Common Ground
Common Ground First Nations is an Australian not-for-profit, founded in 2019, that runs a digital storytelling platform and education resources for First Nations peoples and the wider public. It is 100% First Nations-led and staffed, distributing free content, curriculum-mapped learning kits, and grants through programs such as Weaving Truths, Dreamy, and Grounded Story.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersNot specified, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Common Ground does
Common Ground (legal name: Common Ground First Nations) is an Australian First Nations not-for-profit founded in 2019, headquartered in Naarm (Melbourne), and operating with a 15-person team led by CEO Gemma Pol and COO Katena Valastro. The organization runs a digital storytelling platform at commonground.org.au that hosts articles, videos, audio, galleries, and teacher resources organized by themes of People, Country, and Truth-telling, and is 100% First Nations-led and staffed. Its core product surface spans several interconnected programs: Weaving Truths (a truth-telling project with the organization's first secondary education resource, mapped to the Australian Curriculum for Years 7-12), First Nations Bedtime Stories (celebrating five years in 2024), Dreamy Series 2 (mindful oral storytelling for digital spaces), Grounded Story (a recurring grant program providing $5,000 to early-career First Nations creatives, with the 2026 cohort themed 'HOME'), the Creators Circle contributor network (8 new storytellers in 2024), the SHE DIRECTS directors lab for First Nations women filmmakers (delivered with BLACKapple and Beck Cole), Be The Change community kits, Listen & Learn Month, and the Systems Change Collective toolkit established in early 2026.
Common Ground firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Common Ground
- Legal name
- Common Ground First Nations
- Website
- https://commonground.org.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Common Ground First Nations is an Australian not-for-profit, founded in 2019, that runs a digital storytelling platform and education resources for First Nations peoples and the wider public. It is 100% First Nations-led and staffed, distributing free content, curriculum-mapped learning kits, and grants through programs such as Weaving Truths, Dreamy, and Grounded Story.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Common Ground industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cultural Education and Indigenous Storytelling
- NAICS
- Publishing Industries (513)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Membership Communities with Learning (Community-Led Education) (MPACALAF)
Keywords
Where Common Ground is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Not specified
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Common Ground business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Common Ground operates as a not-for-profit organization accepting donations from individuals. They run periodic fundraising appeals including EOFY (End of Financial Year) campaigns where donations may be matched by generous donors.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Common Ground product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Common Ground operates a digital storytelling platform that brings together First Nations knowledge, cultures, and stories. The not-for-profit organization produces editorial content across multiple formats (articles, video, audio, galleries), runs educational resources mapped to the Australian Curriculum, administers grant programs for First Nations creatives, and hosts webinars and community kits aimed at systems change through storytelling.
Product overview
Common Ground is a First Nations not-for-profit that operates as a digital storytelling platform and content ecosystem. The organization offers multiple interconnected products and programs: the core Common Ground Website platform hosting all content; Weaving Truths (a truth-telling series with secondary education resources); First Nations Bedtime Stories and Dreamy (digital oral storytelling initiatives); Grounded Story (a grant program for emerging First Nations creatives); Creators Circle (a contributor network); Be The Change (community education kit and webinar); Listen & Learn Month (annual learning resources); and Systems Change Collective (toolkit for centering First Nations storytelling). The organization is 100% First Nations-led and staffed, creating content and educational resources that bring First Nations knowledge into digital spaces.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Dreamy: Mindful stories series by First Nations storytellers
- Grounded Story
- Weaving Truths
- First Nations Bedtime Stories
- Creators Circle
- Be The Change
- Systems Change Collective
Products and services
- Common Ground Website A digital storytelling and content hub launched in 2019 that aggregates First Nations-led editorial content across articles, videos, audio, galleries, and teacher resources, organized by themes (People, Country, Truth-telling). All content is free to access and intended for educators, students, parents, supporters, and the general public.
- Weaving Truths A truth-telling project that centres First Nations voices through a storyteller series featuring Dakota Feirer, Phoebe McIlwraith, and Neil Morris, accompanied by the organisation's first secondary education resource mapped to the Australian Curriculum for Years 7-12 (English, Humanities and Social Sciences, The Arts).
- First Nations Bedtime Stories A digital storytelling initiative that brings an age-old practice of oral storytelling into the digital space, featuring stories told by First Nations storytellers; celebrated five years of operation in 2024.
- Dreamy A series of mindful stories by First Nations storytellers bringing an age-old practice of oral storytelling into the digital space, with expanded accessibility through a dedicated website and two learning kits. Series 2 launched in 2024.
- Grounded Story A grant program providing $5,000 grants to early-career First Nations creatives to develop and share storytelling projects; the 2026 cohort centres on the theme HOME.
