QTIBPOC Mini Grants

Switchboard is offering small grants ($500 - $1000) to support connection for QTIBPOC.

Applications for our inaugural funding round closed:
06 November 2025 at 10:00 PM AEDT

Connection comes in many forms, especially when we shift away from white, colonial norms

Switchboard’s QTIBPOC Program was created to support social connection and community wellbeing among QTIBPOC people in Victoria.

We know the best work often happens in community. These mini grants are designed to help boost and uplift this vital grassroots work.

Our grants come with few strings attached and we’ve tried our best to keep the application and reporting processes as simple as possible.

Tell us what connection for QTIBPOC means to you and how you will foster it. We trust that you know what you’re doing.

View the application questions as a document here.

Grants are between $500 - $1000

QTIBPOC individuals, community-led groups and collectives, and small organisations can apply.

This is our pilot run, and our total pool is $5000.

Who falls under QTIBPOC?

QTIBPOC stands for queer, trans and/or intersex Black people, Indigenous people, and people of colour.

It’s an imperfect acronym shaped by colonisation and whiteness.

We know it fails to hold complexity and communicate distinct racialised identities and experiences on stolen land.

Within QTIBPOC, we include LGBTQIASB+ people who are: 

  • First Nations people 

  • Non-white settlers, including refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants, migrants, and international students.

Examples of how funding can be used

Here are some examples of what funds could go towards, but consider them only as a starting point.

  • Bringing people together for community meals, social connection, and shared grief, joy and celebration.

  • Bringing people together to share skills and knowledge about community care and survival or making art together.

  • Finding and bringing together less connected communities – people with shared histories, lineages or experiences.

  • Strengthening solidarity and relationships within and across QTIBPOC communities.

  • Making zines, podcasts, websites or other resources that communicate QTIBPOC community knowledge, stories and skills.

How we will select recipients

We will select recipients based on:

  • Connection - Is it clear that the applicant/s will increase connection for QTIBPOC?

  • Equity - Is it clear that the applicant/s will contribute to greater equity for QTIBPOC?

  • Relationships - Is it clear that the applicant/s have the relationships needed to deliver? E.g. relationships with relevant people and communities.

  • Collective - Is it clear the applicant/s will foster collective ways of doing?

Mini Grant FAQs

  • QTIBPOC individuals, community-led groups and collectives, and small organisations.

  • Registered political parties. People who are not QTIBPOC.

  • No. But you need to have an Australian bank account.

  • Funds need to contribute to the benefit of QTIBPOC people or communities in Victoria. We are flexible on what funds can be used for. You may wish to spend it on: 

    • Catering and food 

    • Venue hire 

    • Facilitators 

    • Artist or designers 

    • Interpreters 

    • Art materials 

    • Printing 

    • Advertising fees. 

  • 27 May 2026. 

  • You will need to send us a short summary of how money was spent and any relevant receipts.

    You will also need to share at least one photo that captures something special about the project. Photo doesn’t need to include faces of people. We will get your consent before using any photos you provide. 

    At the end, we will ask you for feedback about the grant, but this will be optional to provide. 

  • If successful, you will need to sign and complete a short form agreement, in which you will provide your bank details.

    There are also some simple reporting requirements (see above). 

  • We’ll be led by you. Tell us if you don’t need any support, and we’ll let you do your thing. But we’d love to support you or link you up with people we know, if it’s helpful, within our team’s capacity. Some optional supports: 

    • Project planning and project budget templates 

    • Agreed check-in calls or emails for accountability 

    • Someone to bounce ideas with or help with problem solving 

    • Support with promoting events through our channels 

    • Access to basic printing. 

  • Yes. You can audio or video record your responses to the application questions. Please keep audio/video under 10 mins.

    You will need to upload the audio or video file to a platform like Google Drive or Dropbox, then share the unrestricted link via email by application close: qtibpoc@switchboard.org.au.

  • Yes. If you have issues or questions, please email: qtibpoc@switchboard.org.au.

  • We aim to get back to all applicants by end of November 2025.

  • Application questions are here.

  • Send the QTIBPOC team an email: qtibpoc@switchboard.org.au. We’ll try to get back to you within three business days.

About Switchboard’s QTIBPOC Program

Connection & equity

We are a small team committed to increasing connection and equity among QTIBPOC in Victoria.

Decentring whiteness

QTIBPOC share legacies and roots in non-Western cultures that prioritise collective ways of knowing, doing, and being, over individualised ways.

These are just some of the things that bring us together, when we decentre whiteness.

Collective & relational

We’re interested in supporting QTIBPOC to share experiences, skills and knowledge that value collective and relational ways of doing things.