National Disability Conference Initiative 2026-27
Tender ID: 598945
Tender Details
Tender Description
The purpose of this grant opportunity is to provide funding to eligible conference organisers to assist people with disability to participate in nationally focused, disability-related, conferences held in Australia. Funding may also support eligible conference organisers to provide accessibility measures that will maximise the inclusion and participation of people with disability at their conference. The grant opportunity aims to support organisations, especially those run by and for people with disability and/or their families, which have limited resources to implement accessibility measures at their conference.
The NDCI is a long-standing annual competitive grant round which supports disability conference organisers to maximise the inclusion of people with disability at their conferences.
The objectives of the program are:
- to support the vision of Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031 (ADS) for an inclusive Australian society that ensures people with disability can fulfil their potential, as equal members of the community
- to support organisations, especially those run by and for people with disability and/or their families, which have limited resources/finances to implement accessibility measures for their conference.
Eligibility:
The NDCI grant opportunity provides grants to eligible conference organisers to assist people with disability participate in nationally-focused, disability-related, conferences held in Australia. Grants may also support eligible conference organisers to provide accessibility measures that will maximise the inclusion and participation of people with disability at their conference.
Eligible funded activities may include adjustments that an organisation would be expected to provide as part of its obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (DDA), where the potential applicant can demonstrate that providing such adjustments would cause ‘unjustifiable hardship’.
Potential applicants must note the DDA provides that organisations are required to make reasonable adjustments to enable a person with disability to access goods, services or facilities. This includes that those who plan events, including meetings, festivals, conferences, lectures, and fundraisers, need to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the event is accessible so that people with disability can attend and participate, except where the provision of access will cause major difficulties or excessive costs to a person or organisation.
Potential applicants are encouraged to review the following Australian Human Rights Commission resources:
A brief guide to the Disability Discrimination Act
Access for all: Improving accessibility for consumers with disability
Hosting accessible and inclusive in-person meetings and events
We cannot provide a grant if you receive funding from another government source for the same purpose. To be eligible you must meet the eligibility criteria listed below in section 4.1.
Location
New South Wales : Central West : Far North Coast : Far West : Hunter : Illawarra : Mid North Coast : Murray : New England : Orana : Riverina : Southern Highlands : Sydney
Queensland : Cairns & Far North Queensland : Gladstone : Mackay Whitsunday Region : Mount Isa & North West Region : Rockhampton : South East Queensland : South West & Darling Downs : The Central West : Townsville : Wide Bay Burnett
Victoria : Barwon South West : Gippsland : Grampians : Hume : Loddon Mallee : Melbourne
South Australia : Adelaide : Eyre & Western : Far North : Fleurieu & Kangaroo Island : Limestone Coast : Murray & Mallee : York & Mid North
Northern Territory : Barkly : Big Rivers : Central Australia : East Arnhem : Greater Darwin : Top End
Australian Capital Territory
Tasmania