ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability

Disability Support Servicesactdsid.org.au

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability Association is a non-profit advocacy and support organization, founded in 1987 and based in Pearce, ACT, serving people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities, their families, carers, schools, and employers through peer support, education, employment, NDIS navigation, and advocacy as the ACT member of Down Syndrome Australia.

Company typePrivate
Founded-
HeadquartersPearce, Australia
Headcount1–10
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability does

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability Association is a non-profit advocacy and support organization founded in 1987 and headquartered at the Pearce Community Centre in the Australian Capital Territory. It operates as the ACT regional member of the Down Syndrome Australia national network, and in 2024 rebranded from ACT Down Syndrome Association to ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability Association to reflect a broader remit across intellectual disabilities. The organization provides a comprehensive suite of services across the life span, including new parent and prenatal support, education services, employment services, peer support groups, NDIS navigation, health resources, professional training, and ACT-level advocacy to remove barriers to mainstream services.

Its revenue model is a hybrid non-profit mix of annual membership subscriptions, individual donations and fundraising, corporate sponsorship, and government grants, with no publicly disclosed pricing. Distribution is delivered through a single office, online and digital channels, and formal partnerships with the ACT Government and Down Syndrome Australia, supplemented by collaborations with WWDACT, Imagine More, and corporate sponsors. The organization maintains active engagement channels including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, email newsletters, and the national Voice Magazine, and is led by CEO Shannon Kolak with a small team of approximately five employees serving families, carers, schools, employers, and people with disabilities across the ACT.

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability firmographics

Firmographics

Name: ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability
Legal name: ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability Association
Website: https://actdsid.org.au
Company type: Private
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 1–10 employees
Short description: ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability Association is a non-profit advocacy and support organization, founded in 1987 and based in Pearce, ACT, serving people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities, their families, carers, schools, and employers through peer support, education, employment, NDIS navigation, and advocacy as the ACT member of Down Syndrome Australia.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Where ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Pearce
HQ country: Australia
HQ region: Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

Membership fees: Annual membership subscriptions for individuals and families seeking access to resources, support groups, and advocacy services.
Donations and fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals and corporate sponsors to support programs and services.
Corporate sponsorship: Partnerships with businesses for sponsorship of events and programs.
Government grants: Funding from government sources to support community-based disability supports and advocacy work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability product offering

Product offering

Core offering

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability is a non-profit advocacy and support organization that provides community-based disability services including new parent support, prenatal support, peer support groups, education services, employment support, professional training, NDIS navigation, health resources, and disability advocacy for people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities in the Australian Capital Territory. The organization also publishes Voice Magazine, the national magazine of Down Syndrome Australia.

Product overview

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability offers a comprehensive suite of support services for people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities in the ACT region. The organization operates as a service and advocacy organization rather than a technology product company. Its core offerings include New Parent Support for families with newborns with Down syndrome, Training and Support for Professionals working with this community, Education Services across life stages, ACT Advocacy for disability rights, Peer Support Groups for social connection, Employment Services for inclusive workplace access, and NDIS Navigation Support. Additional services include prenatal support, health resources, and family/carer support. The organization also publishes Voice Magazine, the national magazine of Down Syndrome Australia. These services work together to provide lifelong engagement from diagnosis through adulthood, supporting individuals and families to reach their full potential as active community members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

New Parent Support Provides support and resources for families who have received a Down syndrome diagnosis for their newborn, offering guidance through early intervention and family adjustment.
Prenatal Support Provides information and support resources for families receiving a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome.
Training and Support for Professionals Delivers professional development and training programs for educators, healthcare workers, employers, and other professionals who work with people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities.
Education Services Offers educational support and resources for people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities across various life stages, from early childhood through adulthood.
ACT Advocacy Provides advocacy services to remove barriers and improve access to mainstream services for people with disabilities in the ACT region.
Peer Support Groups Facilitates peer connection groups for people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities to build social networks and community engagement.
Employment Services Supports people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities in finding and maintaining meaningful employment, including job training, placement assistance, and employer partnerships.
Family, Carers and Friends Support Provides resources and support services for families, carers, and friends of people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities.
NDIS Navigation Support Offers guidance and resources to help individuals and families navigate the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and access available supports.
Health Resources Provides health-related information and resources specific to people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities.
Voice Magazine The official magazine of Down Syndrome Australia, published twice yearly, featuring stories, information, and resources for the Down syndrome community.

