Multiculturalism in Victoria is more than just diversity of cultures, languages, faiths and traditions. It is providing the systems and supports that make our shared community stronger. It is the knowledge that sharing cultures and understanding our cultural differences is a strength. It also provides a sense of belonging that contributes to the community harmony Victorians are so proud of.

The Victorian Government is committed to:

• protecting the rights of all Victorians to be free from racism, vilification and discrimination of any kind
• building community harmony
• ensuring every Victorian feels safe and can participate in all aspects of Victorian life, irrespective of Aboriginality, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, faith, language, culture, migration or visa status, class, ability and age.

The contractual relationship between funded organisations and the Department of Premier and Cabinet reflects this commitment. It sets out the expectation that in the delivery of projects and initiatives funded by the Victorian Government, organisations will promote and uphold the government’s stated values of:

• one law for all
• freedom to be yourself
• discrimination is never acceptable
• a fair go for all
• it is up to all of us to contribute to a Victoria we can be proud of.

The Victorian Government is committed to celebrating the diversity of our state. We recognise the importance of having safe, accessible and culturally appropriate spaces for our communities to gather, that enables all Victorians to have accessible spaces to celebrate and preserve culture and traditions.

Victoria’s Chinese communities are some of our most longstanding and established communities who continue to make lasting contributions to our state every day.

This grant program will enable our Chinese communities to upgrade, renovate, extend, or construct community facilities. It will fund facilities that enable Chinese community members to celebrate and share traditions, build connections, foster a more inclusive society and continue to thrive in our state.

Investing in these meaningful spaces will contribute to fostering Victoria’s social cohesion and will support the wellbeing of Chinese Victorians.

The Victorian Government is proud to deliver this program that will ensure Chinese Victorians remain connected, can preserve their cultural identity and can participate in all aspects of our vibrant multicultural society.

Ingrid Stitt MP
Minister for Multicultural Affairs

The aim of the 2024-25 Chinese Community Infrastructure Fund (CCIF) program is to support Victoria's diverse Chinese community organisations to upgrade, renovate, extend, or construct their community facilities. This will give Chinese Victorians members safe and secure places to celebrate and share their histories and traditions, build connections, and thrive. This is regardless of members' age, abilities, language, ancestry, or location. Program funding will contribute to the cost of upgrades. Organisations should not rely solely on the program to fund their project.

The 2024-25 CCIF acknowledges the importance of upgrading community infrastructure for Victoria’s Chinese communities. The program will offer grants of up to $400,000 for Chinese community infrastructure projects that will:

• support Victoria's Chinese communities to celebrate and share their history and traditions
• build community connections and networks to participate in society
• help communities to access social and cultural opportunities.

Key terms

A Chinese community organisation is defined as an organisation that is owned and managed by a Chinese ancestry, language, faith or cultural community which services Chinese community member needs, customs and traditions. The organisation will exist to support people from Chinese ancestry, cultural, language or faith groups.

A Chinese community facility is defined as a building / facility run by a Chinese community organisation where members of the community may gather for group activities, education sessions, social support, and other purposes. The locations may or may not be open to broader groups of people.

Eligible Chinese community facilities include temples, community centres, halls and hubs, youth centres and camp facilities, museums, theatres and galleries.

The 2024-25 CCIF grant program is an open and competitive program assessed on eligibility and merit. The Multicultural Affairs Division of the Department of Premier and Cabinet (the department) runs the program.

The Victorian Government is committed to building a safe, inclusive, and accessible community that recognises, celebrates, and addresses people’s diverse and intersecting experiences, needs, and identities. The CCIF recognises the importance of upgrading community infrastructure for Victoria's Chinese communities, regardless of background or location.

The assessment process will prioritise applications that clearly show that the proposed project will specifically benefit - regional and/or rural Chinese communities

Priority applications from regional or rural Victorian Chinese communities will automatically receive extra points in the assessment of the application. They will not need to provide matched funding.

The program prioritises regional or rural located projects and organisations because they often:

• are smaller communities
• have more limited access to supporting resources and networks
• have less funds for infrastructure projects.

