Community Grants Program

Providing funding to empower culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities in Western Australia to design, deliver and partner on projects that address their needs.

The Office of Multicultural Interests (OMI) offers grant funding through its Community Grants Program (CGP) with a total annual budget of $500,000.

The program supports CaLD community-led activities that:

celebrate and promote WA's cultural diversity
build the capacity of individuals, families and communities to contribute to the civic and economic life of the State
improve the accessibility and effectiveness of services.

Refer to the funding guidelines and application form for each grant category, for information about the program such as eligibility requirements, what applications can be supported, and how to apply.

Timeframes for the application and approval process need to be considered by the organisation when planning the project. The process takes approximately four months from submission to approval. It may take longer if the application requires further development or if there is outstanding information.

Applicants should seek advice from an OMI Community Engagement Officer by emailing engage@omi.wa.gov.au about timeframes for application submission based on the stage of development of the project.

Funding availability

The CGP is an open competitive application process and consists of the following grant categories:

Festivals

Festivals funding is available for significant events that celebrate the cultural identity of CaLD communities and encourage participation of the whole community. The event must be free or low cost and accessible to all Western Australians.

Community Capacity Building

Community Capacity Building funding is available for initiatives that aim to strengthen the skills and abilities of communities to take leading roles in the development of their community, and that respond to specific needs and issues identified by the community.

Strategic Projects

Strategic Projects funding is available for capacity building projects that benefit CaLD communities such as those from new and emerging communities, women, seniors, young people and regional communities.

Projects may relate, but are not limited, to the following focus areas:

family and domestic violence prevention
parenting
employment and skills development
leadership
financial literacy
health and wellbeing
support for regional communities.

For funding requests over $30,000 the application must also demonstrate that the project is supported by a broader strategy or a plan to deliver long-term benefits for the community.

Who can apply

Organisations

Amount available

Festivals: Up to $5000
Community Capacity Building: Up to $5000
Strategic Projects: Up to $30,000
Strategic Projects: Grants over $30,000 and up to $50,000

Eligibility

Applicant organisations must:

be either a CaLD community association or a community service organisation specifically established to provide services or advocacy for CaLD communities
be a not-for-profit organisation or community association incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act 2015 and be based in WA.

Definition of a CaLD community service organisation

To be classified as CaLD, an organisation must demonstrate and provide evidence that they meet the following criteria, not just claim that they provide services for CaLD communities:

the objectives of the organisation (in the organisations' Constitution and Rules) clearly state that it is specifically established for and its core business and focus is to either: a) provide support and deliver services and programs to the CaLD communities (including asylum seekers and refugees) or b) represent and advocate for the interests of the CaLD communities (including asylum seekers and refugees)
management committee or board and staffing profile of the organisation reflects CaLD communities and it has a commitment to workforce training in cultural competency
the organisation has internal policies and procedures that demonstrate a commitment to multicultural and cultural diversity
the organisation is incorporated in WA in accordance with the Associations Incorporation Act and is not-for-profit
an organisation that serves CaLD communities as an incidental service will not be eligible.

Examples of CaLD community service organisations that meet these criteria include: the Edmund Rice Centre WA, Multicultural Futures, and Ishar Multicultural Women's Health Centre.

The above definition is for community service organisations only and not for CaLD/ethnic community associations such as: Afghan Community Association, Indian Society of WA, Italian Club, Ukrainian Association etc.

Additional resources

You may be required to provide these forms with your application:

Project planning resources are also available for download. These resources include a budget template, a project plan template and an Event Management Guide. You are welcome to use these resources to support your grant application and for general project or event planning.

Child Safeguarding

Every child has the right to feel safe when participating in arts, cultural, sporting, recreation and community activities. Organisations that undertake child-related work activities have a duty of care to keep children and young people (those aged under 18 years) safe from harm. Protecting children and young people from abuse, discrimination and harassment is both a legal requirement and an ethical obligation. This includes complying with the Working with Children Check (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004.

Organisations that provide services or facilities for children, and receive funding from OMI, are required to complete the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries Child Safeguarding self-assessment tool.

Further information about Child Safeguarding is available on the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries website.

The following resources may assist your organisation to protect children and young people:

Page reviewed 18 November 2020