Canon Oceania has announced the winners of the 2023 Canon Oceania Grants Program, recognising three Australian organisations that are making a positive impact in their local communities. This Grants program was founded 17 years ago and guided by the 'Kyosei' philosophy of living and working together for the common good.
Canon 2023 Grant winners cover conservation, disability help and emergency food provision
Canon has supported more than 100 community organisations and schools, providing more than $500,000 in monetary and product support. In celebration of Canon’s 50th year in Australia, the Grants program increased the Grant pool this year to $50,000 across the Oceania region.
The program awards each grant recipient with $5,000 worth of cash and Canon products ($2,500 cash and $2,500 in Canon product), ranging from cameras and lenses to printers and other accessories. In addition to the three category winners across Education, Community, and Environment, Canon also recognises an overall winner to receive both a grant and Content Development Package valued at $10,000. These funds will support the projects by enabling the organisations to continue expanding the work in their respective fields. 
Canon MD Kotaro Fukushima
Kotaro Fukushima, Managing Director, Canon Oceania says: “This year’s Grants program is the biggest it has ever been, as we celebrate 50 years of Canon in Oceania. The winners announced today are amongst the many incredible organisations that continue to make a difference in their local communities. The spirit behind the work being done is why Canon’s Grants program has gone from strength to strength over the past 17 years. We share in the recipients’ celebrations, and it’s our hope the Grants will bolster the impact these projects have on their local communities.”
The 2023 Canon Oceania Grant Winners
Australian winners 2023: $5,000 (made up of $2,500 cash and Canon product up to $2,500RRP)* The Overall Grant (Content Development Package), valued at $10,000, will be awarded to the category Grant recipient who received the highest total amount of votes for their entry.
Grant 1) Environment and Overall Winner: Hobart Rivulet Platypus
Hobart Rivulet Platypus is dedicated to protecting and preserving the endangered platypus population in Hobart's urban waterways. The non-profit organisation employs a multifaceted approach to raising awareness and inspiring change in the local community, including creative and engaging social media campaigns, public art installations, and community information sessions. Through its debut film, The Platypus Guardian, the organisation made great strides in galvanising the community and the local government into taking greater action to protect urban platypuses. Canon products will be instrumental in documenting the intimate story of two nesting burrows, providing another rare glimpse into the secret world of platypuses in the follow-up documentary, 'Becoming Platypus' - set to be released in 2024.
Pete Walsh, Founder of Hobart Rivulet Platypus commented: “We hope that once released, 'Becoming Platypus' will play an important role in platypus education programs around Australia. We are grateful to the community and Canon Oceania for this honor. Together with our monotreme friends, we say thank you!"
Grant 2) Community: FoodLab Sydney
FoodLab Sydney is a non-profit kitchen incubator with a difference. The organisation supports food entrepreneurs from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as refugees, migrants, women who’ve been displaced, and First Nations people, by giving them the tools, resources and skills needed to grow their food businesses. With a newly donated commercial kitchen in Strathfield, Sydney, FoodLab’s vision is to create a shared commercial kitchen space that’s affordable, safe, and secure for participants to scale their food businesses. The addition of a Canon printer and camera will help the organisation provide the best tools for entrepreneurial learning and capture the vibrancy and diversity of the FoodLab kitchen.
Jamie Loveday, Managing Director at FoodLab Sydney, commented: “FoodLab is an organisation that tells a new story – empowerment, economic independence and hope through food. We’re in the process of building a new kitchen, so winning this grant will alleviate some of the pressures from the perspective of resources.
Grrant 3): Education: Cerebral Palsy Alliance
The Cerebral Palsy Alliance is committed to creating a world of opportunity for people with cerebral palsy and related conditions, empowering them with the resources, tools, and skills they need to become leaders and advocates for their community. Through its CPActive Academy program, the non-profit organisation provides young people with cerebral palsy the opportunity to develop important skills like public speaking, advocacy, media training, and networking. The organisation will now be able to better equip its CP Champions with high-quality cameras to capture the spirit of the CPActive Academy program and amplify the voices of the next generation of leaders with disabilities.
Teigan Butchers, Advocacy Program & Innovation Manager at Cerebral Palsy Alliance commented: "We are thrilled to be announced as the winner of Canon’s Education Grant. This Grant will assist us to empower our CPActive Young Changemakers to amplify their voices."
New Zealand winners 2023: $5,000 grant ($2,500 in cash, $2,500 in Canon products)* The Overall Grant (Content Development Package), valued at $10,000, will be awarded to the category Grant recipient who received the highest total amount of votes for their entry.
Grant 4): Community and Overall winner: Love Soup
Grant 5): Environment: Sustainable Ocean Society
Grant 6): Education: Pukekohe High School
(*All grant amounts are paid in local currency, i.e., AUD for the Australian grants and NZD for New Zealand grants.)
For more information about Canon Oceania’s Grants Program, please visit:
Australia: https://www.canon.com.au/
New Zealand: https://www.canon.co.nz/about-