Companies that use ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability

Customer profile

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

Women with Disabilities ACT (WWDACT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026ACT DSID is partnering with Women with Disabilities ACT (WWDACT) to conduct community consultation into community-based disability supports on behalf of the ACT Government. The partnership involves hosting three face-to-face/online community consultation events in July and August 2026, creating online surveys, and gathering feedback from people with disability and their families to present to the ACT Government.
ACT GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACT Government has partnered with ACT DSID and WWDACT to conduct community consultation into community-based disability supports. The consultation aims to identify existing supports in the ACT and understand gaps in the community-based disability support landscape.
Down Syndrome AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACT DSID is the ACT state member of the national Down Syndrome Australia network. The organization participates in national advocacy, shares resources, and collaborates on national projects including the Employment Project. ACT DSID publishes Voice Magazine and supports national events.
Imagine MoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImagine More sponsored international author Cormac Russell to deliver a free community workshop in Canberra on 17 August, focused on building relationships and community connections for families of people with disability.
The Canberra Labor Club GroupminorOthersCorporate sponsor that supported ACT DSID staff member Charlotte and team to travel to New York to share the inclusive employment message and participate in international disability advocacy.
The Eastlake Group - Eastlake GungahlinminorOthersCorporate sponsor and inclusive employer in Canberra that supported ACT DSID staff member Charlotte's trip to New York to share inclusive employment practices.
National Down Syndrome Society (USA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACT DSID Employment Ambassador Charlotte met with the CEO and Chief of Staff of the National Down Syndrome Society while in New York, sharing resources and discussing inclusive employment practices, NDIS, and support systems.
Café Joyeux (Manhattan)minorOthersHospitality employer in Manhattan where 75% of staff have intellectual disability. ACT DSID staff visited to learn about inclusive employment practices in the hospitality sector.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO): National cross-disability peak body of which ACT DSID is an affiliate member. Operates as an umbrella advocacy and policy organization for disability organisations across Australia, including Down syndrome groups.
Down Syndrome Australia: National umbrella body of which ACT DSID is the ACT member. Operates the same mission of supporting people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities across Australia, but at national scale with policy, Voice Magazine, and nationwide events.
People with Disability Australia: National disability rights and advocacy organization affiliated with ACT DSID via AFDO. Comparable on the advocacy and rights component of ACT DSID's mission, but operates nationally and across all disability types.
Down Syndrome International: International umbrella for Down syndrome organizations worldwide, of which ACT DSID affiliates through Down Syndrome Australia. Relevant as the global peer for advocacy and knowledge sharing in the Down syndrome space.
Inclusion Australia: National peak body for intellectual disability advocacy in Australia. Overlaps with ACT DSID on disability rights advocacy and inclusive employment, but serves a broader cross-disability mandate at national scale.

Direct peers

Women with Disabilities ACT (WWDACT): ACT-based disability advocacy organization partnering with ACT DSID on ACT Government community consultations. Operates in the same ACT geography with an overlapping advocacy and disability rights mandate.
Down Syndrome NSW: State-level sibling within the Down Syndrome Australia network serving New South Wales. Operates the same model of advocacy, peer support, training, and education services for people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities.
Down Syndrome Victoria: Victorian state member of Down Syndrome Australia, providing parallel advocacy, peer support, education, and employment services. Directly comparable in scope, funding mix, and service categories to ACT DSID.
Down Syndrome Queensland: Queensland state member of the Down Syndrome Australia network. Delivers comparable advocacy, family support, education, and employment services to people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities in its jurisdiction.
Imagine More: ACT-based disability organization that co-hosted workshops with ACT DSID and supports families of people with disability to build community connections. Operates in the same ACT geography with overlapping family-support mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability

What does ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability do?

Is ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability a public or private company?

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability founded?

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.

Where is ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability based?

ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability is headquartered in Pearce, Australia, in the Oceania region.

How does ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. Membership fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and fundraising, corporate sponsorship and government grants.

Who are ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO), Down Syndrome Australia, People with Disability Australia, Down Syndrome International and Inclusion Australia. Direct peers are Women with Disabilities ACT (WWDACT), Down Syndrome NSW, Down Syndrome Victoria, Down Syndrome Queensland and Imagine More.

Does ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability have an API?

No public API is recorded for ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability.