Program overview

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Program overview

The Local Anti-Racism Initiatives Grants Program will fund First Peoples, multicultural and multifaith community organisations and groups to deliver community-led responses to racism.

This program forms part of the Victorian Government’s vision for a more inclusive state under the Victorian anti-racism strategy 2024-29.

Grants of up to $40,000 (excluding GST) are available under two streams:

  • Stream 1: Local anti-racism initiatives delivered by First Peoples-led or community-controlled organisations
  • Stream 2: Local anti-racism initiatives delivered by multicultural and multifaith community organisations.

This program recognises that while eliminating racism in Victoria is not the responsibility of First Peoples, multicultural and multifaith communities, these communities have the expertise, lived experience and specialised knowledge to deliver local community-driven responses.

This program represents only one part of the Victorian Government’s efforts to combat racism in Victoria and will be delivered alongside other initiatives to address structural racism, as outlined in the Victorian anti-racism strategy 2024-29.

This is a competitive grants program administered by the Multicultural Affairs portfolio, in partnership with First Peoples – State Relations, in the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Key dates

  • Applications open Thursday 30 July 2026
  • Applications close at 12pm (midday) on Thursday 27 August 2026
  • Project must be delivered before Friday 31 December 2027.

Program objectives

Organisations and groups funded through this program must demonstrate how their activities will deliver at least one of the following four program objectives:

  1. Understanding racism

Increase broader community understanding and awareness of racism, its impact and the importance of anti-racist behaviour and practices at the local level.

  1. First Peoples history and culture

Promote awareness and understanding of First Peoples’ history and culture, and the historic and ongoing impacts of colonisation.

  1. Capacity building

Support local communities and community organisations to build their capacity to respond to racism and support affected individuals.

  1. Reporting and rights

Improve community reporting of racist incidents and understanding of people’s rights.

Priority communities

Additional considerations will be given to applications with a clear and demonstrated commitment to engaging First Peoples, multicultural or multifaith communities who are also part of the following priority communities:

  • refugees and people seeking asylum
  • new and emerging communities
  • regional and rural Victorians
  • women
  • people with disability
  • seniors
  • youth people
  • LGBTIQA+ communities.

Types of activities that will be funded

Below are examples of the types of activities that will be funded through this grants round:

  • initiatives that establish new community-led reporting avenues, increase the awareness of existing reporting avenues and/or build community confidence to report racist incidents
  • initiatives that build capacity in communities to respond to racist incidents and provide culturally safe and accessible supports to affected individuals and communities
  • initiatives that promote awareness and understanding of First Peoples’ history and culture, and the historic and ongoing impacts of colonisation
  • activities focused on addressing online racism and on building capacity of online users to respond to online hate
  • projects that increase the availability of anti-racism materials, resources and supports within local community infrastructure
  • initiatives that amplify First Peoples, multicultural and multifaith voices in the media and aim to shift racist attitudes
  • educational programs that build understanding of racism and individual rights, and/or facilitate anti-racist and anti-discrimination behaviours
  • arts, sports and youth programs that engage participants from diverse backgrounds and promote positive ways to address and respond to racism
  • activities that develop, strengthen or expand community networks, including building new networks and connections with different communities and organisations
  • action-based research generated through community projects, that respond to local challenges and align with program objectives.

What will not be funded

These activities will not be funded through this grants round:

  • political activities
  • religious activities
  • recurrent administrative, infrastructure and other organisational costs including the day to day running costs of an organisation such as rent, utilities, office supplies and supplementing non-program staff wages
  • public liability insurance
  • set-up costs of a business
  • purchase of capital equipment (including hardware or software)
  • purchase or lease of buildings or land
  • travel outside Victoria
  • visits to Victoria from people interstate or overseas
  • competitions, commercial, or fundraising activities
  • retrospective funding for projects or programs that begun prior to 30 October 2026 or have been completed prior to October 2026
  • activities that do not benefit Victorians
  • expenses not related to the activity outlined in the application.

Updated

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