Services

Professional Services

As Independent Economic Experts, FNE specialises in the following services:

Business Cases, Evidence Development, and Cost-Benefit Analysis

We deliver robust business cases and evidence-based solutions to support informed decision-making. Our team conducts detailed cost-benefit analyses to ensure initiatives deliver measurable value and long-term impact for First Nations communities.

Data and Economic Analysis

Leveraging data to drive outcomes, we provide comprehensive economic analysis and insights. From data collection to interpretation, our expertise ensures decisions are backed by accurate, culturally informed, and actionable data.

Economic and Public Policy

FNE specialises in shaping economic and public policies that center First Nations perspectives. Through expert advice and advocacy, we work to influence systemic change, ensuring policies are equitable, effective, and impactful.

Strategy Development

We design tailored strategies to align with the cultural, economic, and social aspirations of First Peoples. Our collaborative approach ensures that strategies are both actionable and sustainable, empowering communities to thrive.

Program Design

FNE creates programs that are responsive to community needs, embedding First Nations values in every stage. From ideation to implementation, we deliver programs that achieve tangible outcomes and foster community-led growth.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Our team provides rigorous monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess program performance and impact. We ensure accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement to drive meaningful results.

Consultation, Facilitation, and Co-Design

We lead inclusive consultation and co-design processes, bringing together First Nations communities and key stakeholders. Our facilitation ensures cultural safety, mutual respect, and genuine collaboration in delivering shared goals.

Reconciliation Action Plans and Implementation Strategies

We guide organisations in developing and implementing meaningful Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs). Our expertise ensures strategies are culturally responsive, achievable, and aligned with reconciliation commitments.

First Nations Employment and Leadership

FNE supports pathways to employment and leadership for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We design initiatives that create opportunities for professional growth, fostering a new generation of leaders.

Community Engagement and Communications

We specialise in culturally appropriate community engagement and communications strategies. By building trust and fostering open dialogue, we ensure that the voices of First Nations peoples are heard, valued, and acted upon.

Submit a Request for Proposal

Have a specific project in mind? Submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) outlining your needs and objectives, and we'll contact you to discuss how we can assist.

Gurminder Saro

Interim Chair

Associate Professor Rick Macourt is a proud, queer Gumbaynggirr man, lawyer, and economic specialist. He leads First Nations Economics as Managing Director of Strategy and Foundation and serves as Associate Dean of First Nations Strategy and Services at the University of Sydney.

With over 15 years of experience spanning government, corporate, and not-for-profit sectors, Rick is deeply committed to advancing the economic development of First Peoples. As the former Director of First Nations Expenditure and Outcomes at NSW Treasury, he spearheaded the state’s inaugural Indigenous expenditure reporting processes and established the groundbreaking First Nations budget process in 2021/22. Previously, Rick held an executive role at the Westpac Group, overseeing First Nations affairs, and has a rich history in government, monitoring, evaluation, and negotiation, with senior positions at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, City of Sydney, and Standards Australia.

Rick is a published author with Oxford University Press, a member of the First Nations Advisory Board of Siemens Australia, and a Non-Executive Director on the board of Barnardos Australia.