Deafness Forum Australia

What Deafness Forum Australia does

Deafness Forum Australia is a non-profit national peak body for hearing health, founded in 1993/1994 and headquartered in Canberra, ACT. The organization represents the interests of approximately 5.46 million Australians who are deaf, hard of hearing, or live with chronic ear and balance disorders, and operates with a small staff of 12 employees. It serves as the unified policy voice for the entire hearing sector spectrum, from the Deaf community using Auslan, to hard of hearing adults, families of deaf children navigating early intervention, and people with chronic tinnitus, engaging with federal and state government taskforces on NDIS and Hearing Services Program design.

The organization's core offerings are advocacy services, educational resources, and community programs rather than technology products. Its portfolio includes the Hearing Health Guide, an online Resource Hub, Research & Data Reports developed in partnership with National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL) and universities, Prevention Programs (including the Shifting Gears farm safety module), the Lived Experience Program with 10,000+ contributors, advocacy campaigns, accessible events and webinars with Auslan interpretation, and accessible technology and smoke alarm guidance. It does not develop proprietary software or commercial products.

Its business model relies on three revenue streams: membership fees (individual and organizational subscriptions via the memberly.au platform), government grants including the Health Peak Grant, and voluntary donations through "Support Our Advocacy" campaigns. Distribution is primarily digital via deafnessforum.org.au, social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram), email, and virtual events, with direct government engagement in Canberra for policy advocacy. The organization holds WHO Affiliate status through the World Hearing Forum and operates international partnerships with the International Federation of Hard of Hearing People and the UK-based Elizabeth Foundation.

Name

Deafness Forum Australia

Legal name

Deafness Forum Australia

Website

https://deafnessforum.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Deafness Forum Australia is a non-profit national peak body for hearing health, representing approximately 5.46 million Australians who are deaf, hard of hearing, or live with chronic ear disorders through federal policy advocacy, educational resources, and community programs, funded by government grants, memberships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hearing Health Advocacy Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Assistive Technology (AT) & Accessible Learning Tools (EDALAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services (EDALAGAD), Deaf/Hard of Hearing & Vision Services (Audiology, Interpreting, Orientation & Mobility) (EDAJAKAI)

Keywords

• Hearing health advocacy
• Disability peak body
• Policy advocacy services
• Community support programs
• Accessible communication

Headquarters

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Revenue generated from membership subscriptions from individuals and organizations who join Deafness Forum Australia to support hearing health advocacy.
2. Government Grants: Funding received from government programs including the Health Peak Grant which provides extension funding for the organization's operations and advocacy activities.
3. Donations and Support: Voluntary contributions from individuals and organizations supporting their advocacy work. The organization encourages public support through 'Support Our Advocacy' campaigns.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Deafness Forum Australia operates as Australia's national peak body for hearing health, delivering systemic policy advocacy, education programs, research publications, and community support services for the 5.46 million Australians affected by hearing loss. The organization represents the full hearing sector spectrum, from the Auslan-using Deaf community to hard-of-hearing adults, tinnitus sufferers, and families of deaf children, providing services such as NDIS navigation support, accessible technology guidance, prevention campaigns, and lived-experience storytelling. Revenue is generated through membership fees, government grants, and donations to fund its independent advocacy work.

