Multicultural Grants Program
The Multicultural Grant Program features the following streams of funding to support our multicultural communities:
- Advance Together – Grants to assist multicultural organisations to improve their governance and strengthen their capacity building skills
- Celebrate Together – Grants to assist multicultural organisations to host festivals and events to celebrate cultural diversity
- Expand Together – Grants to assist multicultural organisations to expand their capacity by upgrading community facilities or purchasing equipment to meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse communities
- Stronger Together – Grants to assist multicultural organisations to develop and deliver projects that strengthen families and communities and improve their access to better social and economic opportunities.
- Multicultural Media Grants – Grants to assist eligible multicultural and multilingual media organisations to purchase or upgrade their equipment and provide training to enable skill development in communication.
For opening and closing dates, refer to the specific funding streams' guidelines.
To be eligible for funding, multicultural organisations must:
- be non-government, not-for-profit and
- incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act 1985, or
- an Australian Public Company Limited by Guarantee under the Corporations Act 2001, or
- a Statutory Authority established through an Act, or
- registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission with a comparable legal status
- have a registered Australian Business Number (ABN)
- provide satisfactory evidence that their core purpose is to deliver initiatives, services or support for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in South Australia
- be South Australian based.
Media organisations must provide satisfactory evidence that their primary focus is to deliver media for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in South Australia.
The following are ineligible for funding:
- non-multicultural organisations
- organisations that have outstanding obligations for previously awarded grants
- educational institutions or related representative bodies, e.g. schools and/or their parents’ associations, universities and for-profit childcare centres
- individuals or organisations applying on behalf of an individual
- for-profit organisations or private companies
- Commonwealth, state or local government department and agencies
- multicultural organisations that have been incorporated for less than one year
- unincorporated Associations.
Contact Multicultural Affairs on 1300 239 468 or email MulticulturalAffairs@sa.gov.au.
Use the online application form.
Yes. If you do not have a computer, your local library has computers, which you can use. If you need assistance call 1300 239 468 or email MulticulturalAffairs@sa.gov.au.
On the login screen click on the 'Forgotten your password?' link, enter the email address and username you registered with and click on the reset button. An email will be sent to the registered email address. Follow the instructions and click on the link provided. This will take you to a page where you can enter your new password.
Yes. To change the email address associated with your Smarty Grants account email MulticulturalAffairs@sa.gov.au. Please include the current email address, the new email address, and the evidence to support the change required. E.g. Committee position change or change of public officer.
To enable the assessment panel to make an informed decision, ensure you answer all the questions in the online application form and provide enough information about the project, so they understand what the funding will be used for. For example:
- Provide a short summary of the project – describe what the project will do (the purpose and how it will be delivered)
- Describe why you have chosen the project – explain the community need, who will benefit, how they will benefit and how you will measure the outcomes
- Provide information about how the project complements your organisation’s existing programs and services.
List all project items in separate rows in the budget. Ensure you check the Guidelines for information about what items are eligible for funding. If you have many items, you can group them by types (e.g. hire of equipment). A detailed budget can be provided in an attachment. For wages, include the Award, level and rate per hour.
A quote should be provided in an attachment, if the item (or total of the grouped items) is $100 and over.
Organisations not registered for GST must include GST in their grant request.
Organisation registered for GST must not include GST in their grant request.
Stronger Together Grants
The entire budget for the two year project should be provided. The maximum budget amount your organisation can request over the two years is $200,000. Fifty percent of the grant will be provided at the beginning of each financial year and needs to be expended during that financial year.
Expand Together grants over $50,000 require a co-contribution and the entire project costs need to be included. For grants over $50,000 and up to $100,000 a minimum co-contribution will be calculated on the basis of the geographical location that the equipment or facility upgrade will occur. Any additional funding required for the project beyond the maximum of 100,000 will need to be provided by the organisation.
The itemised total project budget has been capped at $200,000. If your total project budget is higher than this amount you may wish to include information about additional project costs in the attachments in the other supporting documents section at the end of the application.
Celebrate Together grants over $5,000 require a co-contribution of at least one dollar for every dollar of South Australian Government funding, and the entire project costs need to be included. Any additional funding required for the project beyond the maximum of $30,000 will need to be provided by the organisation.
The itemised total project budget has been capped at $60,000 for the Large Grants. If your total project budget is higher than this amount you may wish to include information about additional project costs in the attachments in the other supporting documents section at the end of the application.
No. Applications submitted after 11 pm on the day the round closes, will not be accepted.
It is important to check the Guidelines for a full list of supporting documentation required, as the requirements for each funding stream are different. It is also dependent on the item and the amount of funding requested.
If the grant round is still open, email Multicultural Affairs at MulticulturalAffairs@sa.gov.au with the application number and request to have the application re-opened.
Please note for each funding stream the following applies:
- One application per organisation per round.
- Organisations with regional offices can submit one application per regional office.
- Key multicultural service providers, who have a direct responsibility working with culturally and linguistically diverse communities, can apply up to two times per round, as a lead agency in partnership with one or more multicultural community organisations.
It is important to check the Guidelines for the specific stream for further clarification.
2022-23 funding
Expand Together round 2: The Chief Executive or President of your organisation can expect to receive a notification letter in late November 2022.
Celebrate Together round 2: The Chief Executive or President of your organisation can expect to receive a notification letter in mid December 2022.
The funding period is dependent on the grant initiative:
- Multicultural Media – agreements will be a maximum of 12 months
- Expand Together – agreements will be a maximum of 12 months
- Stronger Together – agreements will be a maximum of 24 months
- Celebrate Together – agreements will be a maximum of 12 months.
Your organisation must use the funds in line with the project purpose as outlined in your grant agreement. If you are unable to complete the project or use grant funds for purposes other than outlined in your grant agreement, you may be required to return the funds to Multicultural Affairs. Please contact Multicultural Affairs on 1300 239 468 as early as possible to discuss any changes to your project. No changes will be considered after the end date of the grant agreement.
You can complete your organisation’s acquittal online after funds have been expended. An acquittal form will be added to your Smarty Grants account shortly after your grant agreement is issued.
To view the form, your organisation’s registered user must first be Logged In to the account. Once logged in, click on the My Submissions link near the top left of the screen and the acquittal form will be directly underneath the successful application.
Refer to these instructions to find out more.
Yes. All purchased items obtained with one off grant funding require a receipt to be kept for five years. A copy of all receipts over $100 must be submitted when your organisation acquits the funding.