WE SWIM: Multicultural Community Water Safety Program is a national, evidence-informed initiative to reduce drowning risk, remove barriers to swimming and water safety education, and build belonging for refugees, recently arrived migrants and broader multicultural communities.

WE SWIM is funded by the Australian Government and led by Royal Life Saving Society – Australia. Royal Life Saving Australia brings national coordination, facilitation of WE SWIM community partnerships, and monitoring, evaluation and learning into one cohesive program.

Multicultural communities face higher drowning risk from layered vulnerabilities including lower swimming and water safety skills, limited familiarity with local hazards, and financial, language, cultural and access barriers to participation. These vulnerabilities and barriers are most pronounced for refugees and recently arrived migrants during settlement and the decade after and can persist across generations if unaddressed. WE SWIM exists to close that gap.

Every funded activity activates one or more of the WE SWIM pillars. They are WE CONNECT (linking multicultural communities to local aquatic facilities, swim schools and clubs); WE WELCOME (improving cultural safety and creating welcoming aquatic environments); WE PROMOTE (delivering multilingual water safety messages through trusted voices), and WE LEARN (removing barriers to participation and building swimming and water safety skills). Each stream's funding guidelines suggests fundable activities for each pillar.

Four beneficiary groups: refugees in humanitarian and settlement support programs; recently arrived migrants (in Australia less than 10 years); broader multicultural communities facing access and equity barriers around water; and, where appropriate, international students. Emphasis falls on school-aged children and young people, with a secondary focus on adults and caregivers, whose choices shape family participation and safety.

WE SWIM aligns to the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030 and its target to reduce drowning by 50 per cent by 2030, the Commonwealth's Multicultural Access and Equity Policy, and the Multicultural Framework Review: Towards Fairness. It also reflects Royal Life Saving's strategic framework for eliminating drowning, empowering communities, strengthening safety and succeeding together, and every funded activity is expected to embody that same approach.

There are three streams.1/ Place-Based Partnerships funds larger, multi-partner coalitions shifting systems across a multi-LGA or regional footprint. 2/ Community Programs funds targeted, single-organisation-led delivery in one local government area. 3/ Pathfinders which include WE SWIM Pathfinder: Refugee Settlement which funds a small number of pilots integrating water safety into settlement pathways, and WE SWIM Pathfinder: Multicultural Community Ambassador Program funds trusted community voices to deliver communications and advocacy activity. Contact weswim@rlssa.org.au if you're unsure which stream fits your idea.

Yes. Each stream's funding guidelines set out how many applications a lead organisation can submit within that stream. If you're considering more than one stream. For example, leading a Community Programs application while joining another organisation's Place-Based Partnership as a partner. Talk to us early to avoid overlapping or duplicate proposals.

Most streams follow a similar rhythm: documentation released from 18 August 2026, applications closing 24 September 2026, outcomes notified 16 October 2026, and agreements executed shortly after. Delivery generally runs 1 November 2026 to 31 May 2027, with final reporting due by 30 June 2027.

Most streams expect cash and/or in-kind co-investment including things like venue access, staff time, translation or transport support. Clearly describe any co-investment in your budget. Requirements vary by stream and scale, so check your stream's funding guidelines.

Through the Royal Life Saving Grant Hub. Which is an externally supported online platform, not email or paper. You'll set up an account, complete your application online, upload supporting documents, and submit directly through the platform. We'll provide the link and access instructions when each round opens.

Yes. The platform's 'collaborate' feature lets multiple people from your organisation and partnership contribute to the same application – drafting sections or reviewing the budget together. However, the lead organisation must create and submit the application; partners using collaborate cannot submit on its behalf.

Royal Life Saving's WE SWIM team at weswim@rlssa.org.au. Reach out before submitting – early conversations can confirm program fit, eligibility, partnership expectations and cultural safety considerations, and we can help with technical questions about the platform.

No. Several streams require a workplan, budget, risk assessment and letters of support, and Royal Life Saving has created templates for all of these – find them in the resources section of our website. Please complete and submit using only our templates, not your own formats, so every application can be assessed consistently.

Programs should be designed with intersectionality in mind, recognising that people often hold overlapping inclusion and access needs across factors including culture, disability, gender and neurodiversity. Programs should be genuinely strengths-based, non-tokenistic, and reflect the real, layered identities of the people they serve rather than treating each factor in isolation.

Monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) is the program's accountability framework; full participation is a funding condition, proportionate to your project's scale. Royal Life Saving provides common indicators, templates and guidance. Reporting generally covers activity delivery, participant data, access and inclusion outcomes, co-investment, risks and practical learning.

For any general question, or if you're unsure which funding stream fits, contact weswim@rlssa.org.au. More information and our resource templates are at royallifesaving.com.au.

