CATSINaM

What CATSINaM does

CATSINaM (Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives) is the federally recognised national peak membership body representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses, midwives, and students across Australia, founded at a National Forum in August 1997. It is structured as an independent non-profit with a Board of Directors, an Elders Circle providing cultural governance, and dual offices in Brisbane (Administration) and Canberra (CEO Office). Its core functional role combines workforce advocacy at federal and state levels, professional development delivery, scholarships, community convening, and policy influence — addressing systemic racism, workforce under-representation, and the absence of culturally safe healthcare for Indigenous Australians.

The portfolio is organised around a free membership community for Indigenous nurses, midwives, and students (with paid non-Indigenous and corporate membership tiers), supplemented by fee-for-service products. The flagship product is Murra Mullangari: Introduction to Cultural Safety, a 10-hour CPD-accredited, self-paced short course delivered via the AccessIQ LMS, redesign-ed in July 2026 into separate Nursing and Midwifery pathway options with clinical case-scenario modules. Adjacent offerings include the Place-Based Grants Program (workforce development grants up to AUD $12,000 administered on behalf of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care), scholarship administration (RFDS, Pfizer, Integrity Health and Safety, ACNP), the Two-Way Mentoring Program (launched January 2026), the LINMEN educator peer network, the biennial National Conference, and a Smart Suite of jobs, library, and video resources.

Revenue is derived from a hybrid mix: (1) core operational funding from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, the named anchor funder; (2) Murra Mullangari course fees ($550 AUD incl. GST per individual; 20% bulk discount for 20+ enrolments) sold to health employers and universities; (3) National Conference registrations, sponsorships, and exhibitor fees on a biennial cycle; (4) corporate partnerships and sponsorships with HESTA, Elsevier Australia, ACNP, Calvary Health Care, Deakin, Monash, and others; (5) pass-through grant administration and scholarship fund-management services for partners. Distribution is direct via the catsinam.org.au website, the AccessIQ LMS for course delivery, in-person workshops across Cairns, Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra, and the biennial conference (next: Alice Springs, November 2026).

Name

CATSINaM

Legal name

Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives

Website

https://catsinam.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CATSINaM (Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives) is Australia's federally recognised national peak membership body advocating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses, midwives, and students, delivering cultural safety training, scholarships, mentoring, and workforce development programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Nursing & Midwifery Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAOAJAB

Nursing Assistant (CNA) & Patient Care Technician (PCT)

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Healthcare Allied & Clinical Support Training

SECONDARYTHAHACAA

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies)

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs) & Meeting Planners

Keywords

• Indigenous nursing advocacy
• Cultural safety education
• Nursing workforce development
• Professional membership association
• Midwifery scholarships

Headquarters

HQ city

Majura

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Individual membership is free for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses, midwives, and students. Non-Indigenous members pay membership fees. Corporate/organizational membership is available for organizations seeking to support the organization's mission.
2. Cultural Safety Education (Murra Mullangari): Revenue from enrollment fees for the Murra Mullangari cultural safety program. Individual enrollment is $550 incl. GST, with 20% bulk discount for organizations sponsoring multiple employees.
3. Conference Revenue: Revenue from National Conference registrations, including ticket sales, sponsorships, and exhibitor fees. Biennial event with awards ceremony.
4. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Partnership and sponsorship revenue from organizations like HESTA, Elsevier Australia, and corporate members. Includes philanthropy and donations.
5. Place-Based Grants Administration: CATSINaM administers grant funding (up to $12,000 per grant) from government for community-led workforce development initiatives, with funding from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.
6. Scholarship and Bursary Programs: CATSINaM distributes scholarship funding to members from partners including Royal Flying Doctors Service ($2,500), Pfizer (up to $4,000), and Integrity Health and Safety ($1,000).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CATSINaM is the national peak membership body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses, midwives and students in Australia, providing membership services, the Murra Mullangari cultural safety short course, scholarships and bursaries, the Place-Based Grants Program, mentoring programs, the LINMEN educator network, governance and leadership workshops, and a biennial National Conference with Awards. The organisation funds these programs through a mix of government grants (Department of Health and Aged Care), corporate partnerships (HESTA, Pfizer, RFDS), paid non-Indigenous and corporate memberships, course fees, conference registrations, sponsorships, and donations.

Product overview

CATSINaM (Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives) is the national peak membership body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses, midwives, and students. The organisation offers a membership community as its core offering, supplemented by professional development programs including Murra Mullangari (cultural safety training in Nursing and Midwifery pathways), the Place-Based Grants Program (workforce development grants up to $12,000), scholarship programs (RFDS, Pfizer, Integrity Health and Safety), the Two-Way Mentoring Program, and the LINMEN network for nurse/midwife educators. CATSINaM also hosts a biennial National Conference with Awards, workshops (Governance & Leadership, Mentoring), a Smart Jobs board, a Resource Library, and a Video Library. The portfolio is organized as a membership-driven platform supplemented by discrete educational, grants, and professional development products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Murra Mullangari: A nationally recognized cultural safety short course program for nurses and midwives, previously known as Introduction to Cultural Safety, launched with added focus on practical application in clinical contexts and a specific sub-module for midwifery context.
• LINMEN (Leaders in Indigenous Nursing and Midwifery Education Network)
• Place-Based Grants Program

Products and services

• CATSINaM Membership (Individual and Corporate) Membership program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses, midwives, students (free) and non-Indigenous members (paid), plus corporate/organisational membership for healthcare organisations, universities and employers seeking to support the mission. Members access scholarships, professional development, advocacy and community connection.
• Murra Mullangari: Introduction to Cultural Safety Nationally recognised 10-hour self-paced cultural safety short course for practising nurses and midwives, offered in separate Nursing and Midwifery pathways (Module 3A Nursing or Module 3B Midwifery case scenarios). Delivers 10 CPD hours and a nationally recognised digital badge upon completion, with individual (A$550 incl. GST) and bulk (20% discount for 20+ enrollments) pricing.
• Place-Based Grants Program Small grants program supporting community-led, regional and local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nursing and midwifery workforce development initiatives, with grants of up to A$12,000 per project, funded by CATSINaM with support from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 700 members participated in membership survey showing strong engagement
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.