- Creators Circle A contributor network of First Nations storytellers who collaborate with Common Ground on various projects; welcomed 8 storytellers in 2024.
- Be The Change A community kit and webinar series designed to help people move from intention to meaningful action in supporting First Nations storytelling and systems change.
- Listen & Learn Month An annual celebration in October of learning about First Nations cultures from First Nations people, featuring a series of learning resources created in collaboration with First Nations contributors.
- Systems Change Collective An initiative established in early 2026 to deepen understanding of how storytelling shifts structures, narratives, and power, featuring the Systems Change Collective: Toolkit for Centering First Nations Storytelling.
Companies that use Common Ground
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Common Ground technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Common Ground partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- The Yulang EffectcoreCollaborated with The Yulang Effect to create an educational resource for NAIDOC Week 2024, supporting educators and students to engage with First Nations content.
- Kyarna CrusecoreCollaborated with Yuin education writer Kyarna Cruse to develop the Weaving Truths education resource for secondary students, mapped to Australian Curriculum.
- BLACKapplecorePartnered with BLACKapple to deliver the first-ever SHE DIRECTS - a three-day directors lab supporting First Nations women filmmakers.
- Beck ColecoreCollaborated with filmmaker Beck Cole to deliver SHE DIRECTS, a three-day directors lab on Taungurung Country supporting First Nations women in film.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Common Ground competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Storyful: Social media content agency that sources and licenses content from creators worldwide. Relevant as an adjacent player in digital storytelling infrastructure, though operating in commercial licensing rather than community/cultural storytelling.
- First Nations Media Australia: Peak body for Indigenous media in Australia, supporting First Nations broadcasters and content creators. Relevant as an ecosystem peer and potential partner/funder to CG, though it primarily supports broadcast rather than direct-to-audience digital storytelling.
- Reconciliation Australia: National body advancing reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. An adjacent mission peer in the truth-telling and allyship space that drives institutional demand CG's Systems Change Collective serves.
Broad incumbents
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC): Australia's national public broadcaster with significant Indigenous content, education assets (ABC Education), and Australian Curriculum-mapped resources. A broad incumbent that overlaps with CG's content and education missions but lacks 100% First Nations-led positioning.
- SBS Australia: Australia's multicultural and Indigenous-focused public broadcaster, parent of NITV. Operates at significantly larger scale but overlaps with CG in producing First Nations stories, education content, and community-facing digital content for Australian audiences.
Direct peers
- NITV (National Indigenous Television): Australia's First Nations-led broadcaster and content creator (an SBS channel) producing Indigenous storytelling across TV, digital, and online. Directly comparable as a First Nations-focused media/content platform serving Australian audiences with cultural and educational programming.
- Cool Australia: Australian not-for-profit providing free, curriculum-mapped educational resources for teachers, including significant First Nations content. Directly comparable in mission, audience (educators), and curriculum-integrated educational publishing model.
- The Indigenous Literacy Foundation: Australian not-for-profit advancing literacy and storytelling for remote Indigenous communities. Comparable as a First Nations-focused NFP using storytelling, education resources, and community programs, with similar funding model.
- Yarn Australia: Australian platform amplifying First Nations stories, perspectives, and businesses through digital media. Comparable as a First Nations-led content/community platform targeting Australian audiences, though with more commerce focus than CG.
- Deadly Story: Victorian Government initiative providing culturally appropriate information and stories for Aboriginal young people and communities. Comparable as a First Nations storytelling and education resource platform serving Australian audiences.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Common Ground social profiles
Digital presenceCommon Ground financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Common Ground leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Common Ground funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Common Ground M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Common Ground
What does Common Ground do?
Common Ground operates a digital storytelling platform that brings together First Nations knowledge, cultures, and stories. The not-for-profit organization produces editorial content across multiple formats (articles, video, audio, galleries), runs educational resources mapped to the Australian Curriculum, administers grant programs for First Nations creatives, and hosts webinars and community kits aimed at systems change through storytelling.
Is Common Ground a public or private company?
Common Ground is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Common Ground founded?
Common Ground was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Common Ground based?
Common Ground is headquartered in Not specified, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Common Ground make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Fundraising.
Who are Common Ground's main competitors?
Others on record are Storyful, First Nations Media Australia and Reconciliation Australia. Broad incumbents are Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and SBS Australia. Direct peers are NITV (National Indigenous Television), Cool Australia, The Indigenous Literacy Foundation, Yarn Australia and Deadly Story.
Does Common Ground have an API?
No public API is recorded for Common Ground.
What industry is Common Ground in?
Common Ground's product category is Cultural Education and Indigenous Storytelling. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACALAF, Membership Communities with Learning (Community-Led Education). Its NAICS code is 513 and its SIC code is 2741.