Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network Ltd ABN 62

What Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network Ltd ABN 62 does

Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network Ltd (ICAN) is an Australian not-for-profit, headquartered in Cairns, Queensland, that delivers free financial counselling, consumer advocacy, and financial capability education to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers. Founded in 2008 and governed by an independent board under CEO Aaron Davis, ICAN operates across North Queensland, Cape York, Torres Strait Islands, Far North Queensland, and increasingly Western Australia, Northern Territory, and Victoria via intermediary partners. Its end users are individual Indigenous consumers, incarcerated individuals (notably at Lotus Glen Correctional Centre), and community service organizations, all served on a free-of-charge basis.

The organization runs a portfolio of branded programs and subsidiaries rather than a single product. ICAN Learn is a wholly-owned Registered Training Organisation delivering accredited financial counselling qualifications and the Indigenous Financial Counselling Mentorship Program. ICAN Thrive houses financial capability initiatives including Yarnin' Energy, Yarnin' Money, and Thrive Matched Savings, anchored by a physical shopfront at Raintrees Shopping Centre in Cairns. ICAN Connect is an intermediary partnership model that delivers services through community organizations in Cape York. Additional services include the Prison Financial Wellbeing Program, Telstra/Optus telco remediation outreach, and the Scambling Awareness Project, supported by ICAN TV1 video content. Technology is limited to standard remote-delivery tools (Zoom, Teams, Skype) and a toll-free 1800 number; no proprietary technology stack or AI/ML capability is evident.

ICAN's revenue model is grant- and partnership-funded rather than transactional. Income streams include Australian government grants (Department of Social Services), philanthropic funding (Ecstra Foundation, IFM Investors), corporate partnerships (Commonwealth Bank scholarship program, RACQ, Telstra, Optus), ACCC and ASIC collaborative work, and fee-for-service training delivered through ICAN Learn. All consumer-facing services are free. The organization is governed independently with no parent company, and financial figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network Ltd ABN 62

Legal name

Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network Ltd

Website

https://ican.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network Ltd (ICAN) is a Cairns-based not-for-profit founded in 2008 that delivers free financial counselling, consumer advocacy, and financial capability education to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers across North Queensland, Cape York, Torres Strait Islands, and selected correctional and community settings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cairns

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: ICAN receives grant funding from government sources including the Department of Social Services to support financial counselling outreach and capability programs in remote communities.
2. Philanthropic Grants: Funding from foundations such as Ecstra Foundation and IFM Investors supports ICAN's Reconnect remote service delivery strategy and community partnership programs.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Partnership funding from Commonwealth Bank and other corporate partners supports workforce development programs, scholarships, and training initiatives through ICAN Learn.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ICAN is a not-for-profit organisation that delivers free consumer education, advocacy, and financial counselling services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers across North Queensland, Cape York, Torres Strait Islands, Far North Queensland, and select prisons. Its offerings span one-on-one financial counselling, debt management, consumer advocacy, financial capability education, scam awareness, prison banking access reform, and accredited training through its RTO subsidiary ICAN Learn.

Product overview

ICAN (Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network) is a non-profit organization providing consumer education, advocacy, and financial counselling services to Indigenous consumers across Australia. The organization operates as a unified service with multiple programs: ICAN Learn (registered training organization offering financial counselling education), ICAN Thrive (financial capability programs including Yarnin' Energy, Yarnin' Money, and matched savings), ICAN Connect (intermediary partnerships for remote service delivery), ICAN TV1 (video content platform), and various outreach initiatives including Prison Financial Wellbeing, Telco Remediation, and the Scambling Awareness Project. The organization also operates a physical shopfront at Raintrees Shopping Centre and delivers services across North Queensland, Cape York, Torres Strait Islands, and into correctional facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial Counselling and Consumer Advocacy Services (ICAN Connect) Free financial counselling and consumer advocacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers across North Queensland, Cape York, Torres Strait Islands, and Far North Queensland, with a focus on financial exclusion, debt management, and consumer harm remediation.
• ICAN Learn Registered training organisation offering accredited courses including the Diploma of Financial Counselling (CHC51122), Certificate IV Community Services, and various skill sets, delivered in partnership with CBA and community organisations such as Winun Ngari, Anglicare NT, and South-East Community Links.
• ICAN Thrive Financial capability program offering Yarnin' Energy (energy cost reduction and rebates), Yarnin' Money (financial literacy), and Thrive Matched Savings, with a physical shopfront at Raintrees Shopping Centre, Cairns.
• Yarnin' Energy Program helping Indigenous consumers reduce energy costs and access energy rebates and concessions, delivered through ICAN Thrive with tips & tricks resources and fact sheets.
• Yarnin' Money Group training and one-on-one financial literacy and capability program with particular application in prisons and remote communities.
• Thrive Matched Savings Matched savings program offered through the ICAN Thrive shopfront at Raintrees Shopping Centre in Cairns.
• Prison Financial Wellbeing Program On-site financial counselling, banking access, ID support, and reintegration assistance for incarcerated individuals at Lotus Glen Correctional Centre and other Queensland correctional facilities.
• Telco Remediation Outreach (Telstra and Optus) Outreach service assisting consumers who may have been signed up to unsuitable mobile phone plans through Telstra ([email protected] / 1800311988) or Optus ([email protected] / 1800 295 197).
• Indigenous Financial Counselling Scholarship Program Scholarship program developed with CBA funding to educate Indigenous Australians to become financial counsellors, providing pathways through the Diploma of Financial Counselling with mentorship support. Approximately 45 Indigenous Australians educated as financial counsellors over 6 years.
• Scambling Awareness Project Community education initiative addressing online gambling scams ('Scambling') affecting First Nations communities, using Mobile Phone Filmmaking for Social Impact courses to create locally relevant social media content for awareness campaigns.
• ICAN TV1 Video Content Platform Video platform (YouTube) producing educational and awareness content including ICAN Learn graduation coverage, community stories, and consumer education content for distribution through YouTube and community social media channels.