To claim regional or rural funding priority, applications must confirm the project will be located or delivered in a regional or rural area outside metropolitan Melbourne. Refer to the Regional Development Victoria's list of regional and rural councils for eligible local government areas.

Metropolitan based organisations applying to deliver projects in regional or rural Victoria are also eligible to claim priority and not required to provide matched funding.

Program funding also aims to support diversity among Victoria's Chinese communities and to encourage organisations to take an inclusive and intersectional approach in these projects. There is an expectation that all applicants consider the different needs and experiences of community members including, for example, Chinese Victorian women, seniors, LGBTIQA+ people, youth and children. Applications which clearly outline how their proposed project is inclusive and benefits marginalised groups within the whole community will also be considered positively in assessment.

Regional project example

Total Project Cost: $28,000 / Grant Amount Requested: $28,000

Matched funding: Not required as the project is located in southwest Victoria

Project summary 1

• The carpet in the auditorium of a Chinese community hall in Warrnambool is worn and in disrepair.
• The community hall is a central gathering place for the community where people come together for celebrations and events. The hall plays a pivotal role in sharing local and wider news and information. The hall is open seven days a week.
• The carpet needs replacing to prevent an OHS risk to visitors.

Project outcome 1

• The facility now safely hosts community events and activities for the local Chinese community. It also hosts events from the wider community including lectures, video screenings, public meetings, and live performances.

Not all applications will be successful. Only the most competitive will be offered funding. Successful applications may only be offered part of the funding amount requested.

Applicants can strengthen their applications by responding carefully to all questions in the application form and providing strong evidence of both the need for their project and the project’s expected impact. High scoring applications are likely to:

• Answer all questions, using data to strengthen their response.
• Provide all the mandatory documents and the additional documents (only applications providing all the mandatory documents will be assessed).
• Ensure the required Project Plan document clearly describes the activities for which funding is sought, confirms the selected contractor/s and timelines to do the work and that the Project Plan information matches all the attached mandatory quotes.
• Show strong, regular usage of the project facility by community members and groups (using the mandatory Timetable of Facility Use document).

Key dates and timelines

• Applications open Saturday 21 September 2024
• Submit your application between Saturday 21 September and Monday 2 December 2024
• Applications close at 3:00 pm on Monday 2 December 2024 (late applications will not be accepted).
• Projects receiving a grant of $75,000 or less must complete in under 6 months.
• Projects receiving a grant of over $75,000 must complete in under 12 months.

Information sessions

To support organisations to prepare their applications, the department will hold information sessions delivered as webinars.

All details, including webinar dates and times, are available at the CCIF webpage.

Funding available

• Up to $400,000 is available per project to upgrade, renovate, extend or build community infrastructure.
• Only one application per organisation.

Eligible grant activities – what will be funded

Grant activities that are eligible for funding include:

• construction, trades and works to create a new Chinese community facility
• construction, trades and works on an existing Chinese community facility including:
  • maintenance – painting, tiling or structural repairs such as roofing, plumbing or flooring works
  • upgrades – kitchen or bathroom upgrades and energy-efficiency improvements such as solar power or double glazing
  • renovations – alterations, extensions or internal remodelling to improve accessibility or create new rooms, kitchen or bathroom replacement, and heating and cooling systems
  • security elements – CCTV installation, securing doors or windows, security lighting, facade works, fencing and perimeter security
  • outdoor areas – staging, pergolas, playgrounds, fencing and garden beds (note: plants are ineligible)
• pre-construction activities for a new or existing Chinese community facility such as:
  • feasibility studies
  • business case development
  • conceptual design
  • architectural or planning-related works (excluding planning permit or building permit application fees or tribunal costs)
• project management costs paid to a professional contractor (using up to 10 per cent of the total grant amount requested) – these require a quote from a professional consultant and cannot be from a staff member.

Any fixed assets to be bought with the grant funding must be clearly listed in the application form and are subject to the department’s approval. It is important to note that:

• Assets must be closely related to the facility’s use.
• Acceptable assets are fixed, non-transferable and part of the fabric of the building.
• Assets cannot total more than 40 per cent of the overall grant amount requested (with the exception of energy sustainability or efficiency projects where the 40 per cent asset cap is not applied).

