Communities and Justice

Disability Advocacy Futures Program (DAFP)

Announcements

New contracts awarded for the DAFP program provides advocacy funding certainty.

Program overview

The NSW Disability Advocacy Futures Program (DAFP) supports the 1.5 million people in NSW with disability to access NSW Government and mainstream community services. 

The DAFP program is based on the recommendations arising from the 2019 NSW Ageing and Disability Commission’s Review into Disability Advocacy in NSW 2019.

The program commenced in 2022 and currently funds 20 disability advocacy organisations to provide individual, systemic and representative advocacy to people with disability, their families, and carers to support their access to mainstream services and supports such as health, education, housing and legal/justice advice. The new DAFP contracts are effective from 1 July 2026.

The DAFP core advocacy services

  • Individual Disability Advocacy - to assist individuals to access services and supports. This includes statewide services for Legal, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and culturally and linguistically diverse disability advocacy, as well as location-based services.
  • Systemic Disability Advocacy - to address systemic issues and improve government policies affecting people with disability across the broader community.
  • Representative Disability Advocacy supports membership organisations run by or on behalf of people with specific disabilities.

The NSW Disability Advocacy Network (NDAN) provides a forum for funded advocacy providers to engage with peers, government agencies and the Minster for Disability Inclusion to influence advocacy policy and direction and provide feedback on issues and successes. For further information contact the NDAN Secretariat: The Physical Disability Council of NSW.

DAFP service providers

DAFP provider Contract type Location Contact details
ACT Disability Aged Carer Advocacy Service Limited Indiviual Advocacy Southern NSW, Illawarra Shoalhaven and Murrumbidgee Phone: (02) 6242 5060
Email:  [email protected]
Online contact form: contact us
Website: ACT Disability, Aged Carer Advocacy Service Limited 

Action for People with Disability Inc Individual Advocacy Northern Sydney and Central Coast Phone: (02) 9449 5355
Email: [email protected]
Online contact form: contact us
Website: Action for People with Disability Inc 

Advocacy Law Alliance Ltd Individual Advocacy

Western Sydney and Nepean Blue Mountains

Western and Far West NSW


Hunter New England, Northern NSW and Mid North Coast

Advocacy Law Alliance – Enquiries
Phone: (02) 4924 3599
Email: [email protected]

Disability Advocacy NSW
Phone: 1300 365 085
Email:  [email protected]

Mid North Coast Legal Centre
Phone: 02 6580 2111
Email: [email protected]

Disability Law NSW
For assistance, please call an Intake Officer at Disability Advocacy NSW on 1300 365 085 – (10am to 4pm Monday to Friday)

Blind Citizens Australia Representative Advocacy Statewide Phone: 1800 033 660
Email: [email protected]
Website: Blind Citizens Australia 
Deaf Services Limited Representative Advocacy Statewide Phone: 1800 893 855
Email: [email protected]
Website: Deaf Connect
Down Syndrome Association of NSW Inc Representative Advocacy Statewide Phone: (02) 9481 4444
Email: [email protected]
Online contact form: contact us
Website: Down Syndrome NSW
First Peoples Disability Rights Service Inc

Individual Advocacy - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Systemic Advocacy - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Statewide - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Phone: (02) 9267 4195
Email:  [email protected]
Website: First Peoples Disability Network 
Intellectual Disability Rights Service Inc Individual Advocacy - Legal Statewide Phone: (02) 9265 6350 or 1300 665 908
Email: [email protected]
Online contact form: contact us
Website: Intellectual Disability Rights Service 
Mental Health Carers Arafmi NSW Inc Systemic Advocacy - Psychosocial Advocacy Statewide Phone: (02) 9332 0777
Email: [email protected]
Online contact form: contact us
Website: Mental Health Carers NSW
Motor Neurone Disease NSW Ltd Representative Advocacy Statewide Phone: (02) 8877 0999 or 1800 777 175
Online contact form: contact us
Website: Motor Neurone Disease NSW Ltd
Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of New South Wales Incorporated

Individual Advocacy - Culturally and Linguistically Diverse

Systemic Advocacy - Culturally and Linguistically Diverse

Statewide - Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Phone: 1800 629 072
Email: [email protected]
Online contact form: contact us
Website: Multicultural Disability Advocacy Australia
Muscular Dystrophy Association Representative Advocacy Statewide Phone: (02) 9888 5711
Email: [email protected]
Online contact form:  contact us
Website: Muscular Dystrophy NSW Ltd 
New South Wales Council for Intellectual Disability Systemic Advocacy - Intellectual Disability Statewide Phone: 1800 424 065 
Email:  [email protected]
Online contact form: contact us
Website: NSW Council for Intellectual Disability
People with Disability Australia Ltd

Individual Advocacy - South Western Sydney

Individual Advocacy - Sydney, Southern Eastern Sydney

Systemic Advocacy - Cross Disability

Statewide Phone:1800 422 015
Email: [email protected]
Online contact form: contact us
Website: People with Disability Australia Limited
Physical Disability Council of NSW Incorporated System Advocacy - Physical Disability Statewide Phone: 1800 688 831 or (02) 9552 1606
Email: [email protected]
Online contact form: contact us
Website: Physical Disability Council of NSW Inc
NSW Disability Advocacy Network Secretariat:  [email protected]
Side-by-Side Advocacy Representative Advocacy Statewide Phone: (02) 9808 5500
Email: [email protected]
Online contact form: contact us
Website: Side By Side Advocacy Incorporated
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia Representative Advocacy Statewide Phone: 1800 819 775
Email: [email protected]
Online contact form: contact us
Website: Spinal Cord Injuries Australia Limited 
Stroke Recovery Association Inc Representative Advocacy Statewide Phone: 1300 650 594
Email: [email protected]
Website:  Stroke Recovery Association NSW
Synapse Australia Limited Representative Advocacy Statewide Phone: 1800 673 074
Email: [email protected]
Online contact form: contact us
Website: Synapse Australia Ltd
The Institute for Family Advocacy and Leadership Development Association Inc Representative Advocacy Statewide Phone: 1800 620 588
Online contact form: contact us
Website: The Institute for Family Advocacy & Leadership Development 

DAFP grants

The Disability Advocacy Futures Program Special Purposes and Projects, and Sector Development grants are short terms (one year) grants that help people with disability in NSW who need support to access NSW Government and mainstream services.

The program supports projects that help people with disability take part in their communities with more confidence and better information, especially where no other funding is available. It also focuses on improving the quality of advocacy services, encouraging organisations to work together, and supporting new ideas.

Further information is available at the NSW Government grants and funding website.

Useful links

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