WE SWIM Multicultural Community Water Safety Program Grants - 2026-27

The 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.

Royal Life Saving funds a set of WE SWIM Multicultural Community Water Safety Partnerships, ranging from multi-partner, place based collaborations to more targeted, partner specific activity, all co-designed with multicultural communities:

• WE SWIM Place-Based Partnerships - multi-LGA or regional partnerships that shift systems at scale and build local capability that outlasts the funding period.
• WE SWIM Community Programs - focused, local partnerships that address a specific barrier, cohort or community, and build pathways into sustained participation.
• WE SWIM Pathfinder Programs - targeted initiatives, including refugee settlement pilots, community ambassadors, emerging leader scholarships and inclusive facilities work, that test and scale new approaches across the WE SWIM pillars.

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.

The Program’s objectives are framed around safety, access, equity, cohesion and opportunity. They are deliberately practical so they can guide decisions about funding, partnerships and delivery. 

Over the life of the Program, WE SWIM will:

• Reduce drowning risk for refugees, recently arrived migrants, multicultural communities and international students by improving swimming and water safety skills, hazard awareness and safe behaviours around water.
• Increase access and equity in swimming and water safety education by removing financial, cultural, language, gender and geographic barriers to participation in priority areas.
• Strengthen social cohesion by creating new and deeper connections between multicultural communities and local aquatic centres, swim schools, clubs and councils.
• Grow a more diverse aquatic workforce by creating pathways into swimming instruction, lifeguarding and community water safety leadership for people from multicultural backgrounds.
• Build sustainable local capability so councils, aquatic providers and community organisations can continue culturally responsive water safety programs beyond the funding period.