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Image: (L-R Top) Charlestown East Public School, Guthrie House
(L-R Bottom) Turtles in Trouble Rescue Inc, Smart Pups Assistance Dogs
Sydney, AUSTRALIA – 17 August 2026: Celebrating two decades of empowering local heroes, Canon Oceania has today announced the winners of its 2026 Grants Program, placing technology and funding directly into the hands of grassroots organisations driving meaningful change across Australia and New Zealand.
Created to champion the power of visual storytelling in bridging divides, protecting biodiversity, and preserving cultural heritage, the Grants Program marks its 20th anniversary milestone by awarding four Australian recipients $5,000 each ($2,500 in financial support and $2,500 in Canon technology). To further celebrate the anniversary, in addition to the four grant recipients, Canon will present a Judges' Award to one organisation, providing up to $10,000 worth of studio time with a professional photographer or videographer at Canon's studios in Sydney (Macquarie Park) or Melbourne (South Melbourne) to help amplify their message and reach broader audiences.
Guided by its corporate philosophy of Kyosei – living and working together for the common good – Canon’s flagship community grants initiative has now invested more than $700,000 in funding, technology and content support for grassroots organisations across Australia and New Zealand since its launch.
“For 20 years, our Grants Program has been grounded in the simple belief that when you give passionate local people the tools to share their stories, the positive impact ripples right across the community,” said Kotaro Fukushima, Managing Director & CEO of Canon Oceania.
“This year’s Australian winners embody the dedication found at the heart of our community. We are proud to back their vision and provide the technology and funds that they need to drive lasting, positive change.”
A trained assistance dog can transform a child’s life by providing safety, independence, and unconditional companionship to children living with autism, diabetes, or mobility challenges. At Smart Pups’ new Community Shed, families, volunteers, and young people gather to contribute to the assistance dog training program. Through its "Through Their Eyes" visual project, Smart Pups will document the quiet, powerful moments of connection that occur within the facility, from a young volunteer acquiring training skills to a child taking their first confident steps beside their assistance dog. The Canon grant provides essential equipment to capture this journey and foster broader disability inclusion
Sharni Pinder at Smart Pups Assistance Dogs, said, “Changing Lives One Paw at a Time is at the heart of everything we do at Smart Pups. The Canon Grant will allow us to bring our “Through Their Eyes” project to life, capturing the powerful connection between assistance dogs, children with disabilities, families, volunteers and the entire village behind our Community Shed initiative and training program. By sharing stories, we hope to inspire greater understanding, inclusion and awareness of the life changing impact Smart Pups Assistance Dogs have on confidence, independence, belonging and so much more.”
Inspired by a student’s idea, the Charlestown East Public School P&C is launching “The Charlestown East Voice”, a student-led newspaper and photo studio giving every K–6 student a real-world role as a reporter, photographer, or editor. Their inaugural campaign will document a student initiative turning recycled plastic into a new school bike rack, bringing circular-economy principles to life. Equipped with a student-friendly Canon camera and printer, these young reporters will capture classroom life and produce their publication on-site for the entire school community.
Asya Khristosova, Charlestown East Public School P&C, said, “Charlestown East Public School is very excited to receive the Education Grant from Canon to support the production of its student newsletter, an activity dedicated to promoting student voice within the school community. The idea was initiated by one of the Year 4 students who put a proposal forward to the Principal and now with this grant, the student newspaper will be able to grow and develop as a platform where the students can share their perspectives, stories and ideas. Student empowerment, as well as the development of creativity, leadership, collaboration, organisation and production skills, will be the outcomes of this initiative. The grant funds will be used to purchase the tools required to produce a quality student newsletter, and will support training for the student editors.”
Formed in response to the devastating 2021–2022 floods on the Fraser Coast, Turtles in Trouble Rescue responds to emergency callouts for sick and injured sea turtles, animals of deep cultural significance to the local Butchulla Nation and vital to the marine ecosystem. Previously relying on mobile phones, volunteers require high-resolution imaging to identify individual turtles, assess injuries, and supply accurate data to the Department of Environment, Technology, Science and Innovation (DETSI). The Canon camera will significantly upgrade data quality for both internal monitoring and government reporting, along with a Canon printer to print vital training and community engagement material.
Lisa McCudden at Turtles in Trouble, said, “We are absolutely thrilled and deeply grateful to have been chosen as the winner of the Canon Oceania Grant – Environmental category. This was only possible due to our volunteers and our community who support our Rescue wholeheartedly. To all those who voted for us – thank you – your belief in our work means funding for vital fuel costs incurred transporting sick and injured sea turtles to Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital for specialist care, while the Canon equipment will strengthen our rescue and conservation efforts for years to come. We would also like to thank Canon for this opportunity.”
Guthrie House is a specialist women’s recovery service supporting individuals impacted by trauma, homelessness, and the criminal justice system, with approximately 78% of residents identifying as Aboriginal women. Its "Through Our Eyes" initiative uses photography and visual storytelling to strengthen social and emotional wellbeing, giving women a creative outlet to explore identity, healing, and belonging. Using Canon cameras and portable printers, participants will capture personal stories of recovery and print tangible "healing cards" for ongoing therapeutic and cultural support.
Christine Duggan at Guthrie House, said, “Guthrie House is incredibly grateful to Canon for awarding us the First Nations Grant. We are excited to see the ‘Through Our Eyes’ project come to life, giving Aboriginal women the opportunity to explore and share their stories of healing, identity, culture and belonging through photography and creative expression. The photographs and reflections created will become lasting healing resources, made by Aboriginal women for Aboriginal women.”
In addition to receiving the First Nations Grant, Canon has also awarded its Judges' Award to Guthrie House, providing up to $10,000 worth of studio time with a professional photographer or videographer (up to $10,000 value) at Canon Studios in Macquarie Park to support its future storytelling and content creation efforts.
More information about Canon Oceania’s 2026 Grants Program, including current and previous winners, is available on Canon’s website at: https://www.canon.com.au/about-canon/community/grants
