Strengthening Communities Multicultural Grants program

The Strengthening Communities Multicultural Grants (SCMG) program is an annual, open competitive grants program that provides funding towards multicultural projects that engage culturally and linguistically diverse communities, groups and individuals, and the broader community, to partner and contribute to building an inclusive, harmonious and united Queensland.

Purpose and objectives

The purpose of the SCMG program is to provide funding for projects that contribute to building an inclusive, harmonious and united Queensland by:

• supporting the economic and social aspirations of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• enhancing and empowering community capacity to address emerging issues and improve access to services
• increasing the cultural capability of services to support people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• enhancing the capacity of general community groups in connecting people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds into a wide range of community activities.

Funding categories

There are two categories for project funding under each funding round:

• Category 1 – Empowering Multicultural Community (EMC) Projects
  • For innovative and strategic projects that address barriers and create opportunities for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds leading to more inclusive, resilient, and cohesive communities.
  • One-off funding of up to $100,000 is available.

• Category 2 – Youth and Community Connection (Y&CC) Projects
  • For innovative projects that assist to break down the barriers facing young people that can result in feelings of disengagement or disconnection with community. These projects will enable young people to feel heard, valued, supported and empowered, resulting in their increased access to, and inclusion within the community.
  • One-off funding of up to $100,000 is available.

2026–27 Multicultural projects

The 2026–27 SCMG program will open on 31 August 2026 and close on 4 October 2026 for applications for projects to commence on 1 July 2027.

Find out more about the 2025–26 grant recipients (PDF, 252 KB).

Multicultural events

Funding for multicultural events is available under the Celebrating Multicultural Queensland (CMQ) program. Please visit the CMQ webpage for more information.

How to apply

1. Ensure you:

• read the Strengthening Communities Multicultural Grants Project Funding Guidelines to ensure you are eligible and to determine whether your application meets the program requirements
• read the contract terms and conditions (PDF)
• preview the relevant application form in SmartyGrants on the opening date
• preview the relevant sample reporting template
  • Project progress report  (PDF, 197 KB)
  • Project acquittal report (PDF, 267 KB)
• An Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) form is required as part of the application to ensure funding is provided to successful applicants as quickly as possible after the funding announcement. The EFT form can be accessed through the application form.

2. Apply online through SmartyGrants

To ensure everyone has the opportunity to apply, we accept applications in your preferred language. If you plan to submit your application in a language other than English, please email us at funding@maq.qld.gov.au for further information.

SmartyGrants will automatically close at 11.59pm on the closing date and will not allow applications past this time. Please ensure you allow adequate time to submit your application. Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted after this time to ensure fairness to all applicants.

Need assistance?

If after reading the guidelines you still have questions or require further information about the program, you can contact us by email at funding@maq.qld.gov.au.

For more information about applying online, read the SmartyGrants – Help Guide for Applicants.

If you need assistance with your SmartyGrants account, you can contact SmartyGrants Technical Support on (03) 9320 6888 or service@smartygrants.com.au. Support desk hours are 9am to 5pm AEST, Monday to Friday.

For further assistance, you can visit the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland (ECCQ) website for information on upcoming education workshops and to access their Online Learning Hub for easily accessible courses and resources.