Announcing the Finalists: 2026 Australian Not-for-Profit Technology Awards
The finalists for the 2026 Australian Not-for-Profit Technology Awards have been announced, showcasing the depth of innovation, collaboration and impact happening across the sector.
This year’s entries show that not-for-profits are not only adopting technology, but actively shaping it to better serve communities, improve outcomes, and respond to increasingly complex challenges.
From AI-powered tools and data platforms to human-centred service design, these finalists represent the leading edge of technology for social justice.
These awards, presented as part of the Technology for Social Justice Conference 2026, recognise organisations and individuals who are using technology to create meaningful, measurable change.
It was a difficult process of narrowing down nearly 70 applications this year, and we acknowledge the incredible organisations who applied but just missed being shortlisted. This year’s finalists are redefining what’s possible when technology meets purpose – improving services, scaling impact, and supporting communities in new and powerful ways.
Not-for-Profit Technology Innovator of the Year
This category recognises organisations that have best showcased innovation through the use of technology to deliver programs or services that positively impact the community.
Finalists:
CoAct – CoAct’s Campus platform
CoAct’s Campus platform is transforming employment services by uniting technology and human-centred design into one connected ecosystem. It empowers individuals experiencing disability, disadvantage and complex barriers to employment to take control of their employment journey, while enabling providers to deliver more responsive, data-driven, and impactful support.
GIVIT Listed Ltd – GIVIT Purchasing Automation Project
The GIVIT Purchasing Automation Project has delivered significant operational benefits while increasing support for community partners. It has enabled GIVIT to scale without increasing staffing levels, reduce reliance on casual staff, and dramatically shorten the time required to action urgent requests for essential items.
DV Safe Phone Ltd / WOTSO Rock – Secure Device Recovery & Reuse Program
DV Safe Phone collects donated mobile devices across Australia, securely erases data, refurbishes those suitable for reuse and responsibly recycles the rest. These devices are redistributed through frontline agencies to people experiencing domestic and family violence. Its integrated testing and CRM platform increases processing speed and responsiveness – and in many cases, a refurbished phone could save a life.
ADHD Foundation – National Mental Health Volunteer Contact Centre Transformation
The ADHD Foundation’s technology transformation demonstrates what becomes possible when purpose meets innovation. Three integrated platforms – Bitrix24, Zanda and Doxy – have evolved a single desk phone into a national lifeline, enabling more than 15,000 families each year to access support that did not previously exist.
PetRescue – Advanced Rehoming Management System (RMS)
PetRescue’s Home2Home program compassionately supports pet guardians through difficult moments, helping keep families together and pets out of shelters. In 2025, the organisation developed a purpose-built Rehoming Management System to scale this work – already helping 100 pets and avoiding more than $1.28 million in shelter costs, demonstrating the impact a small, purpose-driven team can achieve.
Technology for Community Impact Award
This category recognises technology solutions that are delivering tangible, positive outcomes for communities at scale.
Finalists:
Surfrider Foundation Australia – Giveé
Giveé is redefining community fundraising infrastructure for the not-for-profit sector. By combining tap-to-donate technology, integrated supporter engagement and innovative advocacy tools, the platform removes barriers between awareness and action – empowering everyday Australians to support causes they care about while helping charities amplify their impact.
Tacklit – Raise Digital
Tacklit partnered with Raise Foundation to build Raise Digital, an AI-powered online mentoring platform enabling trained volunteers to safely support at-risk young people anywhere in Australia. Delivering outcomes comparable to face-to-face mentoring, the platform enables 100% growth in access, supporting up to 5,000 young people annually, particularly in remote communities.
Dacta Creative – Blue Paradigm
Blue Paradigm is an immersive interaction experience aligned to the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy. Using creative data, gamification, storytelling, sonification and place-based interaction, it transforms complex strategies and impact frameworks into an engaging journey, helping communities explore climate futures and the real-world implications of collective decision-making.
National Community Transport Sector Pilot Model – Australian Community Transport Association (ACTA)
This pilot model uses sector-wide operational and financial data to reveal the true cost of delivering community transport. The project is shaping fairer funding models, strengthening sector sustainability, and ensuring vulnerable Australians can access essential transport and remain connected to their communities.
Vital Projex / VitalHub – Tech-Compassion Synergy
Addressing a projected 230% surge in youth mental health needs, this initiative integrates four technologies – including proprietary solutions – to deliver rapid, life-saving intervention. The model has transitioned 42% of high-suicide-risk youth out of immediate crisis in a single session, offering a scalable, evidence-based roadmap for regional and rural Australia.
Best Use of Data for Community Impact
This category highlights how organisations are using data to drive better decisions, improve services and influence systemic change.
Finalists:
Good360 Australia – Data in Action
Good360 Australia harnesses data to turn surplus goods into life-changing support, reshaping access to essential items, strengthening thousands of charities, and influencing national policy. By combining real-time insights, sector intelligence and independent analysis, the organisation is transforming evidence into action and driving system-level change.