Possible Project Examples

Project example 2

Total Project Cost: $120,000 / Grant Amount Requested: $80,000 / Match funding: $40,000

Project summary 2

• An upgrade of the kitchen in the existing facility leased by the Chinese Victorian community in Springvale
• The kitchen was cramped and outdated, restricting the number of people who could use the facility at one time.

Project outcome 2

• The renovation has improved the kitchen’s layout to allow more access for community members and new larger hobs, oven, dishwasher and waste system support higher capacity cooking for larger events. It now offers greater capacity to support events and cultural festivals.
• Several local community groups have already expressed an interest in increasing their use of the upgraded kitchen.

Project example 3

Total Project Cost: $2,400,000 / Grant Amount Requested: $400,000 / Match funding: $2,000,000

Project summary 3

• Construction of a communal facility for women to create an environment for the women to socialise, seek support, access education and make new connections.
• The organisation has an existing facility on a large block of land but wants to construct an additional facility on that land to create a facility offering a range of programs and services for the women in the community including a drop-in service and advice on childcare.
• Thanks to a donation and their own fundraising, the organisation has most of the money needed to fund the construction and has also completed town planning.

Project outcome 3

• The newly constructed facility now runs weekly language lessons, offers a VCAL program and a homework club including a series of health education programs. It does this in partnership with the local medical practice.
• The organisation offers cooking lessons and workshops. It also provides food relief and is now exploring options to establish a women-run social enterprise.
• The organisation can now run daily mothers’ groups and talking circles.

Ineligible grant activities – what will not be funded

Grant activities that are not eligible for funding include:

• projects that do not align with the objective of the 2024-25 CCIF program
• the purchase of:
  • land, property and/or buildings
  • unfixed, mobile or transferable assets such as sporting equipment, phones, computers, tablets, desks, chairs, gardening equipment, plants, musical instruments, domestic refrigerators, domestic freezers, small removable kitchen equipment like blenders, microwaves and toasters
  • assets, materials and products from overseas suppliers (contractors must be based in Victoria)
• already completed or partly completed projects, works or activities
• contingency costs for the project
• planning permit and building permit application fees or tribunal costs
• projects that have previously received funding from Multicultural Affairs or the department; for example, if your organisation received funding within the last five years to upgrade a kitchen, you cannot apply for more funds to buy commercial kitchen equipment
• decorative or ornamental projects
• constructing new or extending existing properties on leased land
• projects for infrastructure, facilities or land that is privately owned and not accessible by community members (community infrastructure facilities must have public access – accommodation, for example, is not considered public access)
• activities at education, health or emergency services facilities
• organisations or projects that are the responsibility of another ministerial portfolio
• works at a property owned by another state or the Commonwealth Government
• infrastructure located outside of Victoria
• projects advancing political activities
• projects solely advancing religious activities (for example, infrastructure exclusively used for worship – to be funded, it must be open for wider community use)
• recurrent or ongoing costs of an existing organisation (such as rent and utilities)
• staff salaries
• project management costs that are greater than 10 per cent of the total grant amount requested (any project management fees must be for an external, professional project manager, not a staff member or volunteer of your organisation)
• ongoing maintenance (such as cleaning and gardening) or administration costs
• funding that could have a negative impact on existing businesses and services
• inappropriate use of public funds not matching the CCIF objective or Victorian values.

Previously funded projects

Organisations can apply for funding for a new project at a location that has previously received funding from Multicultural Affairs or the department. However, the previously funded project must be complete and acquitted.

For example, an organisation may have already received funding for a kitchen replacement, which is now complete. You can now apply for funding to upgrade the bathrooms at the same property.

If you’re not sure whether your project costs or activities are eligible, please email the Multicultural Affairs Programs and Grants Team at multicultural.infrastructure@dpc.vic.gov.au before starting your application.

Eligibility

The same eligibility requirements apply to all applicant organisations and projects.

