Healthy Cities Illawarra

What Healthy Cities Illawarra does

Healthy Cities Australia (formerly Healthy Cities Illawarra, established 1987) is an incorporated Australian health promotion charity registered with the ACNC, headquartered in Fairy Meadow, New South Wales on Dharawal Country. The organisation delivers a portfolio of community-based prevention programs that address the social, economic, and physical determinants of health under the World Health Organization's Healthy Cities framework. In 2025 it rebranded from a regional Illawarra entity to a nationally positioned charity, with the Secretariat role of the Australian Chapter of the Alliance for Healthy Cities (held since 2007) as its institutional backbone.

The organisation's product surface is a portfolio of 11+ named community programs grouped under three priorities: healthy eating and food security (Food Fairness Illawarra, Illawarra Food Rescue and Relief, Cook Chill Chat, School Lunch Project Pilot, The Dinner Table Project); physical activity and active transport (Active In-Betweens, Community Walking Programs, Play Illawarra, More Than a Cyclist); and community wellbeing (Breathe Better Illawarra asthma program, Healthy Ageing). Delivery is human-led through 20 professional staff plus 143 active volunteers contributing 6,137 hours annually across 53 active programs, reaching 633 participants in 2025 with 1,563 program delivery hours. Underlying methodology is evidence-based health promotion rather than a technology platform; the organisation's "core technology" is the WHO-aligned prevention framework, not software.

Revenue is generated through four streams: government grants (e.g., NSW Community Road Safety Grant for More Than a Cyclist), donations and fundraising (including a GoFundMe campaign targeting AUD $137,000 for a Regional Food Hub by October 2026), recurring membership fees for individuals and organisations, and imputed volunteer services. Customer beneficiaries are regional Illawarra-Shoalhaven communities served directly, while "paying" counterparties are local and state government agencies, partner universities (University of Wollongong, Charles Sturt University, UNSW), and private sector donors. Go-to-market is community-led engagement amplified by events, social media campaigns, and earned regional media coverage rather than commercial sales motions.

Name

Healthy Cities Illawarra

Legal name

Healthy Cities Australia

Website

https://healthycities.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Healthy Cities Australia is a national, WHO-aligned health promotion charity delivering 53 community programs across food security, active transport, and community wellbeing in New South Wales, funded by government grants, donations, memberships, and partner organisations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Promotion Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Health & Health Equity/Social Determinants Units (HLAJAAAO), Health Equity, Access & Social Determinants Programs (BPAIAJAO)

Keywords

• Community health promotion
• Chronic disease prevention
• Food security programs
• Active transport initiatives
• Healthy urban planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairy Meadow

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. Donations and Fundraising: The organisation collects donations from individuals and organisations who wish to support health and wellbeing outcomes in communities. They operate a GoFundMe campaign for the Illawarra Regional Food Hub.
2. Membership Fees: Organisational membership program offering voting rights at AGM, eligibility to stand for board election, and network access to individuals, organisations, local government, and private sector partners committed to health equity.
3. Government Grants and Funding: Financial support from government organisations vital to mission delivery, including NSW Community Road Safety Grant for More Than a Cyclist campaign and other public health funding.
4. Volunteer Contributions: 143 active volunteers contributing 6,137 volunteer hours annually to program delivery across 53 community programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Healthy Cities Illawarra delivers a portfolio of eleven community health promotion programs targeting chronic disease prevention, food security, physical activity, active transport, and healthy urban environments for residents of the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions of New South Wales, Australia. The organisation works through partnerships with local councils, NGOs, schools, and community groups to build healthier cities and communities using an evidence-based, WHO-aligned approach.

Product overview

Healthy Cities Australia operates as a coordinated portfolio of community health promotion programs rather than a unified software platform. The organization delivers 53 active community programs across multiple health priorities including food security, physical activity, mental wellbeing, and healthy urban environments. The core programs include Active In-Betweens (youth development), Breathe Better Illawarra (asthma awareness), Community Walking Programs, Cook Chill Chat (cooking skills), Food Fairness Illawarra, Illawarra Food Rescue and Relief, Healthy Ageing, More Than a Cyclist (road safety), Play Illawarra, School Lunch Project Pilot, and The Dinner Table Project. These programs work together through a place-based, community-led approach to public health, supported by partnerships with local government, universities, health services, and community organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Active In-Betweens: A program providing safe, supportive, and connected environments for young people through community and fun activities.
• Breathe Better Illawarra
• Community Walking Programs
• Cook Chill Chat
• Food Fairness Illawarra
• Play Illawarra
• More Than a Cyclist
• Healthy Ageing

