More than $1 million in grants will be available for multicultural and multifaith communities across Victoria, with the Allan Labor Government opening applications for the next round of its Multicultural Festivals and Events (MFE) Fund and the Regional Multicultural Festivals and Events Fund (RMFEF).
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt announced the 2025–26 funding round on Thursday, with support targeted towards events taking place between 1 July and 31 December 2025.
The program will prioritise applications from rural and regional areas, as well as communities with recent humanitarian settlement needs.
Since 2014, the Victorian Government has delivered more than $42 million to support almost 10,000 multicultural festivals and events through both funds.
“The events supported by these grants celebrate the diversity of our state and strengthen community connections,” Minister Stitt said.
Previous recipients include the Bodhi Dhamma Buddhist Association in Bendigo, which received $37,500 for its New Year Rice Festival. The event marks the offering of the first harvest of rice to Buddha, symbolising gratitude and blessings for the year ahead.
The Pakistani Students Association of Australia received $20,000 to host the Basanta Kite Festival, which celebrates the arrival of spring through traditional kite flying.
Victoria is home to people from more than 300 different ancestries, speaking over 290 languages and practising nearly 200 faiths.
Applications for the current round of grants open on 18 March 2025 and will close on 17 April 2025.
To apply and for more information, please visit: vic.gov.au/multicultural-festivals-and-events-program
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