What is the Fostering Integration Grants?
The Fostering Integration Grants is a grant opportunity that aims to facilitate the participation, integration and social cohesion of both newly arrived migrants and multicultural communities in Australia.
Background
The underlying principles of the Fostering Integration Grants are to:
- assist migrants to integrate into Australian social, economic and civic life
- support small culturally diverse community organisations and groups in Australia that provide cultural activities, and community programs and events
- build upon Australia’s multicultural success with a particular focus on building social cohesion.
Australia is a multicultural society. Almost half of our current population were either, born overseas or has at least one parent born overseas. We have flourished in part thanks to our multicultural and multi-faith diversity, underpinned by our inclusive national identity and shared Australian values. We do not take our unity and prosperity for granted. Communities and community organisations play a critical role in supporting and building our social cohesion and keeping communities strong, cohesive and prosperous.
Objectives
The objective of the Fostering Integration Grants is to facilitate the participation, integration and social cohesion of both newly arrived migrants and multicultural communities in Australia by:
- encouraging the social and economic participation of migrants by developing skills and cultural competencies to integrate into Australian social, economic and civic life, and build community resilience
- promoting and encouraging the uptake of Australian values and liberal democracy and amplifying the value of Australian citizenship
- promoting a greater understanding and acceptance of Australia’s inclusive national identity and multicultural and multi-faith diversity
- addressing issues within Australian communities that show potential for, or early signs of, low social integration.
The intended outcome of the grant opportunity is to contribute to an integrated and cohesive multicultural Australia where migrants:
- actively participate in Australian society through work, school, sport or other community activities
- embrace Australian values and abide by Australian laws
- have capacity to communicate in English, the national language of Australia
- are gainfully employed
- are resilient in times of crisis
- have social networks that cross ethnic and religious groups
- are welcomed and supported by the broader Australian community.
Activities can include all Australian citizens and residents who contribute to maintaining social cohesion and defining our national identity.
Funding
The Australian Government has allocated up to a total of $7.5 million GST exclusive for the 2021–22 financial year for Fostering Integration Grants
The total allocation will be decided on completion of the selection process. This will depend on the number and quality of applications received.
- Project 1 – minimum of $15,000 and maximum of $100,000
- Project 2 – minimum of $20,000 and maximum of $100,000
Eligible Projects
You must submit a separate application for each project or development proposal.
Project 1 – Support the integration or capacity building of recently-arrived migrants and multicultural communities, including through projects in the following categories:
- festivals, multicultural events, and community functions
- sporting events
- increasing understanding of our inclusive national identity, Australian values, citizenship, and the rule of law
- encouraging integration and cooperation between emerging and established communities
- employment training and work experience for migrants
- increasing youth leadership capacity
- supporting women and young people
- arts projects
- developing multicultural community organisations and networks
- projects utilising digital and online technology to promote social cohesion and integration
- another project which meets the Project 1 description.
Project 2 – A project that supports the minor fit out, extension or upgrade of existing community spaces and amenities, through projects in the following categories:
Buildings:
- upgrade existing amenities, including improved access (for example, ramps and access doors)
- provision of external shade areas (for example, covered play areas)
- lighting/security/fencing
- environmentally friendly additions (for example, solar panelling)
- barbeque and picnic facilities.
Mobile amenities:
- mobile catering facilities such as a food van
- mobile stages
- sound and lighting equipment.
Online amenities:
- video conferencing facilities
- websites and other online presence.
Eligible Applicants
To be eligible you must be a not-for-profit organisation, which is legally registered in Australia and be one of the following entity types:
- Company
- Indigenous Corporation
- Cooperative
- Incorporated
If you are applying as a Trustee on behalf of a Trust[1], the Trustee must have an eligible entity type as listed above.
Trusts are not legal entities in their own right – to be eligible, only the Trustee for the Trust can apply by providing the signed Trust Deed and any subsequent variations with the application form.
Timing
Applications close 14 June 2022.
