Regional Aboriginal Partnerships Program
Supporting and empowering regional Aboriginal communities.
The NSW Government’s Regional Aboriginal Partnerships Program (RAPP) improves social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal communities across regional NSW.
The RAPP works to address the Closing the Gap Priority Reform Five – Employment, Business Growth, and Economic Prosperity.
The program empowers Aboriginal people within NSW to access pathways through education, training, employment and business support to reach their aspirations.
The RAPP program builds on strong cultural connections to achieve positive economic, social, cultural, and emotional outcomes and establish focused partnerships with Aboriginal youth, schools, and businesses to support more meaningful and stable employment outcomes.
There are 16 Aboriginal Partnership Managers (APMs) based across regional NSW who deliver the RAPP. The Deputy Director of the RAPP, Andrew Higgins, oversees the program and its statewide initiatives that impact multiple communities and businesses. The RAPP team live in community, are connected to Country, and work with their local community to co-design programs and initiatives that will suit each region’s needs and aspirations.
Aboriginal organisations and businesses can contact their local APM (see contact details below) to discuss their goals and pathways that may assist them.
The Department of Regional NSW (DRNSW) is committed to making a positive difference for Aboriginal people in regional NSW and embedding Aboriginal inclusion in everything we do. Discover more about DRNSW’s Aboriginal Outcomes Strategy here.
Contact an Aboriginal Partnership Manager
Aboriginal Partnership Managers (APMs) bring an Aboriginal cultural lens and process when working with Aboriginal businesses, organisations, and communities in regional NSW as part of the RAPP.
APMs partner with Aboriginal organisations and businesses and help them identify and achieve their goals by:
- providing information and referrals to support services
- connecting them with government staff
- proactively seeking opportunities to build relationships within community
- exploring opportunities to successfully apply for funding.
Connect with your local Aboriginal Partnership Manager to find out more about the support available to Aboriginal organisations and businesses.
| Region | Contact and email address |
|---|---|
| Central Coast | |
| Central West | |
| Hunter | |
| Illawarra-Shoalhaven |
|
| New England North West | |
| North Coast | |
| Orana Far West | |
| Riverina Murray | |
| South East |
|
| Deputy Director Aboriginal Partnerships (state-wide) |
Program recipients
Here is the list of program recipients, under four streams.
| Project name / function | Recipient name | Recipient location | Funding amount | Project term |
| Bermagui Survival Day Festival | Bermagui Survival Day Festival | Bega Valley Shire Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Arakwal Family Cultural Camp | Bundjalung of Byron Bay Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (Arakwal) | Byron Shire Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Bunbari Project | Flagstaff Group | Shoalhaven City Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| “Real Country” – Telling the Gilgandra Local Aboriginal Community Story | Gilgandra Shire Council | Gilgandra Shire Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Happy Healthy Families 2023 Program | Maari Ma Health Balranald | Balranald Shire Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Multiplex – John Hunter Health Innovation Precinct – Employability Training | Training Services NSW | Lake Macquarie City Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Reconciliation Conference | Illawarra Area Child Care | Wollongong City Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Tamworth NAIDOC Week 2023 | Gomeroi Dance Company (GDC) | Tamworth Regional Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Dareton Nurra and Wiimatjira Gardening, Arts and Craft Program | Dareton LALC | Wentworth Shire Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Coonamble Community Gardens | Coonamble LALC | Coonamble Shire Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Tourist, interpretive panels acknowledging the Aboriginal history of Paroo-Darling National Park | NSW National Parks and Wildlife Services - Broken Hill for Paroo-Darling Aboriginal Co-Management Committee | Central Darling Shire Council | $5,900 | Jun-25 |
