https://www.careeconomycrc.com.au

Challenge
Australia’s $327 billion care economy, spanning early childhood education, disability support, aged care, mental health, family services and community care, is under mounting pressure from surging demand, increasingly complex care needs, workforce shortages, low productivity and poor technology uptake. The sector employs around 1.8 million people (over 15 per cent of the workforce), yet many services—particularly in rural and regional areas—face thin markets, limited service availability, and fragmented, siloed systems that struggle to deliver safe, high‑quality and sustainable care. Existing models of care are often labour‑intensive, administratively burdensome and slow to adopt new technologies and data-driven approaches, constraining both service quality and economic performance. The Care Economy Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) consortium sought to address these systemic challenges by transforming how care is delivered—using technology, data and workforce innovation to improve quality, productivity and sustainability of care across the entire care system, from birth to end of life. Securing long‑term CRC Program funding in Round 25 required an industry‑led, evidence‑based bid that demonstrated clear national benefit, strong collaboration across more than 50–60 partners, and a credible plan to deliver person‑centred, technology‑enabled care solutions at scale.

Approach
CIS supported the Care Economy CRC with the successful Round 25 bid from its initial stages through to the Stage 2 interview, acting as bid manager and strategic advisor. Support to the Interim CEO, Research Director, and bid team included:

• Comprehensive bid project management, strategic positioning, and partner coordination across over 50 consortium members

• Significant use of CIS intellectual property to structure the application, collect and synthesise information from partner organisations, and prepare a robust, defensible budget

• Collaboration with the Research Director and Program Leaders to design the CRC’s three integrated Research Programs – Technology Solutions, Data Solutions, and Workforce Innovation – plus the Education & Training Program, incorporating feedback from the CRC Advisory Committee on previous round applications

• Drafting and refinement of responses to CRC merit criteria, aligning the case for support with national priorities around productivity, workforce capability, digital innovation and quality care

• Development of the CRC Impact Tool, with CIS Consultants working alongside researchers to undertake a detailed economic assessment using a proprietary impact modelling methodology

• Interview preparation for a team of eight representatives, including coaching, mock interviews, and presentation development informed by extensive experience in participating in and observing CRC interviews

This end‑to‑end support ensured the bid clearly articulated how the Care Economy CRC would co‑develop and implement industry‑tested, person‑centred technology and data solutions backed by a capable and adaptable workforce, and how these innovations would deliver measurable benefits across Australia’s care sectors.

Outcome
The Care Economy CRC was awarded a $35 million Australian Government grant through Round 25 of the CRC Program, leveraging total resources of approximately $129 million over ten years through cash and in‑kind contributions from around 56–60 partners nationwide. Commencing on 1 July 2025 and headquartered at La Trobe University’s Research and Innovation Precinct, the CRC brings together universities, care providers, health networks, technology firms, and community organisations to transform Australia’s care economy through three core research programs in Technology Solutions, Data Solutions and Workforce Innovation, supported by an Education & Training Program. The CRC is projected to deliver more than $1.4 billion in direct benefits over 15 years by co‑developing exportable technologies, data platforms, workforce models and care innovations that improve quality, productivity and sustainability of care, strengthen the care workforce, and position Australia as a global leader in care services and innovation.