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Welcome
Expressions of interest are now open for community panel assessors to join our 2025/2026 Community Strengthening First Nations Grants assessment panel. This expression of interest is for identified First Nations assessors who will play a vital role in ensuring funding decisions are culturally informed, community led and aligned with First Nations priorities.
What’s involved
Community panel assessors are required to attend community assessment panel meetings between 9 April – 13 April 2026 to assess applications for the Community Strengthening First Nations Grant. The community panel are required to attend a minimum of one half day meeting, depending on the volume of applications.
The community assessment panel will be made up of a total of four assessors - two community assessors and two First Nations assessors - who will peer review the officer assessments and recommend funding to Council.
Who we’re looking for
To ensure a balanced and representative panel, we are seeking one Wadawurrung Traditional Owner, and one First Nations community member.
Applicants will bring cultural knowledge, and a strong connection to community. Previous panel or assessment experience is desirable but not required.
An honorarium will be paid to First Nations community panel members.
If you are passionate about supporting First Nations-led initiatives and contributing to fair and culturally strong funding outcomes, please complete the form below. A hard copy form can be found in the Document Library on this page. The community assessment panel will operate under a Terms of Reference*.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome by 8 February 2026.
More information
This grant is informed by key policies and strategies, including the City’s Reconciliation Action Plan 2020-2021, Community Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025–2029, Council Plan 2025-2029 and Social Equity Framework 2022-2025 which identifies First Nations communities as a priority population group.
This grant is also informed by the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The data that supports the National Agreement on Closing the Gap comes from the Productivity Commission's Annual Data Compilation Reports, which track progress against 19 national socio-economic targets. This data includes detailed metrics across areas like life expectancy, health, education, and housing, and is used to assess progress and inform reporting on the agreement's implementation.
The objective of the National Agreement is to overcome the entrenched inequality faced by too many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, so that their life outcomes are equal to all Australians. Under the Agreement, all levels of Government committed to strengthening partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, to ensure their leadership is central to designing and delivering policies, programs, and services that affect them.
The Community Strengthening First Nations Grants support self-determined projects and initiatives aimed at increasing health and social equity for Wadawurrung Traditional Owners, First Nations People, organisations and groups living in greater Geelong.
The grant supports applications to:
- deliver on the National Agreement on Closing the Gap socio-economic targets
- deliver on the five pillars of the City’s Community Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-29
- increase understanding, respect and celebration of First Nations perspectives and culture
- increase knowledge and understanding of the impacts of colonisation on First Nations People and Traditional Owners through Truth Telling
- strengthen and enable First Nations decision making and increase opportunities for community participation and diverse engagement.
Join the community assessment panel!
I need assistance
The National Relay Service is available as a phone solution for people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment.
- TTY users phone 133 677
- Speak and Listen users phone 1300 555 727
- Internet relay users - visit the National Relay Service website
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