Grants up to $400,000 to strengthen Australia’s Indonesia capability through cultural understanding, Indonesian language skills and sustainable partnerships across communities, schools, universities and professional networks.
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What is the Australia-Indonesia Institute Grants Program (AII)?
The Australia-Indonesia Institute Grants Program provides funding for projects that develop, promote and strengthen understanding and engagement between Australia and Indonesia.
The 2026–27 grant round focuses exclusively on Indonesian capability and language.
Indonesia capability refers to the knowledge, skills, experience and networks that enable Australians to engage effectively with Indonesia.
Priority will be given to projects that strengthen Australia’s ability to engage with Indonesia by building:
- Cultural understanding and knowledge
- Indonesian language skills
- Sustainable networks across communities, schools and universities
Favourable consideration will also be given to:
- Higher-value, two-year projects that demonstrate the potential for sustainable impacts
- Applications supported by written confirmation of direct collaboration with an Indonesian partner or Indonesian participation
- Projects that advance gender equality, disability equity and social inclusion
Applications from First Nations Australians and First Nations Australian-led organisations are encouraged.
Australia-Indonesia Institute Grants Program level of support
Funding amount
- Minimum grant amount: $50,000
- Maximum grant amount: $400,000
- Total funding available: Up to $2.5 million in 2026–27
- Funding period: Up to two years
- Grant amounts exclude GST
- Grants are paid in Australian dollars
Co-contribution
- Co-contributions are not mandatory.
- However, applicants are encouraged to seek funding from other sources. Cash or in-kind contributions from the applicant or other parties will demonstrate commitment to the project and may strengthen the application.
- Applicants should identify whether each source of funding or income is confirmed, conditional or awaiting approval.
- Successful applicants may be offered less funding than requested and can decide whether to accept the reduced offer.
Australia-Indonesia Institute Grants Program important dates
- Applications close: 1 October 2026 at 12 noon AEST
- Application assessment: Approximately six to eight weeks after applications close
- Approval of outcomes: November to December 2026
- Grant agreement negotiations and awards: December 2026
- Unsuccessful applicants notified: December 2026 to January 2027
- Earliest project commencement: January 2027
- Projects must commence: On or before 31 May 2027
- Standard project period: 12 to 24 months
- Maximum project period: Two years
- Evaluation period: 30 days following completion of the project
- Register your interest with GrantHelper
Australia-Indonesia Institute Grants Program objectives
The program aims to:
- Increase public interest in and understanding of Indonesia in Australia
- Increase awareness of the importance of the Australia–Indonesia bilateral relationship across a broad audience
- Increase Australians’ capability to engage effectively with Indonesia
- Develop partnerships, collaborations and people-to-people links in areas of shared bilateral and regional interest
The intended outcomes are:
- Stronger understanding of Indonesian culture, language and history in Australia
- Increased Australian interest in Indonesia
- Greater ability among a broad range of Australians to engage effectively with Indonesia
- Stronger networks and collaboration between Australian and Indonesian institutions and communities
- Greater understanding, trust and influence between the two countries
The 2026–27 round specifically aims to strengthen Australia’s national Indonesia capability through cultural knowledge, language skills, practical experience and sustainable networks.
Projects and expenditure eligible for Australia-Indonesia Institute Grants Program support
Projects must directly align with the program’s objectives and the 2026–27 theme of Indonesian capability and language.
Eligible activities may include:
- Public lecture series, panel discussions or roadshows involving leaders, academics and practitioners from Australia and Indonesia
- Skills development and professional capability-building activities
- Activities supporting teaching, administration, management and related professional fields
- Knowledge transfer and sharing of best practice
- Joint workshops or symposiums involving Australian and Indonesian universities, think tanks, not-for-profit organisations or creative industries
- Seed-funded pilot projects jointly delivered by Australian and Indonesian partners
- Cross-cultural competency training
- Internship or mentoring programs pairing Australians with Indonesians working in similar fields
- Network-building forums with structured follow-up activities
- Online platforms or communities of practice supporting ongoing connection and collaboration
- Joint volunteering or community service initiatives
- Development of resources for students and teachers aligned with the Australian curriculum
Projects involving scientific exchange should comply with relevant Australian export control requirements.
Universities should also consider the Guidelines to Counter Foreign Interference in the Australian University Sector.
Eligible expenditure
Funding may be used for costs directly related to delivering eligible activities, including:
- Economy-class international or domestic flights
- Modest accommodation, generally at three- or four-star hotels
- Reasonable meals, travel allowances and local transport
- Advertising and promotion
- Graphic design, photography, social media, video and printed materials
- Production costs, freight and support staff costs directly related to the project
- Employee labour costs for delivering the project’s core activities
- Communication and translation costs
- Costs of making information accessible across languages, formats and communication channels
- Venue hire and catering
- Auspice services, project administration or temporary project coordination, capped at 5% of the total grant value
Travel and accommodation will only be supported when directly relevant to the project and program objectives.
