2025 Expansion Round

Grant recipients 

Grant recipients are listed below under the grant type they were awarded. All grants have a term of three years, beginning on 2 March 2026.

More information regarding each grant is available HERE.

What made a strong application? 

1. Demonstrating unmet demand

Unmet demand

Strong applications provided clear, applicant-specific data showing unmet demand, such as long wait times (over two weeks) and/or high turnaway rates. Very strong applications analysed trends over time or client characteristics and ensured the data aligned with the rest of the application.

Qualitative analysis

Strong applications clearly explained their inability to meet current demand (“the queue at the door”), recognising the round focused on unmet demand rather than unmet need. Qualitative explanations were consistent with the data and, where relevant, referenced broader economic, social or service-related factors.

Innovative practice

Very strong applications showed how operational changes had already been implemented to address demand, demonstrated their impact and explained why unmet demand persisted.

New entrants

Strong new-entrant applications clearly demonstrated existing demand for financial counselling, even where services were not yet delivered, and supported this with relevant organisational data.

2. Demonstrating Impact 

Forecast outcomes

Strong applications clearly outlined the quantity and quality of services to be delivered and how these would reduce unmet demand. Very strong applications provided robust forecasts linked directly to unmet demand data.

Specificity of proposal

Strong applications clearly described how funding would be used, including staffing, roles, specialisations, and service delivery locations and method

Data-driven

Strong applications showed that service delivery models were informed by unmet demand data, particularly where changes to standard practice were proposed.

Efficient use of funds

Very strong applications demonstrated strategic and realistic use of funding to maximise impact, based on proven service delivery approaches.

3. Efficiency and capability

Track record 

Strong applications demonstrated a solid delivery history and positive funder feedback (Grant Guidelines allowed an applicant’s past service delivery performance to be considered during the assessment process). 

Deliverability

Strong applicants demonstrated they had the systems, partnerships and professional membership supervision, training and development needed to deliver financial counselling services. New entrants clearly demonstrated this readiness. 

Risk management

Strong applications identified key organisational and contextual risks and outlined practical mitigation strategies.

Data collection

Strong applications demonstrated robust systems for collecting service delivery and client outcome data.

Budget and expenses

Strong applications presented clear, detailed budgets aligned with proposed activities. Very strong applications kept administrative costs under 20%, offered competitive FTE for the grant amount and appropriately scaled non-staffing expenses to service delivery outcomes.