Australian Government - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Advancing the interests of Australia and Australians internationally

ASEAN-Australia Centre - 2025-26 Grants Program

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The ASEAN-Australia Centre 2025-26 Grants Program

Introduction

Thank you for your interest in the ASEAN-Australia Centre's (‘the Centre’) 2025-26 Grants Program. This grants opportunity contributes to DFAT Portfolio Budget Statement Outcome 1 Portfolio Budget Statements. 

The Centre administers the Grants Program according to the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles 2024 - Federal Register of Legislation (CGRPs).

Established in 2024, the Centre is a national platform that supports initiatives aimed at strengthening Southeast Asian literacy in Australia and business, education, cultural and community connections between Australia and Southeast Asia.

The Centre, subject to ongoing budget, will provide grants each year to develop, promote and strengthen understanding and engagement between Australia and Southeast Asia (encompassing ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste) in support of Australia’s national interests.

The Centre supports implementation of the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and works with ASEAN to ensure alignment with ASEAN priorities, including the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.

The Centre builds on the Australian Government’s ongoing commitment to deepen engagement with Southeast Asia and will implement recommendations from Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

To deliver on its objectives, the Centre focuses its work on four strategic pillars:

  • Southeast Asia literacy
  • Economic linkages
  • Education
  • Cultural connections.

 

Priority Areas

The priority areas for the Centre’s grants program change from year-to-year. For the 2025-26 grants opportunity, the Centre welcomes applications in line with the Centre’s mission and pillars in the following streams:

  • Stream 1 - Creative industry initiatives to facilitate professional and creative exchanges, residencies and collaborations between Australia and the region, including, but not limited to, Australian artists with Southeast Asian heritage, and First Nations artists.
  • Stream 2 - Projects that involve Australians of Southeast Asian heritage to advance engagement with Southeast Asia and increase awareness of the value diaspora brings to this engagement, including projects that promote and support engagement in business, higher education, science, sport and civil society.
  • Stream 3 - Research (by private or public institutions) aimed at supporting Australian companies’ access to and understanding of trade and investment opportunities in Southeast Asia with a particular focus on projects that:
    • investigate new strategies for Australian companies to engage with, export to and invest in Southeast Asia,
    • disseminate case studies or research on resilient supply chains, trade diversification, skills exchange, or emerging sectors where Australia and Southeast Asia can collaborate for mutual benefit and
    • draw on public and private data sources to measure and analyse the position of Australian companies in the region (including relative to likeminded countries), and present those findings publicly.

For all grant streams:

  • projects should involve multiple Southeast Asian countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam) in the project activity
  • grant activities should identify Southeast Asian partners in the application
  • applications from First Nations Australians and First Nations Australian-led organisations are strongly encouraged
  • women and women-led businesses and organisations are strongly encouraged to apply
  • applicants with diverse abilities are welcomed.

Grants Available

The Australian Government has a total of $2.2 million for this grant opportunity. Applicants can apply for a grant of any amount between a minimum of A$50,000 and a maximum of A$200,000 per annum. Applicants who do not apply for a minimum of $50,000 or over $200,000 per annum will be ineligible.

Applicants may apply for a multi-year grant (up to two years) for an equivalent amount (i.e. a grant for any amount between A$100,000 and A$400,000 over two years).

Grant Period

The maximum grant period is two years. If successful, you must start your grant activity before the end of the 2025-26 financial year (i.e. before 30 June 2026).