Status
The 2020 ACAR Invitation to Apply has closed. The application period ran from 18 December 2020 to 18 March 2021. We expect results will be announced in the coming weeks.
Find out about changes to residential care from 1 July 2024.
Who can apply
Approved providers of residential aged care and flexible care can apply.
You can also apply if you’re planning to become an approved provider of these services. But we cannot decide on your ACAR application until you have approved provider status.
What you can apply for
Through an ACAR, you can apply for:
- subsidised residential aged care places
- subsidised STRC places
- capital grants for residential aged care
Subsidised residential aged care places
These places are for approved providers of residential aged care. If your application is successful, you will receive subsidy payments for the care you deliver to each resident eligible to receive subsidised residential aged care.
Subsidised STRC places
These places are for approved providers of flexible care. STRC is one type of flexible care. If your application is successful, you will receive subsidy payments for each care recipient eligible to receive subsidised STRC.
Capital grants for residential aged care
These grants provide funding for building or upgrading residential aged care facilities. To be allocated a grant, you must be an approved provider of residential aged care and meet one of the following:
- You’re located in a rural, regional or remote area.
- You focus on residential aged care for people from special needs groups or concessional, assisted or low-means residents.
- You provide services in a region that needs extra residential aged care services.
These grants come from our Rural, Regional and Other Special Needs Building Fund.
How we decide on places and grants
Legislation sets out the way we plan and run ACARs.
For subsidised residential aged care and STRC places, see Part 2.2 — Allocation of places of the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Allocation Principles 2014.
For capital grants, see Part 5.1 — Residential care grants of the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Grant Principles 2014.
Our priorities for subsidised places and capital grants change from round to round. The amount available also changes.
Why ACARs are important
ACARs allow the Australian Government to:
- plan the number of residential aged care and STRC places it subsidises
- increase subsidised places to meet the needs of our ageing population
- balance subsidised places across city, regional and remote areas
- focus on priority needs
- make sure providers of subsidised aged care meet high standards