Communities and Justice

Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Multicultural Community Grant Program

Grant applications are currently closed.

The DFSV Multicultural Community Grant Program will provide $2 million in one-off funding grants to multicultural groups across NSW.

Eligible incorporated not-for-profit NSW multicultural organisations were able to apply for grants from $20,000 to $150,000. Successful grant applicants will build the capability of multicultural communities to recognise and respond to domestic, family and sexual violence.

Grant applications closed on 27 March 2023.


Successful Applicants

Organisation Project Description Project Name Location
SydWest Multicultural Services Limited

Project will build the capability of multicultural communities in Western Sydney to recognise and respond to domestic, family, and sexual violence (DSFV). ‍

It will also support existing initiatives in Western Sydney that respond to the DFSV experiences of multicultural communities. 

SydWest Specialist Multicultural Domestic Violence Project Blacktown
Northern Settlement Services Ltd (t/as Mosaic Multicultural Connections) The Mosaic Beam project seeks to reach and empower vulnerable women in a regional setting where information and services are limited and where there are compounding factors that exacerbate women’s experience of domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV).  These compounding challenges include trauma, impacted mental health, low income, isolated communities, socio-cultural adjustment, recently arrived in Australia, low literacy and English, and limited understanding of Australian law.  Mosaic Beam: Community led DFSV education in rural communities Hamilton
Open Support We are opening a new purpose-built DFSV Centre in Westmead mid-2023 that will increase capacity to support an additional 110 CALD women on temporary visas and their children escaping violence each year. We require specialist trauma-informed, culturally-appropriate counsellors to complement our successful case management model of service, to address the chronic shortage of appropriate counselling services and to facilitate recovery of clients traumatised by domestic, family and sexual violence.  Right Place, Right Time DFSV Specialist Counselling for Clients on Temporary Visas Darlinghurst
Mission of Hope Mission of Hope will delivery a culturally and religiously curated holistic 12 month capability development outreach and education campaign to religious/migrant/refugee communities and their leaders in Regional NSW. The initiative will combine formal training, community engagement, regular facilitated peer to peer practical support and the development of a permanent online e-learning module.  Strengthening Confidence and Support for Religious and Community leaders to identify and respond to DFVSV in Regional  NSW Bankstown
Immigration Advice and Rights Centre Inc

Project will deliver workshops and provide free, expert and in language education and resources on the intersection between domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) and immigration, refugee and citizenship law. 

This program will be delivered to victim-survivors from multicultural backgrounds who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing DFSV, including refugees, asylum seekers and women on temporary visas. It will leverage existing relationships with multicultural and community centres, refuges and women’s centres and support services.

Pathways to Permanency and Safety Sydney
Women Support Centre LTD

The project involves a callout to professional women in our community networks to learn how to recognise the signs of DV and training for them to develop a case/support plan. The 3 new locations will commence with the local mosques/community centres as the initial trusted venues for women to seek help and support.

House of Sakinah workers along with other professional trainers will provide mentoring, training and support for the new volunteers and provide oversight of the expanded DV volunteer services.

Taking it Further - HOS Expansion of DV services  to CALD communities in Western Sydney Mount Druitt
Multicultural Council of Wagga Wagga Incorporated

A collaborative project between the Multicultural Council of Wagga Wagga (MCWW) and Relationships Australia Canberra & Region (RACR). 

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Designed to provide a specialist DFSV Practitioner, to build capacity to respond to issues relating to the CALD community with regards to DFSV. 

Build the capacity and knowledge of MCWW staff to equip them to be able to recognise, support and appropriately refer clients who disclose experiences of DFSV

Interagency integration to improve DFSV outcomes for CALD communities Wagga Wagga
The Sabian Mandaean Association in Australia Limited Purple Peers Project is a program that will identify, train, and engage Mandaean peer/community leaders to become “first responders” in dealing with DFSV in the community. The program will involve providing training and building capacity of peer/community leaders to identify early signs of DFSV among community members and provide culturally appropriate response, which will include providing accidental counselling and making referrals to appropriate support/services within NSW. Purple Peers Project_Mandaean DFSV Peer Leaders Training & Support Liverpool
Gallipoli Turkish Cultural Foundation

The project encompasses a holistic approach, including tailored crisis response and support services for victim-survivors and their families, educational initiatives, and training for community leaders and volunteers. 

the project will have a lasting impact on promoting safer, more inclusive communities. By integrating culturally appropriate support, education, prevention, and awareness strategies, the project aims to empower individuals and communities to recognise, respond to, and prevent domestic and family violence, fostering safety and resilience across Cumberland LGA and surrounding suburbs.

