COVID-19 VIC: Business, Non-Profits – Revitalising the LGBTIQ+ Sector Fund

This program seeks to support the sustainability and recovery of LGBTIQ+ organisations and businesses impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19). It aims to help drive the LGBTIQ+ sector’s economic recovery by backing LGBTIQ+ organisations and businesses, supporting LGBTIQ+ Victorians back to work and investing in the vibrant LGBTIQ+ communities and services.

For the purpose of this program, LGBTIQ+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and gender diverse, Intersex and Queer and is an inclusive umbrella abbreviation to encompass a range of diverse sexualities, genders and sex characteristics. People may identify with more than one of these terms.

Grants through this fund will:
- Assist in supporting LGBTIQ+ organisations and businesses impacted by COVID-19.
- Increase employment opportunities in the LGBTIQ+ sector.
- Support training and development opportunities to increase job-ready skills of employees.
- Contribute to the sustainability and increased capacity of LGBTIQ+ community services and LGBTIQ+ businesses and industries.

Grants between $30,000 and $50,000 are available.

A total funding pool of $1.188 million is available.

Eligible applicants include organisations based in Victoria who provide targeted services specifically for LGBTIQ+ Victorians and must:
- Hold a valid Australian Business Number (ABN), and have held that ABN since 1 March 2020.
- Have been delivering service activities to and with Victorian LGBTIQ+ communities since before 1 March 2020.
- Have appropriate levels of Public Liability Insurance to cover all aspects of the services delivered through the grant funding.
- Not have any overdue deliverables from other grants provided by the Victorian Government.

Eligible expenditure must be used to meet the following project costs from April 2021 until 15 December 2021:
- Salaries to sustain staffing levels to continue delivery of services to LGBTIQ+ communities.
- Salaries to employ new staff to build organisational capability and increase service delivery levels to LGBTIQ+ communities where service demand has increased due to COVID-19.
- Training and development activities for new and existing staff to increase job-ready skills.
- Operational, non-discretionary and fixed business costs (e.g. rent, insurance, utilities).
- Activities to support adaptation to new COVID-safe requirements.

The main assessment criteria include:
- How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their organisation or business financially and how have they sought to remain financially viable? (30%)
- What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the LGBTIQ+ communities they serve through their organisation or business and, if relevant, how has their business or organisation responded to these changing needs? (30%)
- Describe in detail the services and/or activities their organisation or business will continue or commence delivering to LGBTIQ+ communities through this grant funding. (40%)

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of the assessment criteria.

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Building or building restoration work.
- Capital equipment that the project does not require for its ongoing life.
- Interstate and international travel.
- Retrospective funding for projects or programs that have already started or are completed.
- Activities taking place outside of Victoria.
- Activities occurring outside of the funding period of April - 15 December 2021.
- Organisations that have failed to complete projects previously funded by the Victorian Government, without demonstrating sufficient cause.