This NAIDOC Week (6–13 July) marks 50 years of honouring and elevating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, cultures, and resilience.
The 2025 theme, “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy”, invites us to reflect on the enduring strength of First Nations Elders, the visionary leadership within communities, and the legacy being forged by emerging First Nations leaders.
At Australian Communities Foundation, we are committed to supporting First Nations-led change. Below, you’ll find a curated list of community-led initiatives and organisations seeking support, each representing opportunities to invest in self-determination, cultural preservation, and community development.
Join us in celebrating NAIDOC Week by backing initiatives that empower the next generation and honour the rich legacy of Australia’s First Peoples.
Are you an ACF Fundholder? Make a grant request via your Fund Portal. If you have any issues accessing your account, you can reset your password or contact us on 03 9412 0412 or email [email protected].
Together for Treaty: Building Public Support for Treaty Across the Country
Common Threads
VIC / National
Image: Tamati Smith
Australia is the only Commonwealth country without a Treaty with Indigenous peoples. With Treaty negotiations underway in Victoria and significant pieces of legislation due in Parliament this year, we have a unique opportunity to achieve collective and long-held aspirations for First Nations futures, to redress past and ongoing injustices against First Nations peoples, and to progress towards Treaties across the country. Despite this, there are growing threats to undermine support for the Treaty.
Common Threads, under the leadership of Amelia Telford and Larissa Baldwin Roberts, is coordinating a national campaign, led by First Nations peoples, to counter the threat of mis/disinformation and build public support and political action on Truth and Treaty. This includes organising mob and allies to have conversations in their communities about what Treaty means and building support to create the conditions for political action.
Why we recommend: This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure treaty in Victoria. Statewide negotiations are underway with significant pieces of legislation due this year – and what happens in Victoria will set the stage for other states to follow. The team behind Common Threads has a proven track record in building campaigns and movements – and as part of ACF’s continued commitment to the Uluru Statement, we are backing this important work through the Impact Fund.
Gudanji for Country: Protecting Country from overgrazing, mining, and fracking
Northern Territory
Gudanji For Country is a First Nations organisation that helps elevate the voices of the Clan group, the Karanjini Rrumburriya (part of the Gudanji nation), in speaking for and caring for Country. Gudanji For Country is fighting to protect Country from the damaging effects of overgrazing, mining and now fracking.
Gudanji For Country’s work is deeply rooted in culture and continues to be guided by women’s traditional leadership across five key areas: empowering communities through bush trips that foster cross-sector alliances; protecting Indigenous knowledge through women-led research on Country; advocating at international climate forums; advancing Indigenous socio-economic agency; and shifting public awareness through powerful storytelling across film and digital platforms.
Why we recommend: Despite some recognition through Native Title and Aboriginal Freehold processes, Gudanji Country continues to face destruction from extractive industries. Gudanji For Country are the rightful custodians, carrying the cultural authority to speak for and protect Country. Grounded in traditional law, Indigenous knowledge systems and feminist leadership, the organisation offers a powerful, community-led pathway to a sustainable, just and regenerative future for the region.
Change the Record: Tackling over-incarceration and ending family violence
National
Change the Record is the only First Nations-led coalition of legal, health and family violence prevention experts dedicated to ending family violence against First Nations women and children, and tackling the over-incarceration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Its community-led and evidence-based campaigns aim to drive systemic change and amplify First Nations voices.
Since 2020, the organisation’s Raise the Age campaign has been advocating to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to at least 14, and this year, they are launching a national campaign to address the epidemic of missing and murdered First Nations women and children.
Why we recommend: The death in custody of a young Warlpiri man, Kumanjay White, in Mparntwe/Alice Springs demonstrates the urgency to support the work of Change the Record. The organisation is seeking critical funding to sustain and expand its role as a leading voice in amplifying public demand for reform, and maintaining pressure on policymakers. The organisation is also at a critical juncture for its Raise the Age campaign. Despite growing national support, setbacks in Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory highlight the need for sustainable and strategic pressure to compel governments to act.
Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation: Campaign to secure UNESCO World Heritage Listing
Western Australia
Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) brings together five traditional custodial groups from the Murujuga area in the Pilbara region of Western Australia – Ngarluma, Yaburara, Mardudhunera, Yindjibarndi, and Wong-Goo-Tt-Oo – to preserve and protect their land, heritage and culture while transforming the lives of the community.
In partnership with the Australian and West Australian Government, MAC nominated the Murujuga Cultural Landscape for UNESCO World Heritage listing. Despite meeting key criteria, the nomination was referred back to the Australian Government due to concerns about the future impact of industrial emissions – despite the existence of a world-leading, peer-reviewed monitoring program that confirms emissions and rock art can coexist without harm. MAC is now leading a media and advocacy campaign to counter misinformation and protect this sacred site.
Why we recommend: Murujuga holds the world’s largest continuous record of culture and environmental change, with over 50,000 years of rock art. World Heritage Listing will honour its global significance, support community celebration, and ensure strong protections at all levels of government for this living cultural landscape and its Custodians.
The Uluru Dialogue: Staying true to Uluru – Where to next for meaningful Constitutional Recognition
National
The Uluru Dialogue represents the cultural authority of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and leads education on its key reforms: Voice, Treaty and Truth. Remaining committed to structural reform and meaningful recognition in the Australian Constitution, the Dialogue continues to advocate for better outcomes for First Nations peoples. In the post-referendum landscape, the Dialogue is developing a new strategy centred on belonging to build support for representation and a more united Australia. Priorities include: learning from the No vote through detailed research with YouGov; building a stronger supporter base; and engaging the public with a new data-driven messaging framework to foster unity.
What we like about this initiative: The Uluru Dialogue continues to lead the national movement for Voice, Treaty and Truth. The referendum was not the end of this journey – ongoing support is essential to keep momentum alive and ensure this work continues across the country. As the cultural authority behind the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the Dialogue is re-engaging stakeholders in law, business, the arts and communications, and developing a new strategy to build unity, counter division, and advance meaningful recognition and reform.
This is not an exhaustive list of organisations supporting First Nations justice. Find a wide range of funding proposals on our Funding Platform. Filter by location, focus area and target population to find a project that aligns with your funding interests.
Feature image: Common Threads by Tamati Smith, Gudanji For Country Aboriginal Corporation, Change the Record, Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, and The Uluru Dialogue.