Multicultural Community Infrastructure Fund

The same eligibility requirements apply to all applicant organisations and projects. To be eligible for the program, your organisation / application must:

• meet the organisation eligibility criteria 
• have no outstanding reports to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
• meet matched funding requirements 
• include only eligible grant activities 
• submit all mandatory documents.

In most cases, the applicant organisation will be a multicultural community organisation. Eligible organisations include:

• a not-for-profit multicultural community organisation – which you must clearly validate by showing that your organisation is either: 
  • registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission 
  • registered with Consumer Affairs Victoria as an incorporated association 
  • registered under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 (Vic) 
  • or through your organisation’s constitution/rules or governance documents. 

OR 

• a social enterprise with a clearly stated purpose or mission that is specifically related to supporting multiculturalism. 
   

• individuals and sole traders
• local councils
• auspice arrangements (unless for regional or rural multicultural communities, new and emerging multicultural communities, or projects focussed on achieving positive outcomes for women and gender diverse people).
• organisations that:
  • are primarily commercial or established to make a profit (except social enterprises)
  • have failed to comply with the terms and conditions of previously awarded grants
  • can’t demonstrate ability to meet their project’s ongoing maintenance and operational costs
  • groups whose projects are the responsibility of another Victorian State Government Portfolio.

For more information about the fund, eligibility, the application process and what projects can be funded, refer to the program guidelines:

A partnership arrangement may be suitable for organisations from different multicultural communities with similar needs, such as the joint delivery of activities from the same facility.  These organisations may be able to consider a partnership application to undertake their infrastructure project.

OR

If your project falls under a funding priority group (culturally diverse regional or rural multicultural community, new and emerging multicultural community, or a project focussed on achieving positive outcomes for women and gender diverse people) you may collaborate with other organisations and submit a joint partnership application.

If you are interested in partnering with another similar multicultural community organisation to share and upgrade an existing facility or to construct a new shared facility, please email the Multicultural Affairs Programs and Grants Team at multicultural.infrastructure@dffh.vic.gov.au.

Auspice arrangements are permitted only for new and emerging multicultural community organisations and projects; regional and rural located projects; and projects focussed on achieving positive outcomes for women and gender diverse people.

If your organisation is not incorporated or does not have an ABN, you may still apply if you are supported by an eligible auspice organisation that has agreed to manage the grant for you.

Auspice organisations can include local councils, schools, and TAFEs. 

Does your project have a strong project scope, community need and alignment with the MCIF objectives?

The application should clearly describe the project and demonstrate the community need for the project by explaining how the project will fill an existing gap in community infrastructure. The scope and reach of activities proposed will also be considered.

The application must demonstrate strong alignment to the objective of the MCIF, and the extent to which the project will: 

• support the community to celebrate and share their history and traditions
• build community connections and networks to participate in society
• assist your community to have access to opportunities and deliver social outcomes for the community.

Does your project represent strong value for public money?

Your application must include and demonstrate:

• A realistic project budget that reflects project activities and deliverables
• All quotes and accurate cost estimates for all project activities
• The funding request is proportionate to the scale of the project in relation to the benefits and outcomes for the community.

Is your project feasible?

Your application must include a detailed project plan outlining information about:

• key activities and milestones
• contractors identified to undertake work
• an itemised breakdown of how the grant funding will be spent
• a list of any assets to be purchased with the funding.

Your application must include a risk plan identifying and detailing:

• potential project risks
• risk mitigation strategies.

Organisational capability 

Your application must clearly demonstrate the capability of your organisation to deliver the infrastructure project by outlining:

• relevant project management experience or evidence of the organisation's plans to source expertise to deliver the project 
• evidence of financial viability, including demonstrated capacity to meet matched funding requirements (for example, bank statements and financial statements) 
• any relevant experience and evidence of managing grant funding from the Victorian Government.

• Your application will be assessed and scored against the MCIF program eligibility and assessment criteria detailed in the program guidelines.
• Following these assessments, your application will be reviewed by an expert assessment panel that includes representatives from DFFH, the Victorian Multicultural Commission and other relevant independent experts.
• The final decision is made by the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. Once a decision has been made, the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing will advise you if you have been successful or not.
• The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing can decide to change the MCIF guidelines at any time.

Program open date: Wednesday 27 September 2023
Program close: Wednesday 6 December 2023 3:00 pm

Applications for the program must be submitted via the Grants Gateway.

If you are having trouble registering at Grants Gateway, contact DFFH at grantspolicy@dffh.vic.gov.au or download:

Please note that late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
If you experience any difficulties, please contact us prior to the program close date and time.

Please contact the Multicultural Affairs Programs and Grants Team at multicultural.infrastructure@dffh.vic.gov.au

If you require an interpreter:

Please contact the Multicultural Affairs Programs and Grants Team at multicultural.infrastructure@dffh.vic.gov.au to request a call back and advise us of your preferred language.

If you are deaf, hearing impaired or speech impaired:

Please Multicultural Affairs Programs and Grants Team at multicultural.infrastructure@dffh.vic.gov.au to request a call back and tell us the National Relay Service you would like us to use to contact you.

2022-2023 Successful grants

2021-2022 Successful grants

2020-2021 Successful grants

2019-2020 Successful grants

2018-2019 Successful grants

2017-2018 Successful grants

2016-2017 Successful grants