What is the Australia-India Council Grant Program?
The Australia-India Council Grant Program is a grant opportunity which provides businesses and individuals with funding to undertake projects that strengthen Australia–India relations, enhance Australia’s international reputation and promote cultural understanding.
Background
The Australia-India Council (AIC) seeks to advance Australia’s foreign and trade policy interests by building awareness and understanding between the peoples and institutions of Australia and India.
The Australia-India Council (AIC) aims to:
- promote the bilateral relationship between Australia and India
- build trust, influence and collaboration between international institutions and communities
- enhance the international reputation of Australia
- increase understanding of the cultures and opportunities in India.
Funding is available for sustainable projects that promote people-to-people engagement between Australia and India in a number of priority areas, including:
- economic, creative and cultural
- sporting, innovation and science
- education assets.
Funding
The Australia-India Council Grant Program process is very competitive and not all projects that satisfy the guidelines can be funded. In 2021/22, between $700,000 and $800,000 is expected to be available for AIC grants, subject to appropriation. Grants will be provided to a small number of projects (up to a maximum of $250,000 each) that demonstrate a clear capacity to maximise impact by fostering ground-breaking collaborations that catalyse positive bilateral engagement.
Eligible Projects
You can use the grant to pay for costs detailed in your budget and grant agreement, including:
- economy flights, modest accommodation costs, meals and travel allowances, other transport (travel must be compliant with current Australian Government medical advice on COVID-19 restrictions);
- communication and translation;
- venue hire and catering;
- advertising and promotion, graphic design, social media, video, photography and printed material;
- production costs, including freight and artists’ wages; and
- only one participant per conference or meeting, and only where the participant is a principal speaker, and the subject of the conference is of direct relevance to the grant project (attendance must be compliant with current Australian Government medical advice on COVID-19 restrictions).
Eligible Applicants
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 citizen or permanent resident of Australia; and willing to provide or comply with child protection guidelines for your project if it involves
people under the age of 18 years.
Applications from consortia are acceptable, provided you have a lead applicant who is the main driver of the project and is eligible per the list above.
Timing
Applications close 12 January 2022.