Empowering Multicultural Communities: A Holistic Response to Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence Auburn
Multicultural Neighbourhood Centre, Inc. This project seeks to address some of  barriers for newly arrived refugee/migrant women by drawing on existing and new partnerships to connect primary schools, school support officers, mothers/carers from refugee/migrant backgrounds with children attending the schools, their broader communities, interpreters, and community support services, to engage, train and empower these communities to effectively and appropriately respond to DFSV. Inclusive Cultural Communities - Safer Children, Happy Families Lambton
Advance Diversity Services Limited Our project will build the capability of members of 6 emerging communities in the St George/Sutherland areas to recognise/respond to disclosures DFSV, and deliver culturally responsive support for victim-survivors/their families. This includes all migrants/refugees including newly arrived people and those on temporary visas. Emerging Communities DFSV Project Hurtsville
Canterbury City Community Centre Inc

The Healthy Relationship Program (HRP) will empower the Rohingya and Urdu speaking communities residing in South West and Western Sydney, to better recognise and respond to domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV). In working with these communities we know that the HRP will include women survivors and those at risk of DFSV but they may not feel safe enough to disclose.

The Program will have an emphasis on the impact of DFSV on women and their children and especially how children respond to ongoing trauma in their life.  

The Healthy Relationship Program (HRP) Lakemba
BaptistCareNSW&ACT

Living Beyond Abuse (LBA) is a 9-week evidence-based psycho-therapeutic trauma recovery program translated and to be delivered in Thai and Mandarin.   

The LBA group program is a healing and support program that engages women who have experienced DFV and/or sexual assault and some who have experienced harm within the sex trade. 

Stronger Together Baulkham Hills
Community Migrant Resource Centre

This project aims to increase the capacity of multicultural communities to stop escalating violence by changing its trajectory and preventing recurrence, recognize and respond to domestic and sexual violence (DFSV) by promoting early intervention partnerships between faith organizations and DFSV specialized services.

The target populations are Pacific Islander migrant women of faith and Afghan refugee women of faith, along with their faith community leaders/elders in Riverina and Indian Subcontinent migrant women of faith and Afghan refugee women of faith, along with their faith community leaders/elders in Western Sydney.

Empowering Multicultural Faith Communities: Collaborative Response to Domestic and Sexual Violence in Riverina and Western Sydney Regions Parramatta
Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW Incorporated Project will raise awareness on domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) and relevant services, address shame and stigma, and identify enablers and barriers to help seeking behaviours among CaLD leaders and communities.  Personal and Family Safety Multicultural Project Blacktown, Parramatta, Wollongong
Cambodian Australian Welfare Council of NSW Inc The project coordinator will deliver up to 6 capacity building expert-led workshops, a large community forum, and bilingual educational materials, all of which will focus on recognising and responding to DFSV.  Interpreting will be available at the workshops and forum to maximise the community participations. The recorded events will be posted on our website and youtube channel afterward.  Combating DFSV: It Takes a Community Bonnyrigg Heights
Exodus Youth Worx

The “DSFV Responsiveness- Building Effective Response Tools” project will service several areas in NSW.

A portion of the program will provide direct support for people who are impacted by DFSV, through counselling, women’s support groups and outreach through the women’s initiative Grounded. These support meetings will also run art therapy workshops and education on topics such as healthy relationships. 

Exodus will also provide advisory services to faith based and community leaders on a needs basis to support the development of culturally appropriate responses to victims- survivors of DFSV.

DSFV Responsiveness- Building Effective Response Tools Rockdal
Macarthur Diversity Services Initiative Ltd

Safer Multicultural Families is a Program that values supporting multicultural victim-survivors of domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) to live autonomous, safe and fulfilling lives. The program will provide supports to help improve housing stability, social connection, linkages to services, sense of safety, and health and wellbeing outcomes. 

Multicultural families also have the opportunity to meet others who have had similar experiences and are on the same road to recovery in a group setting. Groups will focus on empowerment, recovery and healing, wellness, understanding barriers faced, un/healthy relationships, safety, laws and support services.

Safer Multicultural Families Campbelltown
Boronia Multicultural Services

The project will work with community elders, leaders, socially active community members, and other influencers from the different groups within Afghan and South Asian communities residing in the target areas. 

Workshops will be run to provide information, knowledge, and understanding about the gendered nature of these types of violence and to equip them with the right set of mind, resources and skills to carry out the above tasks.

Reaching Out - Community Supporting Victim- survivors of Domestic/Family and Sexual Violence Toongabbie


Information in your language

Information about the DFSV Multicultural Community Grant Program is available in the following languages:

Audio translations

If you have any questions about this grant program, contact the DFSV Multicultural Grants delivery team at WFCS.DFSVMulticulturalGrant@facs.nsw.gov.au

Last updated:

04 Sep 2023