Victorian Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ros Spence today announced up to $8 million in grants for additional support for multicultural communities.
This funding is under the CALD Communities Taskforce working in partnership with local communities to make sure they get the support they need throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
The grant will provide emergency relief, outreach and other projects that add to Victoria’s social and economic recovery.
This initiative builds on the success of the first phase of the Priority Response for Multicultural Communities Program last year, which supported 70,000 Victorians in partnership with more than 160 community organisations.
The first phase was able to fund more than 135,000 culturally appropriate meals and 42,000 food kits delivered to those that needed them, more than 25,200 outreach calls made and 1,100 online activities with over 63,000 participants to keep communities connected.
Eligibility
The following organisations will be eligible to apply for this grant:
- local council
- not-for-profit organisation that delivers services to community
- regional or state-wide peak multicultural/interfaith organisation
- faith-based or community-led organisation representing multicultural and faith communities
Successful applicants in the first phase will still be able to apply for funding in the second phase.
The Program addresses the ongoing need to provide immediate relief to multicultural communities affected by the pandemic and aims to build the capacity of local community networks, organisations and services that do the important support work on the ground.
What can be funded by the current program
The phase two funding program is directed towards activities that will support multicultural and faith communities to protect themselves from becoming positive to coronavirus (COVID-19). This includes support for individuals to follow health directions. The grant can be used for:
- purchase of items such as emergency relief essentials (including food)
- personal health safety items such as masks and hand sanitiser
- technology and software to be used for communicating relevant COVID-19 information
- delivery of services such as community engagement, health communication and education
- translation of health messages, consistent with all current health directions and advice from the Department of Health
- outreach and community support, including translation services
Funding may also extend to any other activities as identified by communities and their representatives and accepted by Multicultural Affairs. This can include support for multicultural and faith communities to protect themselves from becoming positive to coronavirus (COVID-19) as well as for testing and for individuals to follow health directions, or address social and economic coronavirus (COVID-19) risk factors and vulnerabilities.
“We know multicultural communities have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic – this is about providing targeted and tailored support to groups that are doing it especially tough,” Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ros Spence said.
“We’ve already rolled out millions in support over the past year – for food, clothing, emergency relief – but also ensuring organisations on the ground strengthen and build their networks, so that no one is left alone,” said Minister Spence.
The funding will be based on the needs of the community at the time they are assessed. Priority will be given to applications demonstrating targeted support for those communities most in need, as well as those for new and emerging multicultural communities, multicultural women, multicultural young people and international students.
Applications will close on Friday, 28 May 2021. For more information and to apply for a grant, visit the Victorian government website.
