The purpose of the 2026 Workforce Capability Round is to reduce unmet demand by funding sector-wide initiatives that strengthen the knowledge, skills and abilities of the financial counselling workforce. 

We expect to award 8 Workforce Capability Grants. 

The maximum grant amount is $320,000 ($160,000 per annum).

 The grant term is two years.

Yes. Projects can be submitted up to the maximum amount available. We strongly encourage project budgets to be tailored to the size of the project.

The grant term must be 2 years.

Workforce Capability Grants will support sector-wide initiatives that strengthen the knowledge, skills or abilities of the financial counselling workforce.

These may include, but are not limited to:

• Developing and delivering training and professional development.
• Developing shared practice resources, tools and training materials.
• Establishing communities of practice and peer learning initiatives.
• Research and evaluation that strengthens workforce capability.
• Collaborative initiatives that deliver projects across jurisdictions.
• Supporting specialist practice capabilities (e.g. service delivery to CALD, Family Violence, First Nations, small business or incarcerated clients)

No, this is not an eligible use of funds.

Financial counselling service delivery is funded through FCIF’s Expansion Grants.

FCIF will fund the following:

• project management
• project coordination
• financial counsellors contributing to project design, development, testing or training delivery
• administrative support directly related to the project.

• subject matter experts
• facilitators and trainers
• IT or digital specialists
• researchers and/or evaluators.

• software or platform development
• application development
• software licences and subscriptions required during the grant period
• cloud hosting
• API integrations
• cyber security and privacy work
• AI or data tools used to develop or test the project.

• development of toolkits, templates, guides and learning resources
• printing and publication costs
• multimedia or online learning content
• translation or accessibility services.

• data collection tools and surveys
• external evaluators or research partners
• user testing
• impact measurement
• data analysis and modelling.

• domestic travel directly required for project delivery
• venue hire and workshop costs
• assets and equipment required solely for the funded project, such as laptops (up to $10,000)
• other reasonable costs directly related to the delivery of the approved grant activities.

Workforce Capability Grants must not be used to undertake: 

• Commercial or profit-making activities.
• Activities that promote, support or oppose a political party, candidate or elected official.
• Activities funded by other sources.
• Activities that duplicate existing arrangements.
• Activities unrelated to the objectives of the Workforce Capability Round.
• Activities solely relating to financial capability service delivery.
  

• Financial benefits to individual financial counsellors including but not limited to:
  • Scholarships or financial assistance to undertake a financial counselling qualification
  • Delivery of accredited financial counselling qualifications
  • Conference registration, attendance or travel
  • Payments to attend activities as a participant
  • Professional association membership fees.
• Costs associated with delivering financial counselling services including but not limited to:
  • Employment of financial counsellors or financial capability workers or other administrative/support staff to deliver financial counselling services
  • Development of financial literacy/capability initiatives for clients
  • Professional supervision of financial counselling staff
  • Cash payments or other financial benefits to clients.
• Costs associated with professional standards and accreditation including but not limited to:
  • Development of professional standards
  • Compliance monitoring or enforcement of professional standards
  • Activities that form part of an organisation's ongoing responsibilities.
• Other ineligible expenditure including but not limited to:
  • Promotional or marketing activities to the public
  • Expenditure not directly related to the FCIF-funded activities
  • Retrospective costs
  • Litigation costs
  • Overseas travel
  • Funding for staff or operational costs, including ongoing licence or subscription costs, beyond the grant term.

Funding cannot be used to employ financial counsellors, financial capability workers or administrative staff solely to increase service capacity or deliver additional client services.

Staff costs may be included where they are directly related to the Workforce Capability project.

Eligible applicants must:

• Be a financial counselling peak body or professional association; or
• Be an organisation currently delivering financial counselling services in Australia through financial counsellors who are members of a financial counselling peak body or professional association.

Applicants must be an Australian registered business. Government entities and private individuals (including sole traders) are not eligible to apply. The applicant is the legal entity that will enter into the Grant Agreement with FCIF.

Eligible applicants may wish to form consortiums with other organisations. A consortium must nominate an eligible lead applicant who is solely accountable to FCIF for the delivery of grant activities.

