Canon Oceania launches 2024 Grants Program with AUD $40,000 fund

Canon Oceania has opened submissions for its 2024 Grants Program, offering AUD $40,000 in total to recipients across Australia and New Zealand. The grants aim to support a variety of community organisations in categories such as Education, Community, Environment, and a newly introduced First Nations category.

A study conducted exclusively for Canon Oceania reveals that nearly half of Australians (49%) might have chosen different career paths if they had better access to visual technology during their education. The survey, which included 1,006 Australians, reports that 89% of respondents recognise the significant impact that visual technology can have on a student's future career prospects. Among Generation Z participants, 65% felt that access to technology could have changed their career choices, compared to 31% of Baby Boomers or older generations.

The findings highlight the importance of ensuring equitable access to visual technology tools and resources to nurture educational environments grounded in creativity and innovation. In response, Canon's 2024 Grants Program aims to provide resources and tools to support educational and community projects, helping more Australians gain skills useful for careers in media, design, creative arts, and photojournalism.

Kotaro Fukushima, Managing Director for Canon Oceania, emphasised that improving access to technology is a core goal of the 2024 Grants Program. "The Canon Oceania Grants Program is guided by our Kyosei philosophy of living and working together for the common good. Putting these values into practice means helping more Australians have access to technology that allows them to tell their stories, connect with each other, and develop valuable skills. Through this year's Grants Program, Australian organisations and the communities they serve will have the opportunity to receive high-quality photo, video, and printing technology, as well as funding support," said Fukushima.

Previous recipients of the grants program have utilised the funding and Canon equipment to reduce the technological equity gap within their communities. Teigan Butchers, Advocacy Program & Innovation Manager at Cerebral Palsy Alliance, which won the 2023 Canon Education Grant for its CPActive program, highlighted the positive impact of the grant. Butchers stated, "Being the recipient of a Canon Grant has been a big win for our community, giving us another tool to create meaningful change for people with cerebral palsy and similar disabilities."

"The funding and equipment we received through the 2023 Canon Grant allowed us to provide opportunities for our Youth Ambassadors to access photo and video technology, and helped participants develop new skills, tell their stories, and amplify the lived experience of people with disabilities."

Since its inception, the Canon Oceania Grants Program has supported more than 110 community organisations and schools with over AUD $550,000 in funding and products. This year marks the 18th year of the annual program, which will provide each recipient in the categories of Community, Education, Environment, and First Nations with AUD $2,500 in cash and AUD $2,500 worth of Canon products, ranging from cameras and lenses to printers and other accessories.

The 2024 grants will be awarded in the following categories: Community Grant, Education Grant, Environment Grant, and the first-ever First Nations Grant. Each grant aims to support organisations that focus on community welfare, education, environmental sustainability, and First Nations community initiatives. Applications for the grants are now open, and the wider community will vote on finalists in August. Winners will be announced in September.