Pride Events and Festivals Fund 2026-27

To help you with the application process, the Equality Programs team hosts 3 free online information sessions.

Two of the sessions provide an overview of the program and information on how to apply.

There is an additional information session on 15 July for unincorporated groups applying with an auspice. The session will include:

• a brief overview of the program
• auspice and project organisation responsibilities
• a demonstration of how to apply with an auspice.

Register to attend a session:

• Monday 13 July, 12 pm – 1 pm
• Wednesday 15 July, 5 pm – 6 pm (for applicants using an auspice)
• Wednesday 22 July, 5 pm – 6 pm

The Pride Events and Festivals Fund supports events that:

• connect communities
• celebrate diversity
• build resilience
• promote inclusion.

Strong applicants in both streams will show how their event supports all 3 of the following program objectives. Funded events should put actions in place to:

• celebrate diverse and intersectional LGBTIQA+ communities
• create opportunities for LGBTIQA+ Victorians to connect
• enable all Victorians to take part in safe, inclusive and accessible events.

To be eligible to apply for a grant your organisation must be an incorporated not-for-profit community organisation (or other form of legal entity) and have:

• a current Australian Business Number (ABN)
• no overdue final reports or other reporting requirements from previous state government funded grants. This includes reports, acquittals, evaluations and any requests the department has made of your organisation.

You must also be either:

• a community, not-for-profit or peak community body based in Victoria that is an incorporated legal entity under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2001 (Vic) or a similar type of organisation, or
• a social enterprise with a clearly stated purpose or mission statement related specifically to supporting LGBTIQA+ communities. Social enterprises must:
  • have an economic, social, cultural or environmental mission consistent with public or community benefit
  • get most of their income from business trade, rather than from donations or grants
  • reinvest most (more than 50%) of their profit or surplus into their mission.

To be eligible for this program, non-LGBTIQA+ social enterprises must partner with an LGBTIQA+ community group or organisation.

Organisations that do not meet these criteria are not eligible to apply for funding. But they might consider partnering with an eligible organisation under an auspice arrangement. Download the program guidelines for more information.

Examples of activities we might fund include:

• events and festivals celebrating LGBTIQA+ arts, culture, music and history
• networking or educational events, such as:
  • forums
  • conferences
  • hackathons
  • guest speaker series
• events that promote and support a better understanding of LGBTIQA+ diversity and intersectionality. These events should be designed for or in consultation with LGBTIQA+ communities
• community capacity-building events that connect LGBTIQA+ communities and allies
• events that promote a greater understanding of LGBTIQA+ issues
• events that address LGBTIQA+ discrimination
• events that promote visibility and use connections for priority LGBTIQA+ communities. This includes those listed in the program guidelines as priority cohorts
• events hosted online, in-person or in a hybrid format
• transport that increases accessibility to your event. For example:
• a chartered bus to transport regional attendees to an event
• regional travel bursaries
• community engagement and co-design activities to design and deliver your event
• wages for staff for the time employed or contracted to deliver your event. For example:
  • project manager
  • box office staff
  • lighting designer
• other communications activities for your event. For example:
  • marketing
  • merchandise for sale
  • advertising.

Organisations that are not registered for GST can use grant funds to cover the cost of GST from goods and services bought with the department’s grant funds. Get more information, including what this means for your grant application, from DFFH Grants Gateway - Help guides and documents1.

Events that take place during the 2027 Midsumma Festival season are eligible for funding. Please note in your application if your event is proposed as part of Midsumma Festival programming.

Download the program guidelines for more information.

In 2026–27, the total available funding is $400,000.

To support a diverse range of events across Victoria in 2026–27, you can apply for funding for eligible events under one of 2 program streams:

• small stream – grants of up to $10,000 for small events and festivals for LGBTIQA+ communities
• large stream – grants of between $10,001 and $25,000 for large events and festivals for LGBTIQA+ communities. Organisations applying under the large stream must show consideration in their application for capacity building and event sustainability.

The department assesses applications against the program objectives, the weighted assessment criteria in the following table, and other additional assessment considerations, including:

• priority group representation
• value for money
• regional and rural community representation
• event sustainability and capacity building, for large stream applications only.

Merit assessment criteria for all applications

Download an accessible document of all the questions included in the PEFF application from this page to help you write your application.

Applying

• Register to log-in to the DFFH Grants Gateway to complete an application.
• If you can’t apply through the Grants Gateway, email equality-grants@dffh.vic.gov.au.
• Answer all questions. The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (the department) does not accept incomplete applications.
• Attach relevant or mandatory documents with the application.
• Submit the application by the due date and time.

After you apply

Applications close on Friday 7 August 2026 at 5pm.

• To ensure a fair process, we do not consider late or incomplete applications.
• Respond to requests from the department for more information to support your application.

Below are a number of resources that may assist you to prepare your application, as well as to plan and deliver your event successfully.

Pride Events and Festivals Fund Guidelines 2026-27

Other useful resources

• Register for an information session. Links to register are in the information sessions section above.
• Pride in our future: Victoria’s LGBTIQA+ strategy 2022–2032
• Victorian Government - LGBTIQA+ inclusive language guide
• How to write a grant application
• Victorian Government - Grant terminology explained
• Email equality-grants@dffh.vic.gov.au to ask the team any questions.