Australia: Modernised Multicultural Grants Program

Announcement by the Albanese government. Interesting, that Australia provides core funding support as well as support for non-religious training for faith leaders:

The Australian Government commits to supporting a stronger multicultural Australia through the Modernised Multicultural Grants Program.

This program will:

• give more consistent and long term funding to multicultural organisations,
• foster more certainty and sustainability for multicultural organisations, and
• support longer-term initiatives and lasting results.

The funding will support organisations to:

• hold local events,
• celebrate festivals,
• build and deliver support programs,
• improve amenities,
• build facilities, and
• strengthen their ability to serve both members of their own community and the broader society.

This program will give funding through four separate streams:

• Infrastructure for Multicultural Organisations
• Multicultural Grass Roots Initiatives
• Multicultural Peak Body Funding
• Faith Leaders Training

These opportunities are currently under development. For more information on when these grant rounds open, including how to apply for these opportunities, see the Australian Government’s grants information system, GrantConnect.

You can subscribe to the Community Grants Hub mailing list to get notifications of new grant opportunities as they become available.

Infrastructure for Multicultural Organisations

This opportunity will fund grants of up to $20 million over 3 years from 2025-26. You can apply for this round in October 2024.

Successful projects will include construction, upgrade or extension of infrastructure that provides demonstrated benefits to multicultural communities. For example:

• community hubs and centres
• museums, libraries and art spaces
• indoor and outdoor amenities, like food preparation areas, dining spaces, bathrooms, play equipment and barbecue facilities
• meeting and conference facilities
• stages, auditoriums and spaces to encourage performing arts
• spaces for sporting and physical activities.

To be eligible to apply, your project must be investment ready (or ‘shovel ready’), meaning construction can begin within 12 weeks of executing your grant agreement. This means you will have:

• regulatory and/or development approvals,
• evidence of experience in delivering similar sized projects or have engaged a third party with relevant experience,
• evidence of your co-contribution from another source (for example state government funding) or your cash contribution to the project,
• a detailed project proposal, including project plans (designs), timelines and procurement process,
• detailed budget including quotes and cost benefit analysis,
• detailed risk management plan, and
• evidence that you either own the land/infrastructure being built/upgraded upon, or that you have the landowner’s permission to use the land/infrastructure.

Multicultural Grassroots Initiatives

Organisations will be able to apply for grants of up to $100,000 over 2 years from 2024-25 for:

• Multicultural celebrations, such as festivals and events,
• Multicultural amenities, such as building upgrades, furnishings or equipment, or
• Intercultural connections, such as intercultural sports programs or art projects.

You can apply for this round in November 2024.

Multicultural Peak Body Funding

Multicultural peak bodies and community organisations will be able to apply for 4 years of funding of up to $400,000 per year. This will allow them to continue to play a pivotal role in strengthening Australia’s multicultural capacity.

You can apply for this round in December 2024.

Faith Leaders Training

This grant opportunity will provide up to $500,000 per year, over 4 years,  from 2024-25 for organisations to develop and deliver non religious training courses to faith leaders and those in pastoral roles in faith organisations.​

You can apply for this round in December 2024.

Source: Modernised Multicultural Grants Program