Funding up to $400,000 to support economic engagement, creative and cultural connections, and Asia capability, strengthening business and community links between Australia and Southeast Asia.
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What is the ASEAN-Australia Centre Grants (AACG)?
The ASEAN-Australia Centre 2026–27 Grants Program supports initiatives that strengthen understanding, engagement and connections between Australia and Southeast Asia across business, education, cultural and community sectors.
The program supports the implementation of the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Australia’s ongoing commitment to deepen engagement with Southeast Asia, including recommendations from Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.
For 2026–27, applications are invited across three streams:
1. Economic Engagement
Projects may include initiatives that:
- support networking and engagement, information and opportunity exchange, awareness raising, business matching and Asia capability for Australian businesses
- focus on priority sectors identified in Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040
- take an inclusive approach involving the private sector, state and territory governments, peak bodies, chambers and councils, and Southeast Asian diplomatic representatives
- support Australian First Nations businesses to build economic engagement with Southeast Asia.
2. Creative Industry and Cultural Connections
Projects may include:
- creative industry exchanges, residencies and capacity building
- professional development, skills sharing and creative collaboration
- initiatives supporting export pathways and market development for arts workers, businesses and organisations.
3. Asia Capability
Projects may include initiatives that:
- draw on the skills and knowledge of Southeast Asian students studying at Australian higher education institutions to strengthen Southeast Asia literacy in education and business
- establish benchmarking and accreditation tools to demonstrate and maintain Southeast Asia literacy among Australian professionals in higher education, research and business
- develop resources aligned with the Australian Curriculum to support teaching about Southeast Asia in Australian primary and secondary schools, including links between community-based and school-based language learning.
Projects across all streams must involve multiple Southeast Asian countries and should clearly identify the Southeast Asian partners involved.
ASEAN-Australia Centre Grants level of support
- Minimum funding: $50,000 per annum
- Maximum funding: $200,000 per annum
- Multi-year funding: Applicants may seek funding for up to two years, ranging from $100,000 to $400,000 over two years
- Total program funding: $2.2 million over two years, from 2026–27 to 2027–28
- Maximum grant period: Two years Successful applicants must commence their grant activity before 30 June 2027.
Applicants are encouraged to seek funding from other sources. Monetary or in-kind co-contributions that demonstrate commitment to the project may strengthen an application. There is no prescribed minimum or maximum co-contribution.
In-kind contributions may include program management staff hours, administrative support, venues, salaries and logistics management
ASEAN-Australia Centre Grants important dates
- Applications close: 28 October 2026 at 1:00 pm AEDT
- Assessment of applications: November 2026
- Approval of outcomes: December 2026
- Grant agreement negotiations and awards: December 2026 to January 2027
- Notification to unsuccessful applicants: December 2026
- Earliest project start: Once the grant agreement has been fully executed
- Register your interest with GrantHelper
ASEAN-Australia Centre Grants objectives
The program aims to:
- develop, promote and strengthen understanding and engagement between Australia and Southeast Asia, including ASEAN Member States, in support of Australia’s national interests
- support implementation of the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in alignment with ASEAN priorities
- build on the Australian Government’s commitment to deepen engagement with Southeast Asia and support implementation of recommendations from Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.
The Centre focuses on four pillars:
- Southeast Asia Literacy
- Economic Linkages
- Education
- Cultural Connections
The intended outcome is to build stronger business, cultural and community links between Southeast Asia and Australia.
Projects and expenditure eligible for ASEAN-Australia Centre Grants support
Eligible activities
Eligible activities must be directly related to the proposed project and may include:
- industry dialogues, either virtual or in person
- trade delegations
- virtual or in-person tours and exhibitions
- events, performances and forums
- conferences and workshops
- exchanges, internships, fellowships and secondments between Australia and ASEAN Member States
- communications activities
- market research
- community engagement
- investment policy talks
- other activities approved as eligible by the Program Delegate.
Projects must involve multiple Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.
Applicants should clearly identify the Southeast Asian partners involved.
Applications are particularly encouraged from:
- Australians of Southeast Asian heritage promoting engagement with and awareness of Southeast Asian diaspora communities
- First Nations Australians and First Nations Australian-led organisations
- women and women-led businesses and organisations.
Applications from people with diverse abilities are also welcomed.
Eligible expenditure
Eligible expenditure may include:
- reasonable travel and accommodation costs, including meals and travel allowances
- interpretation and translation
- communications, advertising, promotion, graphic design and photography
- publications and printed materials
- event and production costs, including freight and artists’ fees
- venue hire and catering
- research-related activities
- labour costs for employees directly delivering core elements of the project, excluding ongoing salaries and wages
- other expenditure determined eligible by the Program Delegate.
Applicants may be required to provide evidence such as quotes for significant project costs.
Ineligible expenditure
Grant funding cannot be used for:
- purchase of land
- ongoing salaries or wages
- major capital expenditure
- retrospective costs
- costs incurred in preparing the grant application or related documentation
- general ongoing administration costs such as electricity, phone, rent, honorariums or administrative charges
- major construction or capital works
- activities for which another Commonwealth, state, territory or local government body has primary responsibility
- completed projects.
