First Nations Foundation

Measuring Outcomes

First Nations Foundation is an Indigenous financial wellbeing organisation working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to provide financial education, training, and resources.

Ecstra provided funding to First Nations Foundation to develop an outcomes measurement framework to better understand and measure the impact of their work and programs.  The funding enabled First Nations Foundation to work with Social Ventures Australia  to develop and embed an outcomes measurement framework, measurement and reporting methodology.

Mar 2022 - Jun 2023

Financial Rights Legal Centre

Mob Strong Debt Help

Mob Strong Debt Help is a nation-wide free legal advice service dedicated to money matters for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Mob Strong is administered by the Financial Rights Legal Centre (FRLC) which specialises in consumer law, banking, debt recovery and insurance.

Ecstra’s multiyear grant totalling $500,000 will support FRLC’s continued Indigenous consumer support service, and will include longer term community outreach and engagement, education programs and work addressing long standing issues around funeral insurance.

Apr 2022 - ongoing

Koondee Woonga-gat
Toor-rong

Catchin’ Up Project

A partnership between between Koondee Woonga-gat Toor-rong (KWT Fund), Australian Communities Foundation (ACF) and Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network (ICAN), the Catchin Up Project empowers Indigenous leaders with practical money skills to share money lessons for life in their communities. The project will provide training, resources and share stories to build the financial capability of frontline staff at First Nations organisations.

May 2020 - ongoing

Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative (BADAC)

Supporting vital service provision and outreach during COVID-19

Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative (BADAC) delivers health, social, welfare and community development programs to Aboriginal people, including financial literacy and support services.

Ecstra’s funding enabled BADAC to continue to deliver vital support to vulnerable community members, and to produce information and communications for clients on consumer financial issues – ensuring crucial support was available to those impacted by COVID-19.

May 2020 - Feb 2021

Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network

Strengthening financial capability for Indigenous consumers

Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network (ICAN) provides consumer education, advocacy, financial counselling and financial capability services to Indigenous consumers across the nation.

Ecstra’s support enabled ICAN to develop a financial counselling and financial capability remote service delivery model, ensuring Indigenous consumers in remote settings or impacted by COVID-19 restrictions had access to financial information, programs and support.

Jun 2020 - Jul 2021

Cape York Institute

Digital financial capability program

Cape York Institute delivers services and support to Indigenous people and communities, providing financial inclusion pathways for Indigenous people in the Cape York area.

The Cape York Institute implemented an online portal integrating financial education content and programs to enable digital and remote learning, available in First Nations languages.

Jun 2020 - Mar 2021

Kids Camps (Cahoots)

Financial capability for young people

Cahoots supports children and young people with disabilities, from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, and others who face exceptional challenges by running camps and programs that give young people learning experiences to support their growth as individuals.

Ecstra’s support enabled Cahoots to deliver accessible and culturally appropriate online financial capability education. Cahoots hosted training sessions on a secure online platform and promoted across the sector Australia-wide.

Jul 2020 - Dec 2021

NPA Family and Community Services

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation (NPAFACS)
Supporting vital service provision and outreach during COVID-19

Operating in the Northern Peninsula area of Far North Queensland, NPA Family and Community Services (NPAFACS) supports clients in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities including in relation to financial wellbeing and capability assistance to families and women experiencing family violence.

Ecstra’s funding helped communities continue to safely access these vital services during COVID-19.

Apr 2020 - Feb 2021

Griffith University

Ethical decision making for Indigenous customers

Exploring organisational culture to deliver ethical services for Indigenous customers.

Clare Burns was the recipient of the 2019 Australian Business Ethics Network grant (sponsored by Ecstra) to research ethical decision making in financial markets.

The grant process was competitive and underwent international peer review.

Mar 2020 - Dec 2020

University of Technology Sydney

Informed decision-making among Indigenous consumers in Western Sydney

This project researched how to influence informed decision-making regarding small amount credit and consumer leases (SAC & CL) among Indigenous consumers in Western Sydney.

Professor David Michayluk working with Professor Robynne Quiggin led a team to investigate and propose new approaches to protect Indigenous consumers.

Feb 2019 - May 2023