| Wellbeing Hub "Cultural Meeting Place" Narromine | Narromine High School | Narromine Shire Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Dhuluny - Wiradyuri Resistance: A community commemoration of the Wiradyuri Homeland and the declaration of Martial Law in Bathurst | Wiradjuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation | Bathurst Regional Council | $9,903 | Jun-25 |
| Broken Hill NAIDOC in the Park | Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation | Broken Hill City Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Winanga-y Dreaming Cultural Leadership Camp | Winanga-y Dreaming Cultural Leadership Camp | Lake Macquarie City Council | $9,900 | Jun-25 |
| Mogo NAIDOC Big Day Out 2023 | Mogo Local Aboriginal Land Council | Bega Valley Shire Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Baaka Cultural Centre | Baaka Cultural Centre Wilcannia Aboriginal Corporation | Central Darling Shire Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| GamIlaraay Language & Cultural Lessons | Tamworth Family Support Services | Tamworth Regional Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Moree Blak Markets | First Hand Solutions | Moree Plains Shire Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Illawarra Graduation | Juborsay Aboriginal Education Consultative Group | Kiama, The Council of the Municipality of | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Cowra Community Garden | Cowra Local Aboriginal Land Council | Cowra Shire Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Shoalhaven Graduation Ceremony | Nowra Youth Centre | Shoalhaven City Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Shoalhaven Pre-School | Shoalhaven Community Preschool | Shoalhaven City Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Triple Care Farm | Mission Australia Triple Care Farm | Kiama, The Council of the Municipality of | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Wilcannia Fashion Parade | Domestic Violence NSW Service Management | Central Darling Shire Council | $5,000 | Jun-25 |
| Giiyong Festival | South East Arts (NSW) Inc. | Bega Valley Shire Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Didgeridoo Making & Mentoring | RMRA Enterprises Pty Ltd. | Wagga Wagga City Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Warrabinga Cultural Sustainability Expo | Warranbinga NTCAC | Mid-Western Regional Council | $9,780 | Jun-25 |
| TWAC Cultural Continuation & Connection | Talbragar Wiradjuri Aboriginal Corporation | Dubbo Regional Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| Remastering Parkes Wiradjuri Songs | Parkes Wiradjuri Language Group | Parkes Shire Council | $10,000 | Jun-25 |
| STEMFest 2023 | Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council | Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council | $6,948 | Jun-25 |
| Project name / function | Recipient name | Recipient location | Funding amount | Project term |
| Brewarrina Coffee Van | Brewarrina Shire Council | Brewarrina Shire Council | $65,000 | Jun-25 |
| Western NSW Aboriginal Wellness Worker Program | Marathon Health Ltd. | Dubbo Regional Council | $1,000,000 | Jun-25 |
| Rugby Creates Chances | New South Wales Rugby Union Ltd. | Dubbo Regional Council | $1,500,000 | Jun-25 |
| NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout | Newcastle All Blacks | Central Coast Council | $100,000 | Jun-25 |
| Project name / function | Recipient name | Recipient location | Funding amount | Project term |
| STARs Program | South Grafton High School | Clarence Valley Council | $138,000 | Dec-24 |
| STARs Program | James Fallon High School | Albury City Council | $120,750 | Dec-24 |
| STARs Program | Inverell High School | Inverell Shire Council | $86,250 | Dec-24 |
| STARs Program | Tumut High School | Snowy Valleys Council | $69,000 | Dec-24 |
| Gather & Grow, 2024 | NSW Treasury, Aboriginal Procurement | $50,000 | Jun-24 |
| Project name / function | Recipient name | Recipient location | Funding amount | Project term |
| Surfest Indigenous Classic, 2024 | Surfest Ltd. | Newcastle City Council | $84,077 | Dec-24 |
| Saltwater Freshwater Festival 2024 | Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance Aboriginal Corporation | Coffs Harbour City Council | $50,000 | Dec-24 |
Acknowledgement of Country
The Department of Regional New South Wales acknowledges that it stands on Country which always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and waters, and we show our respect for Elders past and present.
We are committed to providing places in which Aboriginal people are included socially, culturally and economically through thoughtful and collaborative approaches to our work.