• Elsevier AustraliastrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026CATSINaM CEO and Research Lead met with Elsevier Australia to explore a partnership creating opportunities for members to contribute expertise through authorship, review, and consultation on nursing and midwifery textbooks, student resources, and peer-reviewed manuscripts. Aims to improve Indigenous representation in nursing education content.
• HESTAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHESTA is a health industry superannuation fund that sponsors the CATSINaM National Conference Awards, including the prestigious HESTA Australian Nursing & Midwifery Awards. HESTA also promotes CATSINaM membership and professional development opportunities to its members.
• Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACNP partners with CATSINaM to provide scholarship opportunities including Primary Care Nursing & Midwifery Scholarship, Aged Care Nursing Scholarship, and other professional development programs for nurses and midwives.
• Monash UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonash University ARC Project partnership involves research collaboration on First Nations students (Building Belonging project) related to nursing and midwifery education.
• Calvary Health CareminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCalvary Health Care partners with CATSINaM as a supporter of Indigenous nursing and midwifery workforce development initiatives.
• Deakin UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeakin University collaborates with CATSINaM on nursing and midwifery education initiatives and workforce development programs.
• Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and AhpracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCATSINaM has a landmark Partnership Investment Agreement (PIA) with NMBA and Ahpra to embed cultural safety within nursing and midwifery regulation, aligned with the National Law and Closing the Gap Priority Reform areas. Co-presenting at NMBA National Conference 2026.
• ETMP (Education and Training Management Professionals)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerETMP co-facilitates CATSINaM's Governance and Leadership workshops, Mentorship workshops, and Two-Way Mentoring Program induction. Duane Vickery and Danielle Solien from ETMP deliver professional development programs.
• Australian Human Rights CommissionstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCATSINaM participated in joint submission to the National Anti-Racism Framework consultation led by the Australian Human Rights Commission and First Nations Co., addressing systemic racism affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• AveNüPlus Access Health ClinicminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAveNüPlus is a new corporate member of CATSINaM, founded by Haley Hind in Grafton NSW, providing nurse practitioner-led healthcare services.
• Australian College of Midwives (ACM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCATSINaM collaborates with ACM on joint advocacy including a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Racism, Hate and Violence, and co-sponsored the NT Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards.
• Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANMF collaborated with CATSINaM on joint submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Racism, Hate and Violence Directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
• Waminda (South Coast Aboriginal Medical Service)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAboriginal midwives from Waminda were featured on SBS's Our Medicine, demonstrating culturally safe maternity care for community.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA): IAHA is the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health professionals, providing the closest organisational parallel to CATSINaM. Both bodies deliver Indigenous-health professional development, advocacy, and workforce representation under a shared cultural-safety mission.
• Australian College of Midwives (ACM): ACM is the national peak body for midwives, providing continuing professional development, conferences, and advocacy. CATSINaM collaborates with ACM on joint advocacy including Parliamentary Inquiry submissions and awards, reflecting substantial overlap in midwifery professional support activities.
• Australian College of Nursing (ACN): ACN is a national professional body for nurses offering membership, continuing professional development, and policy advocacy. Its scale and broad nursing mandate make it a natural peer for CATSINaM's nursing advocacy and education activities, while differing in its Indigenous-specific focus.
• Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association (AIDA): AIDA is the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors, structurally analogous to CATSINaM as the Indigenous counterpart for the medical profession. Both organisations serve comparable member advocacy, education, and workforce development missions within their respective Indigenous health professions.
• Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA): APNA is the peak professional body for nurses working in primary health care, providing continuing professional development, advocacy, and member services. It is a direct peer in nursing professional membership, education, and workforce representation, with a narrower primary-care focus than larger nursing bodies.

Broad incumbents

• National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO): NACCHO is the national peak body for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations. While CATSINaM focuses on Indigenous nurses and midwives, NACCHO represents the broader Aboriginal-controlled health service ecosystem with a wider remit and substantially larger organisational footprint.
• Lowitja Institute: Lowitja Institute is Australia's national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research institute. It shares CATSINaM's Indigenous health equity focus and operates in adjacent research and advocacy territory, but its mission centres on research rather than workforce advocacy.
• Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF): ANMF is Australia's largest nursing and midwifery union and professional body. CATSINaM partners with ANMF on shared advocacy submissions and operates in the same professional space, but ANMF's much broader union mandate and member base make it a broad incumbent rather than a direct peer.

Emerging players

• National Rural Health Alliance: The National Rural Health Alliance advocates for rural and remote health outcomes in Australia. While not specifically Indigenous-focused like CATSINaM, it shares meaningful overlap in addressing rural and remote nursing workforce challenges through scholarships and workforce advocacy programs that intersect with CATSINaM's RFDS-linked placement grants.

Others

• Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS): RFDS is a nonprofit aeromedical and remote health services provider. CATSINaM partners with RFDS via the $2,500 Rural and Remote Clinical Placement Scholarships, but RFDS is a service provider and sponsor rather than a professional membership peer, and is therefore classified as an adjacent ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/catsinam
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catsinam
• Instagraminstagram.com/catsinam_
• Xx.com/catsinam

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CATSINaM