Six recipients will share over $368,000 in Community Awareness Grants to boost awareness about organ and tissue donation and help highlight how easy it is for young Australians to register to become a donor.
Despite research showing their support, 16–25-year-olds have the lowest organ and tissue donor registration rates across the nation with only 10% of the 3.2 million eligible young adults currently registered.
The grants will deliver youth-focused social media campaigns and content, research projects, an annual awareness event, and the creation of digital educational resources specifically focused on young Australians.
One organ donor can save up to seven lives and with around 1,800 people on the organ transplant waitlist, more can be done to raise awareness about the importance of registering as an organ and tissue donor and telling your family you want to be a donor.
In a hospital, 8 in 10 families say yes, if asked whether their family member had registered or wanted to be a donor. However, only 4 out of 10 families say yes when they are uncertain about whether their family member wanted to be a donor.
Registering to be an organ and tissue donor is easy. It takes just three taps on the Medicare app, or just one minute at donatelife.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ged Kearney MP
“We know that young people support organ and tissue donation, but only 10% are registered.
“Reaching young people in the ways that work for them is exactly what these grants are designed to do, to boost those registration numbers and get them talking about organ and tissue donation.
“It’s just so easy to register. I encourage everyone to do it today and have that all important conversation with your loved ones about your intentions.”
Applicant |
Project focus |
$ (GST excl.) |
Make Mate |
Target young online gamers through in game promotional activities about the importance of organ and tissue donation. |
$55,000 |
Wattle St Pty Ltd |
Target Gen Z males who are significantly under-represented in the Australian Organ Donation Register via an integrated social media campaign. |
$80,000 |
Pixel 42 |
Develop video promotional assets guided by audience research and behaviour for distribution via social media. |
$70,000 |
University of Newcastle |
Develop research-led digital media content to engage university students across Australians to talk to their families about organ and tissue donation and dispel common myths and address misinformation. |
$73,000 |
La Trobe University |
Creation of digital educational and promotional resources to resonate with young Australians and disseminate. |
$40,000 |
Gift of Life Inc |
Community led awareness event, encouraging Australians, including secondary schools, to get involved in the annual Gift of Life Walks, raising awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation. |
$50,000 |