In April 2026, Pride Foundation Australia launched its first large grant round of $100,000 in our key funding area for LGBTQIA+ Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and South Sea Islander (ATSSSI) people. Up to $20,000 was available for projects focused on areas of cultural engagement and development, support for community connection, reducing social isolation, improving health and/or health literacy, supporting links to LGBTQIA+ services and supports, and improving LGBTQIA+ inclusive and culturally appropriate practices in services.
As a result, we are proud to announce the first four recipients of our inaugural ATSSSI large grant round, with a total of $102,450.00 being awarded in funding across six projects.
Read on to learn about each of these recipients and their worthy projects.
Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA)
VACCA is the leading Aboriginal child and family services organisation, supporting Aboriginal children, young people, and families for over 45 years. Through 80 programs spanning areas including family violence, family services and care services, VACCA prioritise holistic and strengths-based approaches. Their extensive reach allows them to provide wrap-around support to over 4,500 people and 500 families every year. As the largest employer of Aboriginal staff in Victoria outside of government, VACCA strives to build prosperity within their communities. Grounded in Cultural Therapeutic Ways, they commit to Heal, Connect and Protect Aboriginal children, families and community, informed by culture, trauma and self-determination to bring about change.
A large grant of $20,000 has been awarded to VACCA towards their LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Initiative.
VACCA’s LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Initiative will deliver Days of Significance celebration events, staff education activities and support participation in external LGBTQIA+ events. The purpose of this project is to continue building staff education and promote connection, inclusion and visibility across the organisation. In doing so, they aim to cultivate a more inclusive workplace culture, build staff capability to better support LGBTQIA+ Aboriginal colleagues and clients, and increase VACCA’s visibility as an inclusive organisation.
The activities will have a focus on highlighting the intersection of identity and culture for LGBTQTIA+ Aboriginal people and the unique experiences and barriers intersectionality may bring for the Rainbow Mob VACCA supports. They will also have a focus on regional activation, creating opportunities for connection and reducing isolation for LGBQTIA+ ATSSSI staff in VACCA’s regional offices.
Canberra Burlesque Academy Incorporated
Canberra Burlesque Academy (CBA) is a SBLGBTQIA+-led space for people who don’t usually feel comfortable in traditional dance or performance, empowering Canberra through burlesque, drag, and disability-friendly movement. They are First Nations-led within the teaching team and work mostly with people navigating disability, gender diversity, and cultural identity. CBA provides a space where people can figure themselves out, build confidence, and feel part of something special.
A large grant of $14,510 has been awarded to Canberra Burlesque Academy for their SBLGBTQIA+ First Nations Burlesque Mentorship Program.
This is a targeted program where First Nations artists are not only participants, but leaders and decision-makers within the space. There is a clear gap in culturally safe, queer-led training spaces for First Nations SBLGBTQIA+ artists—particularly those who are also trans, disabled, or facing financial barriers. Many mainstream arts spaces are inaccessible or unsafe, limiting both creative development and pathways into paid performance.
The SBLGBTQIA+ First Nations Burlesque Mentorship Program removes those barriers through a structured, supported pathway. Dedicated mentorship places will be reserved for ATSSSI participants to ensure they are not competing within a general intake.
The program is facilitated by a team of First Nations teachers and staff. Participants will also work with nationally recognised guest mentor Kitty Obsidian (First Nations, Trans, and the current title holder of Miss First Nations). The project is designed in direct collaboration with First Nations artists, with cultural knowledge and lived experience shaping both structure and delivery. All teachers have completed culturally safe mental health first aid training, supporting a space that is both culturally and psychologically safe.
Participants will work closely with First Nations mentors across classes, one-on-one mentorship, and performance development, with at least two paid performance opportunities included in the program.
BRG Productions
BRG Productions is an independent producing entity led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and collaborators. The organisation creates bold, community-driven projects that centre LGBTQIA+ First Nations voices, prioritising cultural integrity and self-determined storytelling. Working across live performance, public activation and community engagement, BRG Productions provides platforms for Blak queer artists to develop work, build skills and connect with audiences.
A large grant of $10,000 has been awarded to BRG Productions for their Mr First Nation project.
Mr First Nation is a Blak LGBTQIA+ performance development project led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander SBLGBTQIA+ artists, focused on drag king performance, storytelling, and cultural expression. The project addresses the ongoing underrepresentation and limited resourcing of First Nations LGBTQIA+ artists within contemporary performance and drag spaces, particularly those centring Blak queer masculinities and self-representation.
The project combines creative development, facilitated workshops, mentorship, and public performance outcomes to support artists to develop new work grounded in cultural authority and lived experience. It prioritises First Nations leadership, cultural safety, and intergenerational knowledge sharing, ensuring artists are supported to define and shape their own narratives.
Kimberley Blak Pride Limited
Kimberley Blak Pride exists to empower, provide a platform and safe spaces for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sistagirls, Brothaboys, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer/Questioning, Asexual, non-Binary and gender diverse (SBLGBTIQA+ mob) people living or who have lived in the Kimberley region. Kimberley Blak Pride will celebrate SBLGBTIQA+ mob in the Kimberley.
Kimberley SBLGBTIQA+ people face geographic isolation, service fragmentation, limited access to SBLGBTIQA+ spaces, cultural complexity, bigotry, discrimination and phobias. This results in significant challenges, compromised health and wellbeing, identity and rights. We know this from Rainbow Realities, Walkern Katatdjin and the Kimberley SBLGBTIQA+ Roadshow Report.
Kimberley Blak Pride have been awarded a $20,000 large grant towards the coordination and delivery of their annual pride festival over the next two years.
The Kimberley Blak Pride Festival is multi day, community led celebration that centres SBLGBTIQA+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their families, allies, friends and Kimberley community. Grounded in lived experience, the Festival creates safe, inclusive and culturally grounded spaces for connection, Queer Blak Excellence and Rainbow Lateral Love.
