Strong Communities, Safer Futures: Preventing Family and Sexual Violence in Multicultural and Faith Communities

Overview The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) is seeking suitably qualified and experienced organisations to deliver targeted primary prevention and early intervention projects with multicultural or faith communities. Purpose Project proposals should be culturally responsive and appropriate to address the social norms, attitudes, and inequalities that drive family, sexual and gender-based violence in multicultural or faith communities. Objectives Build understanding across multicultural and faith communities that family violence, including elder abuse, and sexual and gender-based violence, are unacceptable, preventable and never justified Foster positive, equal and respectful relationships among women, men, young people and people of all genders and ages in families, relationships, workplaces, education and public life Strengthen the knowledge and skills for relationships grounded in respect, affirmative consent, equality and shared decision-making, in ways that respect and draw on the cultural and faith contexts of each community Mobilise multicultural and faith communities, including men, boys and women as leaders, as partners in advancing gender equality and preventing violence For projects that include early intervention activity, reduce the likelihood of family or sexual violence for those at risk of using or experiencing such violence in multicultural and faith communities Scope Project proposals are invited under one of two program streams over the four and a quarter years between April 2027 and June 2031. The scope includes: Delivery of culturally responsive and appropriate primary prevention and early intervention projects with multicultural or faith communities Under Stream 1: larger, community-led, culturally responsive primary prevention and early intervention activities that address the drivers of family, sexual and gender-based violence, working across multiple multicultural and/or faith communities or multiple geographical areas with one community, and building on best practice and tested approaches with potential for significant reach and/or significant change Under Stream 2: smaller scale, community-led or co-designed and culturally responsive primary prevention and early intervention activities that address the drivers of family, sexual and gender-based violence, working within a specific cultural and/or faith community or with a few cultural and/or faith communities in a limited geographical area, and responding to the unique needs, strengths and priorities of that community The following activities are out of scope: responses to individual victim survivors or people using violence, organisational evaluation, activities already funded by the Victorian Government, and travel outside Victoria. Funding Stream 1: $170,000 to $200,000 per organisation per year ($722,500 to $850,000 over 4.25 years) Stream 2: $70,000 to $100,000 per organisation per year ($297,500 to $425,000 over 4.25 years) Tender Briefing An information session will be held for this opportunity. Date: Thursday, 19 November 2026 Time: 10:00 am Format: Virtual briefing (Microsoft Teams) RSVPs are essential and registrations must be made in writing via email to submissions@dffh.vic.gov.au no later than 12:00 pm on Monday, 16 November 2026. Registrations must include the organisation's name and location, the full name of the representative(s) attending, and their email addresses. Enquiries Contact: Rebecca Coburn (Contractual) Email: submissions@dffh.vic.gov.au