Quantifiable outcome

• Banking request turnaround time reduced from 6-8 weeks to 24-48 hours at Lotus Glen Correctional Centre
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Basic Rights QueenslandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing specialist legal support for Centrelink issues through ICAN's intermediary service model. BRQ developed Rural and Remote project to improve reach to Indigenous Queenslanders.
• HK Training and Consultancy (HKTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner in Scambling Awareness Project, delivering Mobile Phone Filmmaking for Social Impact courses in Darwin and remote communities.
• 54 ReasonsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development partner hosting Mobile Phone Filmmaking course in Doomadgee as part of Scambling Awareness Project.
• Queensland Corrective ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in prison banking reform, resulting in creation and launch of new QCS Banking Form enabling direct EFT transfers and reducing banking request turnaround times from 6-8 weeks to 24-48 hours.
• Australian Banking AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with major banks including CommBank, Bendigo Bank, ANZ, Westpac, and HSBC to address banking barriers for incarcerated individuals at Lotus Glen Correctional Centre.
• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeads Scambling Fusion Cell focusing industry, government and community efforts on scam problems affecting First Nations communities.
• JCU Tax ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree tax support service for people experiencing financial hardship or living in regional and remote communities, with ICAN promoting services to clients.
• TelstracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelco remediation outreach helping people who may have been signed up to unsuitable mobile phone plans. Contact: [email protected] or 1800311988.
• OptuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelco remediation outreach helping people who may have been signed up to unsuitable mobile phone plans. Contact: [email protected] or 1800 295 197.
• Winun NgaricoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity services organization in Derby, WA partnering with ICAN in workforce development program to provide training and mentorship for First Nations financial counselling staff.
• Anglicare NTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in workforce development program providing professional and personal mentorship together with quality training through ICAN Learn for First Nations financial counselling staff in regional and remote NT.
• South-East Community Links (SECL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in workforce development program expanding opportunities for First Nations people in South East Melbourne. Previous partnership with ICAN Learn on Multicultural Scholarship Program.
• Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided free pre-purchase vehicle inspection workshops to Wujal community. Has extended provision of free pre-purchase car inspections to First Nations peoples engaged with ICAN service, catalyzing broader RACQ partnership with Queensland Government for state-wide program.
• Girudala Community Cooperative SocietyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity partner in Bowen delivering financial wellbeing services through ICAN's intermediary partnership model.
• Weipa Community CareminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity partner for Cape York communities through ICAN Connect Program supported by Ecstra Foundation funding.
• Institute for Urban Indigenous HealthminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity partner in service delivery network extending ICAN's reach to urban Indigenous communities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• First Nations Foundation: Indigenous-led national organisation focused on financial inclusion, capability, and resilience for First Nations people. Directly comparable to ICAN in mission, cultural grounding, and target beneficiary community, with overlapping programs in money management and financial advocacy.
• Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand: Operates the No Interest Loans (NILS) program and financial inclusion services for vulnerable Australians. Comparable to ICAN through financial wellbeing, hardship support, and economic justice programs targeting low-income communities, though Good Shepherd is broader in scope and not Indigenous-led.
• Indigenous Business Australia: Australian Government entity supporting Indigenous economic participation through housing, business, and financial services. Comparable to ICAN through shared Indigenous economic empowerment mission, though IBA focuses on commercial outcomes versus ICAN's consumer advocacy and financial counselling remit.
• MoneyMob Talkabout: Indigenous-led organisation delivering financial services, capability programs, and advocacy to remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Operates in a similar remote-service-delivery model with cultural-grounded financial wellbeing focus overlapping ICAN's remit.
• Financial Counselling Australia: National peak body for the financial counselling sector in Australia. Directly comparable as ICAN operates as a financial counselling member organisation; FCA sets standards that ICAN's Diploma graduates are trained to, and both serve financially vulnerable Australians.

Broad incumbents

• The Benevolent Society: Australia's oldest charity delivering community services including Indigenous programs, financial wellbeing, and family support. Comparable to ICAN through community-level financial wellbeing services and First Nations programs, though broader in scope across education, aged care, and disability.
• Anglicare Australia: National network of Anglican community service organisations delivering financial counselling, emergency relief, and community programs. Comparable to ICAN through financial counselling service delivery and regional outreach, but operates broader community services and is not Indigenous-led.
• Mission Australia: Large national community services organisation delivering financial counselling, homelessness, and youth services. Comparable to ICAN through financial counselling delivery and outreach to disadvantaged Australians, though operating at much larger scale and across non-Indigenous populations.
• Wesley Mission: Large multi-service community organisation operating financial counselling, emergency relief, and capability programs across Australia. Comparable to ICAN through financial counselling delivery to vulnerable populations, though operating at significantly larger scale and with broader demographic reach.

Others

• Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT): Indigenous-led legal advocacy organisation delivering culturally safe legal services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Comparable to ICAN through First Nations-led service model and community advocacy remit, with overlapping referral pathways for clients facing financial and legal issues.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/icansocial
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/icantv1
• Facebookfacebook.com/icansocial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network Ltd ABN 62