For conferences, meetings and in-country experiences, funding will generally be limited to key participants who have a principal role and whose participation is directly relevant to the activity.
Travel for more than one person must be fully justified. Larger groups will only be considered where the travel specifically supports the proposed activity and suitable alternatives, such as online participation, are unavailable.
Applicants delivering activities in Australia are encouraged to consider using First Nations suppliers when subcontracting services.
Applicants must allow for currency exchange fees and fluctuations. Bank remittance fees must be covered by the grant recipient.
Expenditure must be incurred between the project start and completion dates specified in the grant agreement. Unspent funding must be returned to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Ineligible expenditure and activities
Grant funding cannot be used for:
- Capital expenditure, including real estate or vehicles
- Business-as-usual salaries and wages
- Equipment such as musical instruments, IT equipment, video or photographic equipment, printing equipment or sporting equipment
- Activities that are already commercially viable
- Activities that provide a commercial advantage to the applicant
- Promotion of the applicant’s own business
- Production and sale of commercial goods resulting from the project
- Preparing the grant application or related documentation, except for eligible auspice costs
- General ongoing organisational administration
- Electricity, telephone, rent, ordinary salaries, research assistants, administrative staff or honorariums
- Administrative charges imposed by the applicant’s organisation
- Activities for which another Commonwealth, state, territory or local government body has primary responsibility
- General business assistance available through Austrade or other government programs
- Development assistance or aid-related projects
- Scholarships or study tours for individual students
- Retrospective costs
- Recurrent funding for ongoing activities
- Projects that have already been completed
Applicants cannot receive funding from another government source for the same purpose.
Other Australia-Indonesia Institute Grants Program important details that you will need to know
Organisations eligible for Australia-Indonesia Institute Grants Program support
Applicants must:
- Be an Australian permanent resident or citizen
- Have an account with an Australian financial institution
- Meet all eligible activity and expenditure requirements
- Submit all required application documents
Eligible applicants include:
- Australian entities with an Australian Business Number, Australian Company Number or Indigenous Corporation Number
- Australian consortia with an eligible lead organisation
- Individuals
- Australian local government bodies
- Australian state or territory government bodies
- Corporate Commonwealth Entities
- Australian statutory authorities
- Australian registered charities
- Australian registered not-for-profit organisations
Individuals intending for a university or other organisation to administer the grant should apply through that university or organisation.
For consortium applications:
- An eligible lead organisation must submit the application
- The lead organisation will enter into the grant agreement
- All consortium members must be identified
- A letter of support must be provided by each partner
- Formal arrangements with all partners must be in place before the grant agreement is executed
Applicants are not eligible if they are:
- An organisation type not listed as eligible
- An overseas resident or overseas organisation
- A previous AII or DFAT grant recipient that has not properly acquitted a completed grant
- An organisation, or partnered with an organisation, listed as not having joined or signified its intention to join the National Redress Scheme where the Grant Connected Policy applies
Australia-Indonesia Institute Grants Program assessment criteria
Applicants must address all three assessment criteria. Each criterion is weighted equally.
The level of detail and supporting evidence should be proportionate to the project’s size, complexity and requested funding.
Criterion 1: The proposed activity, contribution to AII objectives and demonstrated need
Applicants should explain:
- The proposed activity in concise, plain English that can be understood by a non-specialist
- The activity’s key outputs and intended outcomes
- How the activity will contribute to the program’s objectives and outcomes
- How the activity will increase Australian understanding and awareness of Indonesia
- How the activity will strengthen Australians’ capability to engage with Indonesia
- How the activity will promote recognition of the strategic importance of the bilateral relationship
- The specific gap, need or opportunity the project will address
- Any innovative or improved approaches to advancing Australia’s Indonesia capability
- How the project will support Indonesian language learning in Australia
- Why the proposed activity represents value with relevant money
Criterion 2: Potential reach and level of engagement
Applicants should demonstrate:
- How the project will create new or strengthen existing connections between Australian and Indonesian organisations or individuals
- How participants will be meaningfully engaged
- The expected benefits for participants
- The anticipated number and type of events
- The expected number and profile of participants or audience members
- The rationale for the chosen participants and audiences
- Quantitative and qualitative measures that will be used to assess reach and engagement
- The partnerships, collaborations or networks involved
- Each partner’s role in delivery and project impact
- Plans for media engagement, including proposed content
- The types of media coverage sought, such as articles, radio or television coverage
- Social media, publication and distribution plans
- Expected follow-on or sustained outcomes
- Opportunities for ongoing collaboration between individuals and institutions
- Whether the activity is standalone or part of a broader initiative
- The project’s target audiences
- How inclusive participation will support gender equality, disability equity and social inclusion
Criterion 3: Applicant capability and capacity
Applicants must demonstrate:
- The applicant’s ability to deliver the proposed activity successfully
- The ability of project partners to fulfil their proposed roles
- Relevant organisational experience and previous performance
- The skills, experience and cultural capability of the project leader and key personnel
- Indonesian cultural capability where the activity will be delivered in Indonesia
- Australian cultural capability for Indonesian partners supporting an activity in Australia
- The strength of the working relationship with project partners
- The capability, capacity and diversity of skills within the project team
- Appropriate governance and risk management arrangements
- Organisational commitment to the project
- Cash or in-kind contributions from the applicant or other parties
Applicants must provide a one-page organisational capability statement and CVs for the project leader and key personnel.
