Multicultural grants auspice and partnership applications

Information organisations need to know when applying for a multicultural grant under an auspice or partnership arrangement.

Auspice arrangements

An auspice arrangement is when a larger organisation assists a smaller organisation to fund a grant activity or event.

The larger organisation is known as the auspice organisation. Your community group or organisation is known as the grant recipient.

Will my organisation need to enter into an auspice arrangement when applying for a grant?

Yes it will if your community group or organisation is not registered under the:

  • Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
  • Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 (Vic)

Check if your organisation is registered using the Australian Business Register's ABN Lookup. To do this you'll need your organisation's:

  • legal name
  • ABN

When does my organisation need to confirm our auspice arrangement?

You will need to confirm your auspice arrangement when submitting your grant application.

You will also need to provide:

  • contact details for the auspice
  • evidence that they have agreed to fund your proposed grant activity or event.

What are the responsibilities of the auspice organisation?

If your grant application is successful your auspice organisation will be responsible for:

  • signing the grant agreement
  • all legal and financial responsibility of the grant on your organisations behalf
  • receiving and distributing grant funds under the grant agreement
  • ensuring all grant activities or events are completed
  • submitting accountability and evaluation reports and financial acquittals on your organisations behalf.

Can we include the auspice fee in our grant application budget?

Yes. If the auspice organisation has agreed to manage your grant funds, they may ask for an auspice fee.

An auspice fee cannot be greater than 10 percent of the total requested grant budget.

You will need to include any auspice organisation fees in your grant application.

Auspice fees may be for:

  • holding and distributing funds
  • providing access to a hot desk and resources
  • agreeing to provide business or mentoring advice.

Where can I find an auspice organisation?

Search the Victorian Multicultural Commission Community Directory for a multicultural or multifaith organisation.

You may also be able to enter into an auspice arrangement with local councils or schools. Read each grant's Program Guidelines to confirm.

The Programs and Grants Team team cannot assist you to find an auspice organisations.

Partnership applications

Partnership applications are well received by grant selection panels.

Partnership applications often:

  • represent value for money
  • show cross-cultural collaboration between multicultural or multifaith organisations and networks
  • support intercultural and interfaith community groups to build ongoing relationships.

Should my organisation consider a partnership application?

Your organisation should consider a partnership arrangement if your:

  • resources such as physical location, volunteers, skills and knowledge can be shared
  • grant activity or event reaches one or more multicultural or multifaith communities
  • grant activity or event shares a purpose and could reach more Victorians together.

How do we submit a partnership application?

One organisation will submit the application on behalf of all organisations or groups. This organisation is the primary contact for the grant application.

In your grant application your will need to:

  • state it is a partnership grant application
  • list all organisations and community groups partnering (demonstrating they are eligible organisations)
  • outline roles and responsibilities for each organisation or community group.

Read your grants Program Guideline for more information.

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