Apply for Multicultural Business Skills Fund Grant Program (Australia)

Deadline: 28-Sep-2026

The Multicultural Business Skills Fund Grant Program provides grants to business associations in Victoria to help multicultural small business owners and their workers strengthen business skills, improve operational capability, and build stronger connections within multicultural business communities. The program forms part of the Victorian Government’s Supporting our Multicultural Traders and Precincts commitment. It aims to empower business associations to deliver targeted education, information, and skills development opportunities for multicultural small businesses and their employees across Victoria.

About the Multicultural Business Skills Fund Grant Program

The Multicultural Business Skills Fund Grant Program is designed to strengthen the capacity of multicultural business communities throughout Victoria. Through the program, eligible business associations can receive funding to develop and deliver activities that help multicultural small business owners and workers improve their knowledge, skills, and business practices. The program supports business associations such as: - Trader groups - Business chambers - Industry organisations These organisations can use the funding to provide targeted support that responds to the needs of multicultural businesses.

Objectives of the Program

The program focuses on improving business capability while strengthening relationships between multicultural businesses.

Its key objectives are to:

- Educate multicultural small business owners and their workers - Provide useful business information and guidance - Upskill multicultural small business owners and employees - Improve business and operational capability - Strengthen networks among multicultural businesses - Foster greater connectedness within multicultural business communities - Support stronger multicultural business communities across Victoria What Can the Grant Support? The program is intended to help business associations deliver targeted activities that educate, inform, and upskill multicultural small business owners and their workers. Projects should contribute to improvements in areas such as: - Business capability - Operational capability - Business knowledge - Workforce skills - Information sharing - Professional networking - Connections between multicultural businesses Applicants should demonstrate how their proposed project will provide practical benefits to multicultural small businesses and their workers. Who Can Apply? The grant is intended for eligible business associations operating in Victoria.

Eligible organisations may include:

- Trader groups - Business chambers - Industry organisations To qualify, organisations must meet the program’s requirements relating to not-for-profit status, location, membership, registration, and business identification.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

- Be a business association such as a trader group, business chamber, or industry organisation - Be a not-for-profit organisation - Be based in Victoria - Have multicultural business members - Hold a current Australian Business Number (ABN) - Be registered with the appropriate federal or state regulator The organisation should also be able to demonstrate that its proposed activities will support multicultural small business owners and their workers. Grant Amount Eligible applicants may apply for one grant of $5,000, exclusive of GST. The funding is intended to help successful business associations deliver activities that build business capability among multicultural small businesses and their workers. Applicants should ensure that their proposed project is realistic and can be completed within the available funding. Funding Availability Funding will be available until the program’s total allocation has been exhausted. This means eligible organisations should consider preparing and submitting their applications as early as possible rather than waiting until the available funding is fully committed. Project Completion Date Funded projects are expected to be completed by: 26 February 2027 Applicants should therefore develop a practical project plan that allows sufficient time to deliver the proposed activities and complete the project by the required date. Supporting Multicultural Small Businesses Multicultural small businesses contribute to Victoria’s diverse business environment and local communities. However, business owners and workers may benefit from targeted opportunities to strengthen their business knowledge, skills, networks, and operational practices. The Multicultural Business Skills Fund Grant Program addresses these needs by enabling business associations to act as delivery partners for capability-building activities. Rather than providing funding directly to individual businesses, the program supports business associations that can deliver targeted activities for multicultural business communities. Building Business Capability Business capability is an important focus of the program. Funded activities can help multicultural small business owners and workers develop knowledge and skills that contribute to better business operations. Applicants should clearly demonstrate how their proposed activities will help participants: - Learn practical business skills - Improve operational practices - Access useful information - Strengthen their professional capabilities - Connect with other businesses - Build stronger business networks Strengthening Business Networks The program also places emphasis on networks and connectedness. Business associations can use supported activities to create opportunities for multicultural businesses to connect with one another, exchange knowledge, share experiences, and develop stronger relationships. These connections can help create a more connected and capable multicultural business community across Victoria. How to Prepare a Strong Application Eligible business associations should develop a clear project plan that directly addresses