Products and services

• Food Security and Healthy Food Access Program Program supporting community members experiencing food insecurity through improved access to healthy, affordable food; delivered in partnership with local organisations for residents of the Illawarra and Shoalhaven.
• Active Transport Program Program that advocates for and develops active transport infrastructure and behaviours, encouraging walking and cycling among community members and working with local councils to improve transport environments.
• Healthy Urban Planning Program Initiative working with local government planners and stakeholders to embed health considerations into urban planning and built environment decisions across the region.
• Physical Activity Promotion Program Initiative promoting increased physical activity among community members through partnerships with local groups, schools, and councils across the region.
• Chronic Disease Prevention Program Cross-cutting program focused on evidence-based prevention of chronic disease through community-level interventions addressing lifestyle, environment, and social determinants of health.
• Health Promotion Partnerships and Convening Service A partnership-convening service that brings together local councils, non-government organisations, schools, and community groups to collaborate on regional health promotion priorities and projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 38% reduction potential in illness, disease and early deaths through prevention
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alliance for Healthy Cities - Australian ChaptercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Healthy Cities Australia has served as the Secretariat of the Australian Chapter of the Alliance for Healthy Cities since 2007, providing leadership for the WHO-aligned healthy cities movement in Australia.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthy Cities Australia is a Steering Committee member of the Alliance for Healthy Cities and subscribes to the WHO Healthy Cities framework, recognising that social, economic and physical environment is key to citizen health and wellbeing.
• Healthy Cities OnkaparingacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partnership with Healthy Cities Onkaparinga to advance the Healthy Cities movement across Australia.
• Illawarra Shoalhaven Active Transport Taskforce (ISATT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of state and local government organisations, community groups, and individuals dedicated to improving urban environments to encourage active transport. Established in 2006 with 8 clear objectives including reducing chronic disease through active transport promotion.
• Healthy Urban Environments Communities of PracticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity of Practice bringing together built environment professionals, public health practitioners, academics, and communications specialists to advocate for health-enhancing urban policies in the Illawarra Shoalhaven region.
• University of WollongongcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch alliance with University of Wollongong to enrich the evidence base of health initiatives, influencing policy and driving transformation.
• Wollongong City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partnership for urban planning, healthy environments, and community health initiatives.
• Shellharbour City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partnership for healthy urban environments and community wellbeing.
• NSW Health / Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with NSW Health and local health district for health promotion initiatives and disease prevention programs.
• NSW EPAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency partnership for environmental health initiatives.
• Community Drug Action Teams (CDATs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of over 20 local organisations in the Illawarra region that come together to support evidence-based primary prevention programs to reduce harms from alcohol and other drugs. Currently chaired by representative of Drug and Alcohol Service of ISLHD with secretariat support from Healthy Cities Australia.
• Charles Sturt UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Charles Sturt University to launch Healthy Ageing and Active Living Initiative aimed at improving wellbeing of older Australians across regional southeastern NSW.
• Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems Research GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for sustainable food systems initiatives.
• UNSW Cities InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosting the Alliance for Healthy Cities 2026 Global Conference at UNSW Kensington Campus in Sydney.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Asthma Australia: National asthma organisation partnering with Healthy Cities Australia on the Breathe Better Illawarra program. Directly comparable community education and preventable-hospitalisation reduction model for a specific condition.
• Foodbank Australia: Australia's largest food relief organisation, addressing food insecurity through rescue and redistribution. Overlaps with Healthy Cities Australia's food rescue and food security programs but at national scale.
• Prevention Institute: US-based nonprofit focused on equitable health outcomes through prevention, aligned with the WHO Healthy Cities framework. Provides an international benchmark for prevention-focused community health promotion at small-staff scale.
• Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF): National prevention-focused foundation that Healthy Cities Australia supports through the Community Drug Action Teams (CDATs) secretariat. Comparable evidence-based primary prevention model for substance harms.

Broad incumbents

• Heart Foundation: National cardiovascular disease prevention charity running community-based walking, nutrition, and active living programs. Operates comparable community health promotion initiatives with substantially greater funding.
• Cancer Council NSW: Large NSW-based nonprofit focused on cancer prevention, screening, and support. Comparable in operating regional health promotion programs and community education campaigns across overlapping priority areas.
• VicHealth: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, a state-level statutory authority funding health promotion research and programs across Victoria. Larger and more established but pursues overlapping prevention and chronic disease agendas.
• NCOSS (NSW Council of Social Services): NSW peak body for social services and community organisations. Comparable as a sector coordinator and policy advocate on community health and social determinants, referenced in Healthy Cities Australia's media coverage.

Others

• Australian Health Promotion Association: National professional association for health promotion practitioners in Australia. Thematically aligned with Healthy Cities Australia's evidence-based health promotion approach, sharing workforce and policy networks.

Direct peers

• Healthy Cities Onkaparinga: Australian peer within the WHO Healthy Cities movement, operating as the South Australian chapter with similar community health promotion programs. Most directly comparable peer given the formal national partnership and shared WHO-aligned framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/healthycities
• Instagraminstagram.com/healthycities
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/healthy-cities-australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Healthy Cities Illawarra