A lead organisation applies on behalf of a consortium – not alone. It must be incorporated and able to govern a partnership including at least one council, two multicultural or community partners, and one water safety or aquatic provider. Multiple people can contribute via the platform's 'collaborate' feature, but only the lead submits. See section 2.1 of the funding guidelines.

Yes. Smaller, grassroots groups are welcomed – they bring essential community trust. They don't need to be the lead applicant; joining as a named community partner still shapes the partnership's design and delivery. See section 2.1 of the funding guidelines.

At least one council, two multicultural or community partners serving priority communities, and one water safety or aquatic provider. Add schools, universities, employment providers or settlement services as relevant to your corridor. See section 2.1 of the funding guidelines.

Up to two, provided each is a genuinely distinct consortium with its own region or community focus. Talk to us early if you're weighing up more than one idea.

Probably not – WE SWIM Community Programs suits single-community or catchment-scale proposals better. Place-Based Partnerships is for larger, systems-level change across multiple LGAs. Talk to us first. See section 2.3 of the funding guidelines.

Multicultural communities shape your partnership's priorities, activities and governance from the start – not just review a finished plan. We'll give practical guidance and support you to strengthen this practice over time. See section 8.3 of the funding guidelines.

A Local Community Coalition that guides co-design and plans for sustainability, with councils, providers and community organisations meeting at least monthly. It must be in place before you sign a funding agreement. See section 5 of the funding guidelines.

Yes. Where we're aware of multiple groups in the same area, we'll help connect them rather than leave you competing for the same partners. Reach out early for introductions before applications close. See section 10.1 of the funding guidelines.

Yes – particularly where they build workforce pathways into swim teaching, lifeguarding and aquatic leadership, or build swimming vocabulary into English-language teaching. Including them can strengthen your application against the partnership design and workforce criteria.

Refugees, recently arrived migrants and broader multicultural communities facing ongoing access and equity barriers, plus international students where relevant. Priority life stages are school-aged children and young people aged 13–24, with a secondary emphasis on adults and caregivers – parent education alongside children's lessons is encouraged. See section 2.2 of the funding guidelines.

All are welcome – refugees, recently arrived migrants, longer-settled communities and international students. The priority is need, not a visa checklist; talk to us if you're unsure whether your community fits. See section 2.2 of the funding guidelines.

One where multicultural participants and families feel safe, welcomed and respected in language, gender norms, dress and trust – not just physically safe. In practice: trauma-informed delivery, community-led design, gender-sensitive options such as women-only sessions, and bilingual or interpreter support. See section 6 of the funding guidelines.

Yes. Everyone delivering the program must complete approved cultural safety training before activities begin. Royal Life Saving can help you access suitable training. Don’t stress, building cultural safety is a journey, so entry level training counts as a step forward.

No – WE SWIM is an aspiration, not an eligibility test. Removing that exact barrier is the point of the funding.

Staffing and coordination tied to delivery, venue and lane hire, instructor, lifeguard, bilingual worker and interpreter costs, multilingual communications, and barrier-removal supports like transport and modest swimwear assistance. Training, accredited courses and MEL costs are also eligible, with coordination capped at 20% of the grant. See section 3.2 of the funding guidelines.

We won’t fund things like business-as-usual overheads, capital works or major equipment, pre-agreement costs, or anything unrelated to drowning reduction, water safety, access or inclusion. Unapproved cash incentives and duplicate funding are also out of scope. Ask us in writing if you are unsure. See section 3.3 of the funding guidelines.

Yes – matched or higher co-investment is expected across your consortium, cash or in-kind (free pool entries, lane space, staff time, transport, communications support). Quantify it in your budget against each contributing partner. See section 4 of the funding guidelines.

Current funding covers one year, with delivery expected between November 2026 and May 2027. Strong outcomes may open scope to extend, but only this first year is certain. See section 10.3 of the funding guidelines.

Yes. Training and accredited course costs sit within eligible workforce development, particularly where they build pathways for multicultural people into swim teaching or lifeguarding – including partnering directly with training providers. See section 3.2 of the funding guidelines.

Documentation opens 18 August 2026, applications close 24 September 2026, and applicants are notified by 16 October 2026. Delivery runs 1 November 2026 to 31 May 2027, with acquittal due 30 June 2027. See section 10.3 of the funding guidelines.

All applications are assessed against a five common and weighted assessment criteria as follows 1) Community need and local fit (20%), 2) Partnership strength, delivery capability and sustainability (30%), 3) Alignment to WE SWIM pillars and outcome pathways (20%), 4) Value for money and co-investment (20%), and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) readiness (10%). See sections 8 and 9 of the funding guidelines.

We provide tools, templates and direct coaching. Limited grant-writing experience shouldn't stop you applying. See sections 8 and 9 of the funding guidelines.