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HEY Grants

The Healthy Equal Youth (HEY) Grants are an annual small grant round for LGBTQIA+ projects and initiatives. 

Grants aren’t just provided to LGBTQIA+ based services but are also given to mainstream organisations to support the further breakdown of barriers that exist for LGBTQIA+ young people in all spaces.

HEY grant applications are currently closed.

The grant categories

  • Youth led projects for LGBTIQA+ young people with innovative projects they know will support their LGBTIQA+ peers. A youth led application must be proposed and led by people who are under 25! (They can get people older than that to proofread and assist them).
  • Social Connectedness projects for services to expand or improve their support for LGBTIQA+ young people, and for targeted projects for LGBTIQA+ young people that will improve their mental health and wellbeing.

The HEY Grants are administered by the HEY Partners.

Who should apply?

Any organisation or project designed to support LGBTQIA+ young people in Victoria is encouraged to apply. Applications from outside of Victoria will not be considered.

HEY actively encourages applications that are led by, and designed for:

  • LGBTQIA+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people
  • LGBTQIA+ disabled young people, and LGBTQIA+ neurodiverse young people
  • LGBTQIA+ young people of colour, and LGBTQIA+ young people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
  • LGBTQIA+ community members who are underrepresented in services and programs, such as asexual and aromantic young people, or young people with intersex variations
How do I apply?

Before submitting your application on SmartyGrants, we advise you to prepare some of your responses beforehand so that you can make your application process as smooth as possible.

There are some key questions that you will be asked to respond to as part of your application. Here are some templates you should use as a way to prepare and refine your responses before adding them to your full application on SmartyGrants once submissions open:

Youth Led projects
Social Connectedness projects

Please note, you will need to copy and paste the information you write in these documents onto SmartyGrants for your application to count.

How to use SmartyGrants

  1. Once submissions open, click the link from this webpage which will take you to SmartyGrants.
  2. Here you'll be presented with a page where you can either preview your application or start a submission.
  3. If you start a submission, you'll be presented with a log on screen where you can register.

You can save progress on your application at any time on SmartyGrants. If your application is approved, this is also where you'll be asked to file progress reports once your project has been funded.

 

Read our FAQs

Previous grant recipients

Round 13 of the HEY Grants provided $102,000 to 12 projects and organisations across the state. The grants were selected by a panel of LGBTIQA+ community members, and prioritised new applicants who will address intersections and gaps in LGBTIQA+ services. 

See our previous recipients

Round 14

  • Mount Alexander Shire Council

    The ‘Over the Rainbow’ Project - $10,000 

    The ‘Over the Rainbow’ project will provide opportunities for regional young LGBTIQA+ people to connect with the wider queer community through a series of youth-led events and excursions. These events will provide much needed safe spaces for young people to form supportive relationships and celebrate their diverse identities. 
  • Sufi Festival Inc.

    ‘Songs of Belonging: Celebrating LGBTQ Diversity with Music’ - $5,000 

    Sufi Festival, a non-profit organisation, aims to spread peace, love, and harmony by bridging cultures in Australia. They take pride in organising festivals, musical events, cultural activities, and workshops for the elderly, young adults, and LGBTQ members, fostering inclusivity, support, and unity within the community. 
  • Whittlesea Community Connections

    ‘(CALD) Rainbow Group’ - $10,000 

    (CALD) Rainbow Group is a peer support group for young people from diverse cultural backgrounds who identify as part of the LGBTIQA+ community. The group will facilitate educational, informative and engaging activities to support better mental health and wellbeing for LGBTIQA+ young people and their allies in their community. 
  • ACMI

    ‘ACMI: Young LGBTIQA+ film-makers workshop’ - $5,000 

    A three-day film workshop designed to provide LGBTIQA+ individuals aged 15-19 with the skills and confidence to tell their own stories in a safe and inclusive environment. ACMI Educators and young collaborators from the community will co-design the workshop using ACMI's spaces and state-of-the-art equipment. 
  • City of Darebin

    ‘The Surround Project’ - $10,000 

    ‘Surround’ aims to boost and scaffold social connection and wellbeing for LGBTIQA+ young people in Darebin. Involving a “SafeTALKs” mental health training for LGBTIQA+ young people, allies and youth workers, followed by a wellbeing focussed “school formal” event, planned in collaboration with local LGBTIQA+ young people, schools and organisations.