Canberra community groups will vie for $50,000 worth of events funding ahead of Australia's first Reconciliation Day public holiday.
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The ACT's Family and Community Day in September was officially dropped last year in favour of the new holiday on May 28.
It will mark the 1967 Referendum anniversary and will be at the start of National Reconciliation Week.
Indigenous affairs minister Rachel Stephen-Smith announced ahead of the government's mid-year budget review funding of $50,000 would be available for events.
She said the funding would enable grassroots organisations to get involved and ensure the holiday had a "strong community focus".
"The Reconciliation Day public holiday will be an opportunity for the Canberra community to come together in the spirit of reconciliation to recognise and celebrate the important place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history in our city and nation," Ms Stephen-Smith said.
A community-led Reconciliation Day Council will be appointed to oversee the program for Reconciliation Day and will have a $150,000 budget.
Events that attract grant funding must promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and the impact of past policies and historical events on indigenous people.
The events should be open to all Canberrans and should focus on the importance of reconciliation for all Australians.
Applications for grants open February 12 and close on March 5 at 5pm, and can be made through the Community Services Directorate website.
Correction: An earlier version of this article said $150,000 would be available for events on Reconciliation Day and $50,000 for events in the lead-up to the holiday. This was based on incorrect information provided by the minister's office.