Women for Election – Democracy Data Lake Initiative
Women for Election has developed a pioneering democracy data lake to understand, track and improve women’s pathways to public office. With more than 100,000 data points analysed, the initiative identifies barriers, informs targeted interventions and supports more women, particularly from under-represented communities, to nominate.
Tenants’ Union of NSW – Bond Smart
The Bond Smart project uses multiple datasets and integrated analysis to understand where and why vulnerable tenants are disproportionately losing rental bonds. It has informed a strategic, data-driven education and resourcing approach to support both tenants and community workers in preventing unfair outcomes.
Financial Counselling Australia – Data & Analytics Platform
This purpose-built platform transforms fragmented, semi-structured public court records into a robust dataset capable of revealing system-level patterns of harm. Through bespoke data extraction, engineering, AI-assisted classification and advanced analytics, it surfaces previously hidden insights to inform advocacy and policy.
Wildlife Victoria – Wildlife Roadtoll Action Program
Wildlife Victoria has transformed years of community-generated reports on wildlife-vehicle collisions into a powerful environmental intelligence asset. This data is now influencing safer road design, informing government policy, strengthening research, and empowering communities to advocate for wildlife protection.
Best Use of AI for Community Impact
This category recognises responsible, ethical and impactful applications of artificial intelligence in the sector.
Finalists:
Alcohol and Drug Foundation – dib
‘dib’ is an AI-powered chatbot built using large language models and trusted content. With strong governance and controls, it provides a safe, anonymous space for Australians to access alcohol and drug information, reducing stigma, countering misinformation and delivering meaningful public benefit.
Uniting NSW.ACT – buddy
Uniting’s generative AI assistant, buddy, streamlines workflows and boosts productivity through multilingual voice-to-text progress notes, automated translation and integration with clinical systems. It provides instant policy guidance and access to enterprise systems, significantly improving staff efficiency and onboarding.
Settlement Services International – Responsible AI for Casework
SSI’s AI-enabled transcription and case management solution transforms how caseworkers operate, freeing them from administrative tasks and enabling a greater focus on client wellbeing. The approach demonstrates how responsible AI can strengthen human connection and improve outcomes across diverse communities.
Whiddon – BestCARE
BestCARE uses passive sensor data and machine learning to proactively identify fall risk in aged care residents before incidents occur. Validated in an Australian residential aged care setting, it represents one of the first initiatives of its kind and offers a proactive approach to improving safety and care.
Best Accidental IT Person
This category celebrates individuals who have stepped into technology leadership roles without formal IT backgrounds, driving meaningful change within their organisations.
Finalists:
Gemma Kollios – Success Works Partners
Gemma has transformed the organisation’s technology landscape, leading CRM implementation, digital systems, staff training and client-facing tools. Her work has modernised operations, improved reporting and strengthened service delivery.
Karen Cooper – Hedland Well Women’s Centre
Karen’s leadership has turned technology into an enabler of care. By stabilising systems and supporting staff, she has ensured reliable telehealth access for women needing essential healthcare in regional Port Hedland.
Mehreen Basaria – Redgum Justice
Mehreen has transformed technological capability within Redgum Justice and influenced the broader financial counselling sector. What began as a need to reduce administrative burden has evolved into sector-wide innovation in case management and AI tools.
Technology Volunteer of the Year
This category recognises individuals who volunteer their time and expertise to strengthen organisations and communities through technology.
Finalists:
Sarah Barnbrook – Away From Keyboard Inc.
A national digital safety advocate, Sarah combines lived experience, cybersecurity principles and human rights governance to prevent technology-enabled harm. Through policy reform, education and frameworks such as Alt-TAB, she strengthens protections for vulnerable communities.
Osal Wickremasinghe – Full Circle Social Enterprises
Osal has developed a human-centred career mapping tool based on RIASEC and Holland Code frameworks. Designed for underprivileged, first-generation learners without direct access to technology, it enables personalised career pathways, mentoring and goal setting.
Andrew Redfern – Society of Australian Genealogists
Andrew has led a comprehensive technology transformation, including infrastructure upgrades, a transition to Microsoft 365 and new IT systems. He has also delivered digital skills programs and fostered an AI learning community within the organisation.
Ammara Shaheer – Basava Samiti Asia Pacific
Ammara’s work focuses on expanding access to STEM and technology opportunities, supporting women and communities through inclusive, technology-led initiatives across the Asia Pacific region.
Celebrating technology for social justice
Together, these finalists reflect a sector that is increasingly confident, capable and ambitious in its use of technology. They show what is possible when innovation is grounded in purpose – and when technology is used not just to improve efficiency, but to strengthen communities and advance social justice.
Winners will be announced at the Technology for Social Justice Conference 2026, where we will come together to celebrate the people and organisations shaping the future of tech for good.