DFAT: Australia-Japan Foundation Grants Program

Deadline: 09-Jun-21

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is accepting applications for its Australia-Japan Foundation Grants Program to promote people-to-people links and a contemporary and positive image of Australia and support for the Australian Government’s international policy goals.

The Australia-Japan Foundation seeks to advance Australia’s engagement with Japan by supporting people-to-people linkages; amplifying and shifting perceptions of Australia in Japan to reflect contemporary Australia; and facilitating the promotion of the inventive, innovative capabilities that Australia brings to Australia-Japan collaborations across broad and ever sophisticated sectors.

The Australia-Japan Foundation also seeks to bring to the fore, awareness of the ongoing vital importance of Australia and Japan on each other’s foreign and trade policies by facilitating informed discussions.

The Australia-Japan Foundation 2021 Grant Round aims to continue this work in the face of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Proposals for this round must be consistent with government restrictions in response to COVID-19.

Objectives

The objectives of the Australia-Japan Foundation (AJF) are:

to increase awareness and understanding in Japan of shared interests with Australia;
to increase awareness and understanding in Australia of the importance of Japan to Australia as an economic and strategic partner; and
to increase recognition in Japan of Australian excellence and expertise.

Priority Areas

Communication, Information and Advocacy: Projects will promote an accurate and positive image of Australia in Japan, highlight the enduring nature of the bilateral relationship and increase public understanding of the importance of the Australia-Japan relationship in both countries.
Economic Diplomacy and Geopolitics: Projects will facilitate informed discussion among policymakers, business groups and academic opinion leaders on the importance and potential of the Australia-Japan business, economic and geopolitical relationships to each country. Projects will focus on the following areas:
- Promoting closer economic relations arising from the opportunities of trade agreements and their built-in agendas;
- Promoting emerging issues and trends in Australia’s trade and investment relationship with Japan;
- Promoting Australian corporate reform capabilities and international business expertise in areas of interest to Japan (for example in project management and private-public partnerships);
- Promoting understanding and public awareness of Australia and Japan’s shared contribution to promoting peace and stability in the region and globally; and Australia and Japan’s commitment to rules and norms that promote stability, peace and prosperity.
Education and Australian studies: Projects will focus on two areas:
- The promotion of Australia’s strong education and training credentials, for example, through alumni engagement and opportunities to provide in-country exposure to Australian education and training capabilities.
- Support for the teaching of Australian studies in Japan and the maintenance and expansion of Japanese academic interest and expertise on Australia. Proposals for study tours and academic research projects, particularly those that lack a strong communications component, are generally not competitive.
Scientific innovation: Projects will focus on three areas:
- Exchanges between potential Australian and Japanese individual and institutional collaborators and partners in sectors that promote Australian excellence such as in innovation, science, health and technology;
- The promotion of Australian expertise in scientific research, technology and innovation, for example, through alumni engagement and public outreach activities. Projects that engage scientific and technological areas of cooperation between Australia and Japan – but are not wholly or predominantly scientific research – will be eligible for funding.
- Promotion of Australian excellence in sports medicine and other sports-related scientific innovation through exchanges.
Society, Culture and Sport: Projects under this priority will encourage new social and cultural exchange and cooperation initiatives between Australian and Japanese professional, community and other institutions including sport, local government, youth, community and not-for profit groups which highlight Australian excellence and expertise in Japan and enhances mutual understanding, friendship and respect. Projects will promote Australia as a contemporary, creative, successful, diverse and tolerant nation; and an attractive place to work, study, visit and live. Projects will also promote Japan as a highly complementary partner with shared values and interests.

Funding Information

In 2021-22, approximately $700,000 is available for this grant opportunity, subject to appropriation. Grant applications for a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $40,000 per year will be considered. Co-contributions from applicants and other parties strengthen an application.
For multi-year grants, the maximum grant period is three years.

Outcomes

The intended outcomes of the program are:

strengthened bilateral relationships in areas of mutual interest with particular countries and regions,
international networks, collaboration and connections between institutions and communities to build understanding, trust and influence,
enhanced Australian international reputation and reach through the promotion of their economic, creative and cultural, sporting, innovation and science, and education assets, and
increased understanding of Australians of the cultures and opportunities in each of these countries.

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 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
an Australian or permanent resident of Australia
a Japanese citizen or organisation
a well-established organisation in Japan with a business purpose to advocate for Australian business, education and/or cultural interests.
be to provide or develop child protection guidelines for your project if it involves people under the age of 18 years.