Other ASEAN-Australia Centre Grants important details that you will need to know
Organisations eligible for ASEAN-Australia Centre Grants support
To be eligible, applicants must:
- have a current Australian Business Number (ABN)
- be a permanent resident or citizen of Australia
- have an account with an Australian financial institution
- be located in Australia or one of the eligible Southeast Asian countries.
Eligible entity types include:
- companies incorporated in Australia
- companies incorporated by guarantee
- incorporated trustees on behalf of a trust
- incorporated associations
- partnerships
- joint or consortia applications with an eligible lead organisation
- registered charities or not-for-profit organisations
- publicly funded research organisations
- individuals
- Australian local government bodies
- Australian state or territory government bodies
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporations registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006.
Projects involving people under 18 must have, or be willing to develop, child protection guidelines meeting the DFAT Child Protection Policy.
Consortia may apply, provided an eligible lead applicant is responsible for the application and project.
Proposals supporting the people of Myanmar are encouraged and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Australia does not provide direct funding to Myanmar authorities.
Organisations not eligible
Applicants are not eligible if they are:
- an organisation not included among the eligible entity types
- an organisation, or have a project partner, listed as an institution that has not joined or signified its intent to join the National Redress Scheme
- an unincorporated association
- a previous grantee that has failed to provide a full and proper acquittal of an earlier Commonwealth grant.
ASEAN-Australia Centre Grants assessment criteria
Applications are assessed against five equally weighted criteria, each worth 20%.
Criterion 1 – Alignment with the Centre’s objectives and four pillars
20% – maximum 200 words
Applicants should explain how the activity will strengthen understanding and engagement between Australia and Southeast Asia through one or more of the following:
- increasing Southeast Asia literacy
- supporting economic links between Australia and ASEAN
- fostering engagement through education
- promoting cultural connections and showcasing regional ties.
Criterion 2 – Alignment with the grant stream and intended outcomes
20% – maximum 200 words
Applicants must identify the grant stream and intended outcomes addressed by their project and demonstrate:
- how the proposal provides an innovative solution to a pressing need
- how the project supports Australia’s national interest in the chosen area.
Criterion 3 – Delivery capability
20% – maximum 200 words
Applicants should demonstrate:
- a strong track record and appropriate mix of skills, experience and backgrounds
- effective governance and risk management
- capacity to demonstrate outcomes using measurable qualitative and quantitative data
- appropriate project partners in Australia and/or ASEAN Member States.
Criterion 4 – Enduring and sustainable outcomes
20% – maximum 200 words
Applicants should demonstrate:
- planning for the project beyond the life of the grant
- the capacity to create enduring value, including durable institutional relationships, commercial outcomes or long-term people-to-people links.
Criterion 5 – Reach and impact
20% – maximum 200 words
Applicants should demonstrate:
- partnerships and financial resilience, including in-kind support
- effective use of branding and partner networks
- appropriate recognition of ASEAN-Australia Centre support
- communications, marketing and media planning that maximises project reach.
Applicants must clearly identify which grant stream they are applying for. Separate applications must be submitted for each grant stream.
How do I get the ASEAN-Australia Centre Grants?
Before applying, applicants should:
- read the Grant Opportunity Guidelines, sample application form and sample grant agreement
- confirm that all eligibility requirements are met
- identify the relevant 2026–27 grant stream
- ensure the project involves multiple Southeast Asian countries
- identify relevant Southeast Asian project partners
- address all five assessment criteria
- demonstrate strong project delivery capability, governance and risk management
- show how the project will create sustainable outcomes beyond the grant period
- demonstrate how partnerships, communications and co-contributions will maximise project reach and impact.
The grant opportunity is an open competitive process, and eligible applications will be compared against the assessment criteria, other eligible applications, risk considerations and value with relevant money.
Information to prepare for the ASEAN-Australia Centre Grants application
Applicants should prepare:
- all information required in the online application form
- responses addressing all eligibility and assessment criteria
- a detailed project budget
- details of project partners and any co-contributions
- evidence supporting major project costs where required
- a letter of support or reference demonstrating the applicant’s capability and capacity to deliver the project.
Referees cannot be ASEAN-Australia Centre staff or Centre Advisory Board members.
For joint or consortia applications, the application must identify all participating organisations and include a letter of support from each project partner. These letters should outline the partner’s:
- organisation details
- role in delivering the project
- relevant expertise or experience
- responsibilities and resources they will contribute
- nominated management-level contact.
Only requested supporting documents should be attached. Unrequested material will not be considered.
Important: Remove the current statement that late applications may be accepted in exceptional circumstances. The new guidelines explicitly state that late applications will not be accepted.
Applying for the ASEAN-Australia Centre Grants
Applications must be completed and submitted through the SmartyGrants online platform.
Register your interest with GrantHelper to explore your alignment with this grant and how we can assist you to increase your chances of success.
ASEAN-Australia Centre Grants resources
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