery of more culturally appropriate services for Aboriginal people.
The program will enable ACCOs to grow their business skills through training, developing governance and models of delivery and workforce development, which will in turn build their capability to partner with the State Government in delivering community services.
Aboriginal community control is an act of self-determination and ACCOs are incorporated organisations initiated, based in and governed by local Aboriginal communities to deliver culturally appropriate services to those communities.
ACCOs provide services for Aboriginal children, families and communities, often in partnership with the Department of Communities.
They deliver services that build strength and empowerment in Aboriginal communities and people, and the ACCO Capability Grants Program enables a growing proportion of services for Aboriginal people to be delivered by ACCOs.
As stated by Community Services Minister Simone McGurk:
"The ACCO Capability Grants Program enables ACCOs to chart their own course as businesses.
"The Department of Communities and the Department of Finance have worked closely with the Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation sector to understand the experiences and challenges faced by Aboriginal business people.
"These grants will help to ensure the State Government is providing the most effective and appropriate support possible to organisations across this diverse and important sector.
"By building their business capability, ACCOs will also become increasingly competitive in tendering for State Government community service programs.
"It is particularly fitting that these grants are announced during NAIDOC Week - a time when we acknowledge the strengths and vital contributions of Aboriginal people."
As stated by Finance Minister Tony Buti:
"The Department of Finance continues to work closely with the community services sector to build the sector's capability to respond to tenders and deliver services to vulnerable people.
"The ACCO Capability Grants Program will support 19 ACCOs to bolster their business capability in areas they have identified as requiring strengthening.
"Building the business capability of these ACCOs will enable them to deliver a greater number of culturally appropriate services to Aboriginal people to improve outcomes for Aboriginal people and communities."
