About the program
This program funds aged care services to:
- meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- allow them to remain close to home and community.
Most of these services are in rural and remote areas.
Aged care service providers and organisations can apply for funding through grant rounds.
To find out more about these services for yourself or an older person you care for, go to support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Why it is important
We want older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to feel culturally safe when they receive aged care.
This means we need aged care services that:
- recognise, respect and support their unique cultural identity
- meet their needs, wants and rights.
Our services
The program funds residential and home care services that are:
- flexible
- culturally appropriate
- acceptable to and accessible by the community.
Most services under this program are in rural and remote areas.
How the program works
Service providers must:
- deliver a mix of aged care services that meets community needs
- follow policies and practices that support culturally appropriate care
- help people to stay connected with their family and community
- support individual interests, customs, beliefs and cultural backgrounds.
To give culturally appropriate care, providers may do various things like:
- have buildings suited to cultural activities and ceremonies
- provide access to bushland gardens
- employ Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples to provide care
- include the local community in aged care planning
- respect cultural traditions, such as men’s and women’s business.
Read the program manual and the exit pathway to find out more.
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program Manual
Aged care reforms and changes
Aged care models will be improved as the reforms are implemented, the reforms will impact future all aged care programs, including the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care (NATSIFAC) Program.
Changes to the NATSIFAC Program will align with key reforms, such as the new Aged Care Act while ensuring service providers can continue to deliver flexible, culturally safe care to meet to the individual needs of First Nations Elders and local communities. There are also resources to help you prepare for the new Act.
While we implement the aged care reforms, current NATSIFAC service providers will receive ongoing funding to 30 June 2025. This will ensure continuity of care and delivery of quality services. Funding arrangements beyond 30 June 2025 will need to reflect changes from the broader aged care reforms, including the new Age Care Act.
Fair Work Commission award wage increases
We are continuing to support the Fair Work Commission’s recent decisions to increase minimum award wages for aged care workers.
From 1 January 2025, many aged care workers will have started receiving increases to their award wage.
For some workers, award wages will increase in 2 stages, with the second increase occurring on 1 October 2025.
These 1 January 2025 award wage increases apply to:
- assistants in nursing
- personal care workers
- home care workers
- recreational activities officers (lifestyle workers)
- ancillary staff – such as administration staff, drivers, maintenance staff, gardeners, laundry hands, cleaners and food services assistants.
These award wage increases apply to workers on the:
- Aged Care Award 2010
- Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010.
From 1 March 2025, enrolled and registered nurses working in aged care will have started receiving increases in their award wages. This decision includes nurses working for NATSIFAC services.
Aged care nurses will receive these increases in 3 stages on:
- 1 March 2025
- 1 October 2025
- 1 August 2026.
Funding for NATSIFAC providers
NATSIFAC providers will receive an increase in grant funding from 1 March 2025 to support the latest round of wage increases for aged care nurses, which will be applied through a variation to their 2024-25 grant funding agreements.
The October 2025 and August 2026 increases will be built into the operational funding for the new 2025-26 and 2026-27 grant agreements.
The 6 December 2025 decision on further award wage increases for aged care nurses is the Fair Work Commission’s final decision under the Aged Care Work Value Case. Previous Fair Work Commission award wage increases in this Work Value Case have already been applied.
Find out more about the award wage increase, or email us for more information.
Aged Care Outbreak Management Supplement
As part of the country’s transition to living with COVID-19, the Australian Government has provided an interim level of COVID-19 support.
Residential care providers funded under the NATSIFAC Program were eligible to receive the Aged Care Outbreak Management (ACOM) Supplement to contribute to:
- outbreak-related management costs (such as personal protective equipment and RAT tests)
- additional staffing costs.
This helps NATSIFAC services to proactively plan for and manage outbreaks.
The ACOM Supplement replaces the previous COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program.
NATSIFAC Providers received this funding through variations to existing funding agreements in the third quarter of 2023–24, to cover the period from 1 January to 31 December 2024.
After this time providers will be expected to manage the costs of COVID-19 outbreaks as part of their business-as-usual arrangements.
Find out more about Government support for providers and workers.
How to apply for funding
We advertise funding rounds on Grant Connect. To get automatic emails about new grant listings, register as a Grant Connect user.
Further information about the entry pathway into the program is available within the NATSIFAC Manual.
Who we work with
The Department of Health manages and develops policy for the program. We also organise grant rounds and funding for the program.
Funded aged care service providers deliver the services.
Resources
The new regulatory model – Guidance for NATSIFAC providers
Contact
