Call for Applications: Australia-ASEAN Council Grants

Deadline: 17-Dec-23

The Australia-ASEAN Council (AAC) is seeking applications for its 2023-24 grants round with an aim to build people-to-people, institutional and business connections between Australia and Southeast Asia.

The Australia-ASEAN Council (AAC) seeks to strengthen the ASEAN-Australia relationship in ways that enhance mutual understanding and people-to-people, institutional and business connections.

In 2024, Australia will mark 50 years of dialogue relations with ASEAN and host a Special Summit to commemorate the anniversary. Projects that support this milestone by promoting the ASEAN-Australia relationship, are multi-country in scope, or strengthen regional responses to contemporary challenges will be favourably considered.

Objectives

• The objectives of the AAC grants program are to:
  • increase mutual understanding and awareness of the importance of ASEAN-Australia relations
  • increase Australian capacity and capability to effectively engage with Southeast Asia
  • develop sustainable partnerships in areas of shared interest.

Priority Areas

• This year the AAC will support projects in the key priority areas of:
  • cross-cultural collaborations
  • economic, education and scientific cooperation and innovation
  • climate resilience (climate change, clean energy transition and green economy)
  • regional international relations.

Funding Information

• In 2023-24, approximately $350,000 is available for this grant opportunity.
• Grant applications for a minimum of $15,000 to a maximum of $50,000 will be considered.
• Grant projects typically run for 12 months but can be longer if agreed by the AAC.

Activities

• To be eligible the grant project outlined in the application must:
  • contribute to the objectives of the AAC grants program
  • increase mutual understanding and connections between Australia and Southeast Asia
  • address one of the strategic priority areas: cross cultural collaborations; economic, education and scientific cooperation and innovation; climate resilience (climate change, clean energy transition and green economy); and regional international relations.
• The guidelines to counter foreign interference in the Australian university sector on the Department of Education, Skills and Employment website could be a useful resource.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible you must:
  • be one of the following entity types:
    • an Australian entity with an Australian Business Number (ABN), Australian Company Number (ACN), or Indigenous Corporation Number (ICN)
    • an Australian consortium with a lead organisation
    • an international consortium led by an Australian organisation
    • an Australian registered charity or not-for-profit organisation
    • an Australian local government body
    • an Australian State/Territory government body
    • a Corporate Commonwealth Entity
    • an Australian statutory authority
    • be an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia
  • be willing to provide or develop child protection guidelines that meets the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Child Protection Policy for your project if it involves people under the age of 18 years.
• Applications from First Nations people and organisations are strongly encouraged.
• Applications with Southeast Asian partners are strongly encouraged.
• Applications from consortia are acceptable, provided you have a lead applicant who is the main driver of the project and is eligible as per the list above.
• Individuals who intend the grant to be administered by a university should apply on behalf of the university, i.e. your university is the applicant.

Ineligible

• You are not eligible to apply if you are:
  • an organisation, or your project partner is an organisation, included on the National Redress Scheme’s website on the list of ‘Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme’
  • not an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or Australian organisation
  • a previous applicant who has failed to provide a full and proper acquittal of an earlier IRGP grant.

For more information, visit DFAT.