DonateLife community awareness grants

Community groups and local organisations throughout Australia are invited to apply for awareness grants to promote organ and tissue donation.

The Assistant Minister for Health, Fiona Nash, said $463,000 in grants is available to support community awareness and education activities about organ and tissue donation, and the importance of people discussing their donation decision with their family.

“Community awareness activities play an important role in engaging people on the important issue of organ and tissue donation,” Minister Nash said.

“The more we build awareness and start conversations about donation, the more we normalise what for some people can be a sensitive topic.

“Organ and tissue donation and transplantation rates have been steadily increasing over recent years. Last year, 1,122 Australian lives were transformed through organ transplants as a result of 391 organ donors and the support and understanding of their families.

“We know that families who have discussed and know the donation decision of a loved one are much more likely to say ‘yes’ to donation,” Minister Nash said.

“That’s why it is so important for people who wish to donate to have a discussion with their family—so they understand and can help to act on that decision.”

Minister Nash said $263,000 in grants would be available for general community activities that align with the Organ and Tissue Authority’s national community awareness and education programme, including activities to support DonateLife Week 2015 (August 2–9, 2015). A further $200,000 would be allocated to activities that engage culturally and linguistically diverse communities, providing culturally appropriate information about organ and tissue donation to faith, language and cultural communities in Australia.

“Schools, sporting clubs, universities, community groups and many other local organisations can play a role in championing the facts of organ and tissue donation,” Minister Nash said.

The Community Awareness Grants are provided by the Organ and Tissue Authority. Applications are invited from non-government organisations and professional bodies, including community-based not-for-profit organisations and local government associations.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.