Key Dates

Next Grant Round:
Applications for funding will open early 2025. 
> Information about our Grants Program

Independent Grants Panel:
Results of the recent EOI will be notified Dec 2024.
> Information about our Panel  

We can help:  grants@accan.org.au
or phone 02 9288 4000

Grants Information

Round Guidelines

Round Priorities

How to apply

Who can apply?

What is eligible?

How Grants are assessed

In December 2024 ACCAN provided a submission to the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee concerning the National Broadband Network Companies Amendment (Commitment to Public Ownership) Bill 2024 [Provisions].

ACCAN recently responded to the Senate Standing Committees on Economics’ inquiry into the Scams Prevention Framework Bill 2024 [Provisions] (The SPF). 

ACCAN recently submitted to the Attorney-General’s Department’s consultation into Automated Decision-Making (ADM) reform. ADM will continue to grow in the future and ACCAN encourages the development of appropriate safeguards for government use. 

ACCAN recently submitted to the Australian Treasury’s Pre-Budget consultation to provide our views on priorities for the 2025-2026 Budget. Our submission calls on the Australian Government to address the barriers faced by communications consumers in accessing affordable, reliable, competitive and accessible telecommunications services. 

ACCAN recently submitted to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on the Regional Broadband Scheme (RBS) Levy. The RBS is critical to the funding of non-commercial regional, rural and remote NBN services. ACCAN supports the positions of the ACCC, which will strengthen confidence and trust in the RBS by ensuring that the levy reflects the efficient costs of delivering non-commercial services.

ACCAN recently submitted to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (the Department) on the First Nations Digital Support Hub and Network of Digital Mentors – Draft Combined Grant Opportunity Guidelines. ACCAN welcomes the First Nations Digital Support Hub and Network of Digital Mentors as an important step in supporting the digital ability and literacy of First Nations Australians.

ACCAN recently submitted to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (the Department) proposed First Nations Community Wi-Fi Program – Draft Grant Opportunity Guidelines. ACCAN welcomes the First Nations Community Wi-Fi Program as an important step to closing the digital divide in remote and very remote communities.

ACCAN recently submitted to the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) proposal to remake the TLN and eight telecommunications standards.

ACCAN recently commented on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts’ Proposed Amendments to the Powers and Immunities Framework - Consultation Paper (the consultation paper).

ACCAN supports the amendments to the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 2018 and the Telecommunications Code of Practice 2021 proposed in the consultation paper.

Download: pdfACCAN Submission to DITRCDA powers and immunities225.16 KB

Downlaod:docxACCAN Submission to DITRCDA powers and immunities3.78 MB

ACCAN recently submitted to the Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications' inquiry into the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 [Provisions].

 ACCAN welcomes the Government's commitment to safeguarding children's online safety. ACCAN advocates for a systems-first approach to improve online safety for all social media users.

 ACCAN recommends the Government:

  • Amend the Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth) to directly regulate social media services to comply with safety by design measures.
  • Prioritise strong privacy measures to protect users from targeted marketing and the exploitation of their data.

ACCAN recently submitted to the Productivity Commissions’ inquiry into the Opportunities in the Circular Economy. ACCAN’s submission sets out initiatives that would ease cost of living pressures on consumers and reduce the environmental impact of the communications sector.

ACCAN’s submission recommends the Government:

  • Reform national policy settings to facilitate a competitive independent repair sector and develop a national repairability labelling scheme for consumer products.
  • Legislate a Right to Repair following the recommendations of the Right to Repair inquiry report and taking into account the European Union’s Right to Repair Directive.
  • Develop an information standard for refurbished devices to facilitate consumers effectively comparing the quality of refurbished internet devices.

ACCAN recently commented on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Domestic Transmission Capacity Service (DTCS) Final Access Determination (FAD) discussion paper.

ACCAN’s submission argued that the economic regulation of DTCS is critical to supporting the delivery of telecommunications services across Australia. ACCAN recommends that: 

  • DTCS services should be priced by reference to a benchmarking approach as the cost and complexity associated with cost model-based methodologies are likely to outweigh the benefits of the additional precision of these pricing approaches.
  • The pricing factors for the subsea component of DTCS services to Tasmania should be reviewed to ensure that these factors are relevant and remain cost reflective.
  • DTCS services to Christmas Island should be benchmarked against domestic and international prices for transmission services provided over subsea cables.
  • The range of capacities covered by the DTCS FAD should be determined by reference to contemporary commercial products.
  • The regulated price for non-recurrent charges should be benchmarked against current commercial prices.

ACCAN supports the duration of the DTCS FAD proposed by the ACCC, expiring 31 March 2029.

Download: pdfACCC DTCS FAD Discussion Paper201.26 KB

Download: docxACCC DTCS FAD Discussion Paper81.55 KB

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