To be eligible for the program, your application must:

• meet the organisation eligibility criteria
• include only eligible grant activities that align with the CCIF objective
• submit all mandatory documents
• meet any matched funding requirements
• have no outstanding reports to the Department of Premier and Cabinet
• not be the responsibility of another ministerial portfolio (such as health or education)

Only eligible applications will move to the assessment stage.

Who is eligible to apply for a grant?

Organisation eligibility

Your organisation must:

• be an incorporated legal entity registered under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 (Vic) or incorporated through an Act of Parliament
• have a current Australian Business Number (ABN) matching the applicant organisation's name
• have no outstanding project reports from previous Multicultural Affairs portfolio grants, and
• be a not-for-profit Chinese Community Organisation which you must confirm by showing that your organisation is either:
  • registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission
  • registered with Consumer Affairs Victoria as an incorporated association, or
  • a social enterprise with a clearly stated purpose or mission related to supporting Chinese communities in Victoria (Social enterprises must attach their constitution, rules or governance documents with their application).

Definition of social enterprises

Social enterprises are organisations that:

• are led by an economic, social, cultural or environmental mission that is consistent with a public or community benefit
• get most of their income from trade
• reinvest most their profit or surplus to fulfil their mission (at least 50 per cent).

Auspiced applications

If your organisation is not incorporated or does not have an ABN, you may still apply if you are supported by an eligible auspice organisation. This organisation must agree to manage the grant for you.

You must include a letter of support from the auspice organisation in your application.

Auspice organisations must meet the organisation eligibility criteria.

Auspice organisations must meet all the requirements of the grant funding. They must ensure the project is completed and contractors have been paid. The CCIF funding does not cover administrative and operational costs, and contractors must be paid for the project to be considered complete. The auspice organisation is responsible for submitting milestone reports including the final report and acquittal.

Auspice organisations can include local councils, schools and TAFEs.

What are the responsibilities of an auspice organisation?

If your grant application is successful, your auspice organisation will be responsible for:

• signing the funding agreement
• all legal and financial matters of the grant on your organisation’s behalf
• receiving and distributing all grant funds to the contractors under the funding agreement
• ensuring all grant activities are completed in line with the funding agreement
• submitting progress and final reports and financial acquittals on your organisation’s behalf.

Who is not eligible to apply for a grant?

Organisations that are not eligible for 2024-25 CCIF program funding include:

• any organisation which is not a Chinese community organisation
• unincorporated legal entities
• individuals and sole traders
• organisations that:
  • are commercial or set up to make a profit (except social enterprises)
  • have not complied with the terms and conditions of previous grants
  • cannot show their ability to meet their project’s ongoing maintenance and running costs
• groups whose projects sit in another ministerial portfolio (such as health, education or sport and recreation)
• public companies limited by shares (unless a foundational document can prove not-for-profit status)
• commercial enterprises
• local governments (councils) including council-managed, operated, administered and regulated trusts (unless they are acting as an auspice for an unincorporated community group)
• TAFE institutes and universities (unless they are acting as an auspice for an unincorporated community group)
• registered pre-, primary and secondary schools.

To check if your organisation is:

• an Incorporated Association, go to Consumer Affairs Victoria
• a Company Limited by Guarantee, go to ASIC Connect
• registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), go to the ACNC website
• a registered business, go to ABN Lookup.

To check if your organisation is up to date with grant reporting requirements:

• email multicultural.infrastructure@dpc.vic.gov.au

Other eligibility requirements

Matched and Additional funding

The 2024-25 CCIF program offers an opportunity for the government to co-invest in Chinese community infrastructure projects. All applications for projects that are not targeting regional or rural located priority projects must include evidence of their ability to Match Funding.

If relevant, all organisations must also include evidence of their ability to provide the Additional Funding required to close any funding gap between the Grant Amount Requested and the Total Project Cost.

Without this evidence, the application will not be assessed. Matched or Additional Funding shows your organisation’s commitment to completing the project.

Acceptable evidence of funding sources include:

• bank statements in the name of the applicant organisation
• an approved bank loan to the applicant organisation
• evidence of other funding sources to meet any project funding shortfall (for example, other grants or loans that would meet at least the minimum cash contribution requirement).

