Sector Sustainability Program

Program background

Thousands of Canberrans seek out community sector services each year, including:

• early support and prevention services for children and families
• health and education services
• access to legal supports
• efforts to tackle climate change.

The ACT Government invests more than $200 million annually across a diverse non-government sector to deliver these programs, services and support.

A 2021 report ‘Counting the Costs' provided evidence for the need to focus greater on sector sustainability. This is to ensure that the community can continue to access supports they need. In 2023, the ACT Government released a response to the 'Counting the Costs Report'. It acknowledged the rising demand and costs across the community sector but noted that a simple increase in funding alone would not result in a more sustainable sector.

The ACT Government proposed a sector sustainability program that aims to move toward a sustainable resourcing and relationship model with the ACT community sector.

The initial phase of work included a sector sustainability project over 18 months. This saw the ACT Government and NGO sector partner to identify and address a range of sustainability challenges. An investment of $395,000 supported the project.

The objective of the project was to consider how to address multiple recommendations of Counting the Costs.

A joint Governance Committee oversaw the project.

Project communiques

Access committee communiques below:

• Communique November 2024
• Communique July 2024
• Communique February 2024
• Communique September 2023

Project summary

The project concluded in December 2024. Summary of the project can be accessed below:

• Project Phases and Key Focus Areas - need file
• December 2024 Report

Knowledge hub

We built a Knowledge Hub in partnership with ACTCOSS.

The Knowledge Hub sustains access beyond the project start-up phase to materials generated through the project.

The ACT Government in the 11th Term of the Legislative Assembly also committed to continue to progress the sector sustainability program. This was to identify how best the ACT Government can fund our non-profit community partners in delivering services to the community.