Multicultural Community Infrastructure Fund

Grants of up to $400,000 are available to support multicultural community groups to undertake upgrades or build community facilities.

2023-24 Multicultural Community Infrastructure Fund

Status: Closed

Who can apply: Not-for-profit groups

Funding: $0 - $400,000

The 2023-24 Multicultural Community Infrastructure Fund (MCIF) supports Victoria’s multicultural community organisations to have safe and secure places to celebrate and share their history and traditions, build connections, and thrive.

Up to $400,000 in funding is available for community organisations to upgrade, renovate, extend or build multicultural community infrastructure.

Funding will be available across the following eight categories:

six specific communities (Chinese, Greek, Indian, Italian, Islamic, and Lebanese)
all other multicultural communities
multicultural museum feasibility studies

This year MCIF will encourage organisations to take an inclusive and intersectional approach to their projects and will prioritise applications from, or that target, the following three groups:

new and emerging multicultural communities
regional or rural multicultural communities
projects focused on achieving positive outcomes for women and gender diverse people.

Projects targeting one or more of these priority groups will receive a higher score in the assessment phase and will not be required to meet the matched funding criteria.

Applications are limited to one application per organisation.

Applications close on Wednesday 6 December at 3pm.

Organisations will be notified of the outcome of their application in early 2024.

Translated fact sheets

We want to ensure that a broad cross section of multicultural communities access this important funding, and to support this, we have developed fact sheets in the following languages. Please download these and share with your networks:

MCIF Grant Program fact sheet - Arabic Word 5.62 MB (opens in a new window)

MCIF Grant Program fact sheet - Hindi Word 5.49 MB (opens in a new window)

MCIF Grant Program fact sheet - Punjabi Word 5.42 MB (opens in a new window)

MCIF Grant Program fact sheet - Simplified Chinese Word 5.36 MB (opens in a new window)

MCIF Grant Program fact sheet - Traditional Chinese Word 5.52 MB (opens in a new window)

MCIF Grant Program fact sheet - Vietnamese Word 5.35 MB (opens in a new window)

Information sessions

Online information sessions will be held to support organisations in their application process.

Drop in Q&A Session - Wednesday 1 November 2023, 12-1 pm - Register via Eventbrite
Drop in Q&A Session - Thursday 16 November 2023, 12-1 pm - Register via Eventbrite

FAQs

Please find below our responses to questions asked in the information sessions. Please familiarise yourself with these prior to attending future information sessions.

MCIF Information Sessions - FAQ responses Word 133.55 KB (opens in a new window)

Guidelines

Open all

Eligibility

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.

Who can apply

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.

Who can not apply

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:

2023-24 Multicultural Community Infrastructure Fund program guidelines (accessible) Word 770.79 KB (opens in a new window)

Partnership applications

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.

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 applications

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.

Assessment criteria

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.

How will your application be assessed?

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.

How to apply

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:

How to Register for the Grants Gateway (accessible) Word 326.16 KB (opens in a new window)

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.

Previous successful grants

Updated 7 January 2025

Economic Growth Statement

Mini vic.gov.au

Multicultural Community Infrastructure Fund

2023-24 Multicultural Community Infrastructure Fund

Translated fact sheets

Information sessions

FAQs

Guidelines

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

Does your project represent strong value for public money?

Is your project feasible?

Organisational capability

If you require an interpreter:

If you are deaf, hearing impaired or speech impaired:

2023-2024 Successful grants

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

About the VIC Government

Grants and programs

Jobs and careers

Arts, culture and heritage

Business and the workplace

Communities

Education and training

Environment, water and energy

Finance and economy

Housing and property

Law and justice

Safety and emergencies

Science and technology

Sport and recreation

Traffic and transport

Working in the Victorian Government