GO8278: Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program 2026–27

The Australian Government is inviting organisations via a demand driven process to apply to deliver services under the Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) Program.

The BEST Program 2026–27 will run over a 3-year period, commencing in the financial year 2026–27, ending in financial year 2028–29.

The BEST Program forms part of the Australian Government’s commitment to supporting the role of ex-service organisation (ESO) compensation and wellbeing advocates, who provide advice and assistance to the veteran and defence communities.

The BEST Program has been updated and simplified in response to the recommendations from the Senate Standing Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee Inquiry into issues relating to advocacy services for veterans accessing compensation and income support, and recommendation 99 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide final report.

The objectives of the BEST Program are to assist ESOs to: provide free advocacy services to veterans and families of veterans improve the quality of claims received by DVA at the primary determining level promote the provision of wellbeing services to the veteran and defence communities.

The intended outcomes of the BEST Program are to ensure: the veteran and defence communities have access to free compensation and wellbeing advocacy services the veteran and defence communities benefit from ESO advocates who can lodge claims with DVA that are of a high standard and contain all required information to enable timely and quality decisions at no cost to the veteran ESO advocates can assist in improving claims assessment efficiency.

All ESOs must be registered on the ATDP Advocacy Register and have a clear pathway on their website for compensation or wellbeing advocacy support.

To apply in your own right you must be one of the eligible entity types listed in the guidelines (examples include Company, Cooperative, Corporate State or Territory Entity, Incorporated Association, Indigenous Corporation, Statutory Entity); trustees may apply on behalf of a Trust if both Trustee and Trust are ESOs and the Trustee is an eligible entity type.

Alternatively, an eligible ESO may act as a sponsor and apply on behalf of another ESO (the sponsor must complete the application and manage funds).

Additional requirements include ensuring advocacy work is undertaken by appropriately qualified ATDP advocates (TIP‑trained advocate work is ineligible), commitment to meeting the Service Standards for Claims Advocacy, all previous DVA grants acquitted by the closing time, appropriate professional indemnity insurance (e.g., VITA or similar) and compliance with applicable checks (Working with Children / Working with Vulnerable People) and workplace/legislative requirements.

ESO and advocate membership of a mandated professional organisation may be required from a date mandated by DVA.