--- title: 2026 Innovation Scale Grants description: Grant recipients image: https://www.fcif.org.au/hubfs/bulb%20-%20edit%202.jpg --- [![logo](https://www.fcif.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/logo.png?width=215&height=90&name=logo.png "logo")](https://fcif.org.au?hsLang=en-au) - [Home](https://www.fcif.org.au) - About us - [About FCIF](https://www.fcif.org.au/aboutfcif) - [2025-2028 Grants Strategy](https://www.fcif.org.au/funding-strategy) - [Equity and Transparency](https://www.fcif.org.au/equity-transparency) - [Help videos (using Blackbaud](https://www.fcif.org.au/videohelp) - [Measuring Unmet Demand](https://www.fcif.org.au/measuring-unmet-demand-working-group) - [Feedback](https://www.fcif.org.au/contact-0) - [Share your story](https://www.fcif.org.au/share) - [Subscribe](https://www.fcif.org.au/subscribe) - [Contact us](https://www.fcif.org.au/contact) - Expansion - [Expansion Grants](https://www.fcif.org.au/expansion) - [Target Region Expansion Grant Limited Round](https://www.fcif.org.au/target-region-expansion-grant-limited-round) - [External Reviewers](https://www.fcif.org.au/expansion-reviewers) - [2025 Outcomes and Feedback](https://www.fcif.org.au/outcomes-and-feedback-2025-expansion-grants) - Innovation - [Innovation Grants](https://www.fcif.org.au/innovation) - [Innovation Scale Grants](https://www.fcif.org.au/2026-innovation-scale-grants) - [Innovation Grantees](https://www.fcif.org.au/innovation-grantees) - [Innovation Advisory Panel](https://www.fcif.org.au/panel) - Workforce Capability - [Workforce Capability Grants](https://www.fcif.org.au/workforce-capability-round) - [Workforce Capability Advisory Panel](https://www.fcif.org.au/workforce-capability-advisory-panel) - Funding partners - [Funding partners](https://www.fcif.org.au/funding-partners) - [Become a contributor](https://www.fcif.org.au/becomeacontributor) - [Home](https://www.fcif.org.au) - About us - [About FCIF](https://www.fcif.org.au/aboutfcif) - [2025-2028 Grants Strategy](https://www.fcif.org.au/funding-strategy) - [Equity and Transparency](https://www.fcif.org.au/equity-transparency) - [Help videos (using Blackbaud](https://www.fcif.org.au/videohelp) - [Measuring Unmet Demand](https://www.fcif.org.au/measuring-unmet-demand-working-group) - [Feedback](https://www.fcif.org.au/contact-0) - [Share your story](https://www.fcif.org.au/share) - [Subscribe](https://www.fcif.org.au/subscribe) - [Contact us](https://www.fcif.org.au/contact) - Expansion - [Expansion Grants](https://www.fcif.org.au/expansion) - [Target Region Expansion Grant Limited Round](https://www.fcif.org.au/target-region-expansion-grant-limited-round) - [External Reviewers](https://www.fcif.org.au/expansion-reviewers) - [2025 Outcomes and Feedback](https://www.fcif.org.au/outcomes-and-feedback-2025-expansion-grants) - Innovation - [Innovation Grants](https://www.fcif.org.au/innovation) - [Innovation Scale Grants](https://www.fcif.org.au/2026-innovation-scale-grants) - [Innovation Grantees](https://www.fcif.org.au/innovation-grantees) - [Innovation Advisory Panel](https://www.fcif.org.au/panel) - Workforce Capability - [Workforce Capability Grants](https://www.fcif.org.au/workforce-capability-round) - [Workforce Capability Advisory Panel](https://www.fcif.org.au/workforce-capability-advisory-panel) - Funding partners - [Funding partners](https://www.fcif.org.au/funding-partners) - [Become a contributor](https://www.fcif.org.au/becomeacontributor) Search Search - [SUBSCRIBE](https://www.fcif.org.au/subscribe) - [NEED HELP?](https://www.fcif.org.au/about-fc) - - - [SUBSCRIBE](https://www.fcif.org.au/subscribe) - [NEED HELP?](https://www.fcif.org.au/about-fc) - - Search Search # Innovation ## Scale Grants         ## Scale Grants We are delighted to award our first four Innovation Scale grants. Each grantee completed a year-long phase of conceptual development and piloting, demonstrating a tangible improvement to service delivery. The Scale Grants support the next step: scaling these solutions so their benefits reach across the financial counselling sector. The total amount awarded in this round is $909,975. Over the next two years we will see - a new case note tool helping financial counsellors prepare nationally compliant records of client interactions, - an expanded open banking trial allowing 1200 clients per month to authorise their financial counsellor fast and secure access to their banking data, - a ground-breaking Statement of Financial Position (SOFP) digital worksheet that puts an end to time wasted on multiple client data entry, and - a bills-in-language triage tool making bill information available in 28 languages when clients book to access services. These four industry-funded projects are breaking new ground to make service delivery faster, more accessible and more compliant for clients. ## Scale Grantees ### BILLY - Bills Information, Loans & Language for You ($230,000) South East Community Links **Project Overview** This project will develop an AI-driven multilingual platform to streamline Bring Your Bills events, improving accessibility, efficiency, and ongoing personalised financial support for culturally diverse and First Nations community members.  **Scale Phase Overview** The scale phase will add follow-up, referral and queue management to BILLY, then test it at four Bring Your Bills events and through partner agencies, supporting about 200 people outside events. BILLY will explain bills and hardship options in community languages and refer complex cases to counsellors.  ### Financial Counselling Open Banking Platform - Prototype ($230,000) Financial Counselling Australia  **Project Overview**  Prototype a digital platform leveraging Open Banking to automate financial data retrieval, streamline SOFP preparation, and reduce administrative workload, enhancing financial counsellors’ efficiency, service delivery, and client access to support.  **Scale Phase Overview** The Scale phase aims to onboard 10 additional agencies and 75 financial counsellors, bringing participation to 13 agencies and around 100 counsellors. Once all agencies are live, it's estimated around 1,200 clients could be supported each month, based on an average of 12 clients per counsellor.  ### Reinvention of the Statement of Financial Position (SoFP) ($229,975) Community Support & Outreach Services Central Coast Ltd **Project Overview** This project will streamline financial counsellors’ work through a digital Statement of Financial Position worksheet that reduces duplicate data entry and administration, freeing up more time for client support.  **Scale Phase Overview** The Scale phase will expand the digital Statement of Financial Position worksheet for use across the financial counselling sector, with improvements guided by practising counsellors. Building on pilot time savings, it will streamline document preparation and reduce repeated data entry, freeing counsellors to spend more time supporting clients.  ### Vanguard Technical Financial Counselling Support (VTFCS) ($220,000) Financial Counselling Queensland **Project Overview** This project will use AI to generate structured case notes and advocacy case studies from an expanded financial counselling knowledge base, reducing documentation time and freeing counsellors to support more clients. **Scale Phase Overview**  The Scale phase will expand FCQ’s AI casework assistant with a broader financial counselling knowledge base, improved case notes support and a new function to turn case information into advocacy case studies. Training and wider access for financial counsellors aim to save administrative time, improve the consistency of case records and create more capacity for client support  ## Feedback   ### What made a compelling project?   #### A clear service delivery problem Strong applications clearly defined the service delivery problem, explained who was affected and provided evidence of its scale. They avoided relying on broad assumptions and showed why the proposed solution was a logical response to the problem. #### A direct efficiency benefit Compelling proposals demonstrated how the project could increase financial counselling services to assist more people, reduce avoidable administration, shorten delays or make better use of financial counsellor capacity. Projects with worthwhile objectives were less competitive where the link to service delivery efficiency was indirect or unclear. #### Genuine originality The strongest applications explained what was new about the proposed approach and how it differed from existing tools, resources or ordinary operational improvement. Adapting an established approach could still be innovative, but applicants needed to explain what was being tested and why the adaptation was meaningful in financial counselling. #### Sector-wide benefit Strong applications looked beyond the needs of one organisation. They explained how the project, evidence or learning could be used by other financial counselling services, including organisations with different systems, sizes and operating contexts. #### Confirmed partnerships and delivery arrangements Applications were more persuasive where key partners, technology providers and participating services had confirmed their involvement. Letters of support were most useful when they set out a partner’s role, contribution and commitment rather than providing general endorsement. #### A realistic plan and budget Compelling applications had a clear work plan, realistic milestones, a coherent budget and measurable outcomes. They identified key risks, including privacy, regulatory, technology, staffing and implementation risks, and explained how these would be managed. #### A strong approach to testing and evaluation Successful proposals included baseline information and a practical method for determining whether the idea worked. Evaluation plans were stronger where they specified the measures, sample, data sources and decision points that would be used.    ---    ### Why were projects unsuccessful?   #### Ineligible applicants A small number of EOIs were submitted by organisations that were not currently providing financial counselling services and were therefore ineligible to apply under the Grant Guidelines. #### Ineligible activities A number of EOIs primarily sought funding for activities that were ineligible under the Grant Guidelines, including: • employing financial counsellors, financial capability workers or administrative/support staff to deliver additional services • activities unrelated to financial counselling service delivery • standalone financial literacy or financial education initiatives. Projects that proposed a different location, client group or delivery setting were still considered additional service delivery where the main activity was employing staff to provide more services. #### Limited originality or differentiation Some EOIs described interesting projects but did not clearly explain what was new about the proposed approach or how it differed from existing tools, resources or service delivery models. Other proposals addressed similar issues to stronger EOIs but did not demonstrate a sufficiently distinct solution or broader sector benefit. Some full applications were viewed as a useful operational improvement rather than a sufficiently new solution. Others overlapped with existing sector resources, previously funded work or stronger applications addressing similar issues in the same round #### Deliverability risk Some EOIs did not progress because the organisation did not demonstrate sufficient capacity, resources or financial stability to deliver the project. Innovation funding can support testing and development, but applicants must still show that they have the governance, staffing and operational capability needed to manage the work. Some applications presented material financial or implementation risks. Concerns included unclear or fragmented budgets, ambitious staffing plans and work programs, uncertain technology scope and insufficient planning for privacy, regulation or technical integration. Some projects depended on external partners or participating services that had not confirmed their involvement by the full application stage. This reduced confidence in both deliverability and sector-wide benefit. #### Insufficient detail While the EOI was intentionally brief, some proposals were too broad or unclear to assess. Stronger EOIs clearly described the proposed solution, how it would work and why it was likely to improve financial counselling service delivery. Applications were less competitive where the scale of the problem was not supported by baseline data, claimed time savings were not substantiated, or the evaluation approach did not identify a suitable sample, comparison or measure of success. #### Limited sector-wide benefits Technology proposals were less compelling where benefits depended on a particular system, proprietary methodology or commercial provider without a clear plan for broader access. Stronger applications addressed intellectual property, licensing, ongoing costs and whether smaller services could realistically adopt the solution. ![businessman-hand-holding-lightbulb-with-glowing-light-creative-smart-thinking-inspiration-innovation-with-network-concept-1](https://www.fcif.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/businessman-hand-holding-lightbulb-with-glowing-light-creative-smart-thinking-inspiration-innovation-with-network-concept-1.jpg?width=2000&height=1067&name=businessman-hand-holding-lightbulb-with-glowing-light-creative-smart-thinking-inspiration-innovation-with-network-concept-1.jpg "businessman-hand-holding-lightbulb-with-glowing-light-creative-smart-thinking-inspiration-innovation-with-network-concept-1") [![acnc-logo](https://www.fcif.org.au/hs-fs/hubfs/acnc-logo.png?width=200&height=201&name=acnc-logo.png "acnc-logo")](https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/f586a361-01fe-ee11-9f8a-00224893b0ed/profile) *We live and work on the lands of the Darkinjung people, and the Gadigal, Wangal and Gayamaygal people of the Eora Nation. 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