Deadline: 15-Aug-2025
The ASEAN Centre for Active Ageing and Innovation (ACAI) is excited to announce a Call for Research and Innovation, inviting researchers, innovators, and organizations across ASEAN Member States to help shape a healthier, more inclusive, and productive future for older persons in the region.
This initiative aims to generate actionable knowledge, promote scalable innovations, and support collaborative research that tackles the emerging challenges of ageing across ASEAN countries.
The core objectives of this call are to encourage interdisciplinary research, provide evidence for policy and service improvements, strengthen regional collaboration, and promote rights-based, gender-sensitive, and culturally appropriate approaches to ageing.
Applicants can focus on a wide range of topics, including active and healthy ageing, long-term care, age-related policy and legal rights, social protection, community engagement, financial innovation, technologies for ageing, and climate adaptation in ageing communities.
Two levels of funding are available:
- Small Grants of up to $50,000 for 1-year pilot or exploratory projects
- Scale-up Grants of up to $150,000 for regional or multi-country projects (up to 3 years)
In addition to funding, selected projects may receive non-financial support such as technical guidance, networking opportunities within ASEAN, and access to policy platforms. Note that personnel costs must not exceed 10% of the total project budget.
Eligible applicants include those based in any of the 10 ASEAN Member States: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Eligible entities include research institutions, NGOs, government bodies, social enterprises, and qualified individuals.
The call also encourages cross-country and collaborative proposals, which may include partnerships with non-ASEAN countries. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to ageing innovation and policy transformation across the region.
For more information, visit ACAI.