Product overview

Deafness Forum Australia is a national non-profit peak body for hearing health, not a commercial product company. The organization provides advocacy services, educational resources, community programs, and campaign initiatives rather than a unified software product. Key offerings include the Hearing Health Guide and Resource Hub for consumer information, Policy Advocacy Services for government engagement, Research & Data Reports generated through partnerships with NAL and universities, Prevention Programs including the Shifting Gears farm safety initiative, the Lived Experience Program for community storytelling, Campaigns for policy engagement, an Events Calendar featuring accessible webinars and forums, Accessible Technology Guidance on hearing assistive devices, and Accessible Smoke Alarm Programs across Australian states. The organization does not offer a commercial software platform or SaaS product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hearing Health Guide Comprehensive guide providing information and resources for individuals living with hearing loss, families, and healthcare professionals on hearing health topics.
• Policy Advocacy Services Systemic advocacy representing members on federal taskforces to ensure NDIS and Hearing Services Program deliver equitable outcomes for all Australians.
• National Hearing Health Resource Hub National database for hearing health information, accessible tools, and support guides for consumers navigating the hearing health system.
• Lived Experience Program Storytelling initiative connecting individuals who share hearing loss journeys, including community forums and mentorship programs to inform research and advocacy.
• Research and Data Reports Evidence-based research publications including hearing loss prevalence data, economic impact reports, and mental health correlation studies conducted in partnership with NAL and universities.
• Prevention Programs Public education initiatives including the Shifting Gears farm safety program, World Hearing Day activities, and Hearing Awareness Week campaigns promoting hearing protection and noise safety.
• Advocacy Campaigns Advocacy campaigns including current policy initiatives, position papers, and tools for contacting elected representatives on hearing health issues.
• Events and Webinars National forums, webinars, and community gatherings featuring Auslan interpretation and live captioning for the hearing community.
• Accessible Technology Guidance Resources and consultation on accessible technology including hearing aids, Bluetooth streamers, TV listening systems, hearing loops, live captioning, and speech-to-text tools for D/deaf and hard of hearing Australians.
• Accessible Smoke Alarm Programs Information and support connecting Australians who are Deaf or hard of hearing with specialized smoke alarm systems featuring visual and tactile alerts, including state-specific subsidy schemes across NSW, QLD, VIC, TAS, and ACT.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% higher incidence of social isolation and depression among older Australians with untreated hearing loss (March 2024 research study)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• World Hearing ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network affiliated with WHO. Deafness Forum Australia is a member and translates international best practices from WHO into practical Australian outcomes, such as the National Roadmap for Hearing Health.
• International Federation of Hard of Hearing PeoplecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization representing hard of hearing people globally. Partnership provides global integration and best practice sharing for hearing health advocacy.
• National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralia's leading hearing research institution. Deafness Forum partners with NAL to ground advocacy in hard data and latest clinical evidence. NAL Director Brent Edwards contributes expertise on AI hearing systems and future hearing technology.
• Macquarie UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for research collaboration and academic credibility in hearing health advocacy efforts.
• Audiology AustraliamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational professional body for audiologists. Partnership for World Hearing Day 2026 webinar on children's hearing care, hosted by Audiology Australia President Lia Traves.
• Sensory Partners Australia (SPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of sensory disability organizations including Deaf Australia, Deafblind Australia, Blind Citizens Australia, and Vision 2020. Represents approximately 4 million Australians with sensory disability in federal public policy space. First time federal sensory organizations have aligned in this way.
• National Centre for Farmer HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to introduce hearing health module into the Shifting Gears farm safety education program. Addresses hearing protection needs for young people in agricultural communities.
• Murdoch Children's Research InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership studying medication-related hearing loss in children. Deafness Forum supports consumer advisory group recruitment for families with lived experience.
• Earbus Foundation of WAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMobile ear and hearing health service for rural and remote Western Australia. Delivers community-based care across regions including Goldfields, Pilbara, Gascoyne, Esperance and Southwest. Partnership addresses geographic barriers to hearing care.
• Auslan Stage LeftmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDeaf-led organization providing Auslan interpreting and consultation. Susan from Auslan Stage Left co-designed the Auslan brand film and provided real-time guidance during production to preserve language integrity.
• Bundanon TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious national arts residency. THE MILAN CONFERENCE Auslan-led theatre work selected for 2026 Artists in Residence program. Work explores defining moments in Deaf history.
• Toowong State SchoolmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQueensland school with unique bilingual Auslan-English education program. Partnership showcases inclusive education models and collaboration on events like Creative Brisbane Awards.
• Health PeakscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of health peak organizations for collaborative advocacy and knowledge sharing across health sectors.
• Lived Experience Advisory GroupcoreOthersGroup of members including Michael Kerr who share personal cochlear implant and hearing loss experiences to inform advocacy priorities.
• The Elizabeth Foundation (UK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK organization supporting deaf children and families. CEO Rhonda Locke visited to gain international perspective on early intervention practices.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• People with Disability Australia: Australia's peak cross-disability advocacy organization. Broader incumbent in the national disability advocacy ecosystem; comparable in funding model and policy focus areas (NDIS, accessibility legislation) but addresses the full disability population rather than hearing-specific issues.
• Australian Federation of Disability Organisations: National peak body representing disability organizations across Australia. Broader incumbent in advocacy ecosystem; comparable governance and peak-body structure but represents the cross-disability sector, providing both a peer lens and potential coalition partner for Deafness Forum.

Emerging players

• Audiology Australia: National professional association for audiologists in Australia. Strategic partner of Deafness Forum (co-hosted World Hearing Day 2026 webinar); overlapping scope on hearing health but distinct role as a clinical professional body rather than consumer/community advocacy organization.

Direct peers

• Blind Citizens Australia: National peak body representing people who are blind or vision impaired in Australia. A co-founding member of Sensory Partners Australia alongside Deafness Forum; directly comparable as a sensory-disability membership advocacy organization engaged in federal disability policy.
• Deaf Australia: National peak body representing Deaf Australians who use Auslan. Directly comparable as a Deaf-led advocacy organization with overlapping membership and co-founded Sensory Partners Australia with Deafness Forum; both serve the Deaf community on federal policy.
• Deafblind Australia: National peak body for people who are deafblind. Co-founder of Sensory Partners Australia with Deafness Forum; directly comparable as a small-staffed sensory disability advocacy organization representing a specific population within the broader disability community.
• Better Hearing Australia: Australia's oldest hearing loss consumer advocacy organization, with state-based branches. Directly comparable as a hearing health advocacy organization serving hard-of-hearing adults in Australia, though narrower in scope (focused on later-onset hearing loss) than Deafness Forum.
• Vision 2020 Australia: National peak body for eye health and vision care sector. Direct peer in structure and mission scope as an Australian sector peak body; co-founder of Sensory Partners Australia and operates on similar funding and advocacy model as Deafness Forum.

Others

• National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC): Australian government's primary funding body for health and medical research. Indirect peer/ecosystem participant; Deafness Forum interacts with NHMRC-funded research outputs and participates in policy consultations alongside NHMRC, but operates in different organizational category (advocacy vs research funding).
• National Acoustic Laboratories: Australia's leading hearing research institution operated by Hearing Australia. Core research partner of Deafness Forum providing clinical evidence; comparable as an Australian hearing-health sector organization but distinct as a research body rather than an advocacy peak body.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/deafnessforum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deafness-forum-of-australia
• Instagraminstagram.com/deafnessforumau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Deafness Forum Australia