The following documents are mandatory. They must be included for your application to be eligible.

Funding applications for pre-construction activities such as feasibility studies or architectural plans do not need all of the mandatory documents. However, they must include:

• the selected contractor quote
• a basic project plan
• financial statements.

If applicable, they should also provide the evidence of matched funding.

Stage 1. Eligibility assessment – the department reviews all applications and attached documents to decide on eligibility.

Stage 2. Merit-based assessment – the department assesses eligible applications against the assessment criteria, based on responses provided in the application form and the attached documents.

Stage 3. Assessment panel – a panel reviews the department’s application recommendations. The panel includes representatives from the Multicultural Affairs portfolio, the Victorian Multicultural Commission and subject matter experts from across the Victorian Public Service.

Stage 4. Ministerial approval – the Minister for Multicultural Affairs makes the final decision based on the recommendations following the assessment panel.

Stage 5. Application outcome – the department notifies all organisations in writing, whether their grant application is successful or not.

All decisions by the department or the Minister for Multicultural Affairs are final. This includes decisions on any aspect of the funding application, eligibility and assessment process and:

• any decision to offer or award a grant under this program
• any decision to withdraw the offer or cancel the grant funding agreement.

How your application will be scored

The assessment criteria and weightings are explained in the table below.

Merit-based assessment

Applications open on 21 September 2024.

• Submit your application by completing the online application form.
• Read these program guidelines carefully and:
  • make sure your organisation and project meet the eligibility criteria before you start an application
  • attend an information session (refer to the 2024-25 Chinese Community Infrastructure Fund website for details)
  • if you have any questions about your proposed project or the application process, email the Multicultural Affairs Programs and Grants Team at multicultural.infrastructure@dpc.vic.gov.au or phone 1300 112 755.

Submitting your application

Complete the online application form on the 2024-25 Chinese Community Infrastructure Fund website.

You must answer all the questions. Incomplete applications will not be eligible.

Submit all the mandatory documents. If you do not include all the mandatory documents, your application will be ineligible.

Applications close at 3:00 pm on Monday 2 December 2024.

The Grants Portal, where applications are made, closes electronically at 3pm and so all applications must be completed with all attachments already uploaded before 3pm.

Late applications cannot be accepted.

You will be notified of the outcome of your application once all applications have been assessed.

If your application is successful, project details (project name, description and successful grant amount) will be published on the 2024-25 Chinese Community Infrastructure Fund website.

Funding agreements

If successful, you must enter a Victorian Common Funding Agreement (VCFA) with the department within a specified timeframe. If a funding offer is not accepted during this period, it may be withdrawn. The VCFA outlines:

• the grant’s terms and conditions, including use of funds
• key milestones, deliverables and due dates
• that all funded activities must be completed by or earlier than the date specified in the VCFA
• reporting requirements – organisations will need to submit all grant reports (progress and final reports), including photographs and a financial acquittal, with final invoices and evidence that these invoices have been paid. Department staff may also visit the sites of funded projects.

Funding conditions

Successful organisations will be paid based on completing project milestones and deliverables, as outlined in the VCFA. The final payment will not be approved and processed until all requirements are completed to the department’s satisfaction.

A note about GST

If your organisation is registered for GST, you will be paid GST on top of the amount awarded.

If your organisation is not registered for GST, you will receive just the grant amount awarded. GST will not be added on top.

Acknowledging the Victorian Government's support

Successful organisations need to acknowledge the Victorian Government’s support of your project. Promotional guidelines form part of the VCFA. They include the requirement that all activities acknowledge Victorian Government support through logo presentation on any activity-related publications, media releases, social media or promotional material.

Information sessions

To support organisations with the application process there will be a series of information sessions delivered as webinars.

Webinar details, including dates and times, are available on the 2024-25 Chinese Community Infrastructure Fund website.

Contacting the Multicultural Affairs Programs and Grants Team

For more information on the program, email multicultural.infrastructure@dpc.vic.gov.au or phone 1300 112 755 during business hours.

2024-25 Chinese Community Infrastructure Fund-specific definitions

Community Infrastructure program-specific definitions

Diversity definitions