We strongly encourage collaborative applications.

No, as a registered training provider, you cannot apply for a Workforce Capability grant as lead applicant. However, you can apply as part of a consortium with an eligible applicant.  

We will not fund activities which have as their primary objective the goal of increasing demand for financial counselling services – either generally or within a specific community. 

We strongly encourage collaborative applications. For example, a financial counselling service may choose to partner with a peak body, or two services may collaborate. A consortium must nominate a lead applicant who is solely accountable to FCIF for the delivery of the grant. The lead applicant must meet the eligibility criteria.

Yes, but we will not duplicate existing funding, so you cannot include project costs that are already funded by another source.

Please add any existing funding partners to the Project Partners section in the application and outline details of the funding amount and terms.

No, we cannot provide advice on individual projects.

Probity and equity of access are critical across all our processes, as outlined on our 2025-2028 Strategy page. Our probity policies specify that all applicants must have equal access to information, so rather than answer individual queries we publish general FAQs on our website.

No, however your project will need to demonstrate the scale and reach of benefits, both for participants and the financial counselling sector.

No, we will not fund scholarships. Scholarship opportunities are available at the Jan Pentland Foundation.

We encourage you to check if your organisation is eligible and if your project meets the purpose, eligibility and assessment criteria for this grant round. If so, please apply for this round.

No. The Workforce Capability grant application questions will be available on 28 September 2026.  

If you are unable to resolve your issues after reviewing our information online, please contact grants@fcif.org.au. 

To complete this application you will need to upload:

• Your organisation's most recent audited Financial Report (or equivalent)
• A copy of your organisation's Public Liability Insurance (or confirm that you will obtain insurance)
• Letters of support from any partner organisations (if applicable).
  

• A Risk Assessment
• Project activities and
• Project budget.

No. If your application is successful and your organisation is registered for GST, you will be paid GST on the approved grant amount.

Late applications will not be accepted unless an applicant has experienced exceptional circumstances that prevent the submission of the application. Broadly, exceptional circumstances are events characterised by the following:

• reasonably unforeseeable;
• beyond the applicant’s control; and
• unable to be managed or resolved within the application period.

Exceptional circumstances will be considered on their merits and in accordance with probity principles. Requests to submit a late application must be submitted by email to grants@fcif.org.au.

Once your application form has been submitted it cannot be edited. However, if you have made a mistake that you feel is material to your application and you would like to change your answer, please email grants@fcif.org.au and request your application be published for resubmission.

Workforce Capability applications will be evaluated against the following criteria:

1. Relevance: the extent to which the project addresses a clearly defined workforce capability gap, challenge or opportunity and aligns with the purpose of the grant round.
   
2. Impact: the extent to which the project is likely to strengthen financial counsellors’ knowledge, skills and abilities and lead to improved service delivery outcomes.
3. Sector-wide benefits: the scale and reach of benefits from the project, both for participants and the financial counselling sector.
4. Deliverability and value: The extent to which the project is feasible, well-planned and represents value for money.

All criteria carry equal weighting.

Knowledge, skills and abilities are the capabilities financial counsellors need to do their work effectively and respond to current and emerging service needs. This may include technical knowledge, practical skills, professional judgement and behaviours that support high-quality financial counselling services.

The following resources are useful reference points:

• National Standards for Membership and Accreditation
• CHC51115 Diploma of Financial Counselling
• Financial Counselling Scope of Practice
• National Workforce Strategy

General feedback will be published on the FCIF website at the conclusion of the assessment process. Individual feedback to unsuccessful applicants will not be provided.  

FCIF expects to hold a 2028 Workforce Capability Round. Sign up to receive alerts when we announce dates and open grant rounds.

Funding will commence upon the execution of your Grant Agreement. The activity period for Workforce Capability Grants begins on 1 February 2027. 

No, the focus of this grant round is strengthening the knowledge, skills and abilities of qualified financial counsellors. 

Yes, you can be a partner in multiple applications and still lodge your own application. However, each eligible organisation may only submit one application.

 No, only the applicant has to meet the eligibility criteria.