Value with relevant money
Assessors and the Program Delegate will strongly consider value with relevant money, including:
- The program objectives expected to be achieved
- The amount of funding requested
- The reasonableness and detail of individual project costs
- The quality and fitness for purpose of the proposal
- Evidence that the activities will contribute to the program’s objectives and outcomes
- How the activities will reach relevant groups or individuals
- The applicant’s experience and performance history
- Whether the project outcomes would be unlikely to occur without the grant
- Confirmed, conditional or pending cash and in-kind contributions
- Whether travel costs are appropriate, reasonable and realistic
- Whether suitable alternatives to face-to-face conferences, forums, roundtables or meetings have been considered
Applications should be written in plain language and be accurate, focused and comprehensive. They should include a clearly defined project and realistic budget.
How do I get the Australia-Indonesia Institute Grants Program support?
To submit a competitive application, applicants should demonstrate:
- Clear alignment with the program’s objectives and the Indonesian capability and language theme
- A well-defined need, gap or opportunity supported by relevant evidence
- Measurable benefits for Australia’s ability to understand and engage with Indonesia
- A clear contribution to Indonesian language capability and cultural understanding
- Meaningful involvement from Australian and Indonesian participants
- Strong and sustainable partnerships between Australian and Indonesian organisations or individuals
- Written confirmation of Indonesian partners or participants
- Realistic and measurable outputs, outcomes and performance indicators
- A well-defined target audience and credible plan for reaching and engaging it
- Potential for benefits, networks and collaboration to continue beyond the funded period
- An experienced project team with the skills and cultural capability required for delivery
- Clear governance, project management and risk management arrangements
- An accurate and realistic project budget
- Appropriate and fully justified travel costs
- Strong value with relevant money
- Organisational commitment through cash or in-kind contributions where possible
- Inclusive participation supporting gender equality, disability equity and social inclusion
- First Nations involvement and support where the project affects First Nations people
- Compliance with child protection requirements where participants are under 18
- The capacity to commence by 31 May 2027 and complete the project within two years
Higher-value, two-year projects should clearly explain how their scale, partnerships and delivery model will create sustainable impacts and ongoing Australia–Indonesia engagement.
Information to prepare for the Australia-Indonesia Institute Grants Program support
Applicants should prepare:
- A completed online application form
- A concise, plain-English description of the project
- Details of planned activities, outputs and intended outcomes
- Evidence explaining the project’s need, gap or opportunity
- Details of target audiences and expected participation
- Quantitative and qualitative performance measures
- Partnership, collaboration and network details
- Media, communications and distribution plans
- Information about follow-on activities and sustainable outcomes
- A detailed activity budget
- Details of cash and in-kind contributions
- Confirmation of whether other income or funding is confirmed, conditional or pending
- Two short, signed reports from independent referees
- Letters of support from nominated project partners
- A one-page organisational capability statement or an individual applicant’s CV
- CVs for the project leader and key personnel
- A university Research Office or equivalent letter of support, if applicable
- Child protection guidelines where the project involves people under 18
- Evidence of First Nations involvement or support where the project includes or directly affects First Nations people
- Details of any actual, apparent or perceived conflicts of interest
Referees cannot be AII Advisory Board members or DFAT employees.
University letters should explain:
- How the project aligns with the program’s objectives and theme
- How the project supports the university’s relevant strategic goals
- Why the project is not more appropriately funded by the Australian Research Council or another Commonwealth funding body
Partner capability and commitment statements should also be provided where applicable, together with evidence of previous successful partnerships.
Each consortium partner’s letter should include:
- Details of the partner organisation
- How the lead organisation and partner will work together
- Relevant experience and expertise
- Roles and responsibilities
- Resources the partner will contribute
- A nominated management-level contact
Only requested or directly relevant documents should be attached.
Applying for the Australia-Indonesia Institute Grants Program support
Applications must be submitted through the SmartyGrants online application system.
Register your interest with GrantHelper to explore your alignment with this grant and how we can assist you to increase your chances of success.
Australia-Indonesia Institute Grants Program resources
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