Current Grant Opportunity View - GO7365

For this grant opportunity, the ASEAN-Australia Centre welcomes applications to design and deliver a four-year ASEAN-Australia Young Women Entrepreneurs’ Exchange Program (‘the Program’). The Program will be required to support at least one cohort of at least 27 participants (from all ASEAN Member States,Timor-Leste and Australia) per annum for four years (from 2024-25 to 2027-28) to participate in a 12-week mentoring and leadership program. The program will include at least a one week visit to Australia by participants to participate in networking and workshop events. The grant funding will need to cover the travel costs of participants (including flight, accommodation and any per diems).

The program will prioritise participants working in sectors of mutual cooperation, agreed between DFAT and the successful applicant, including decarbonisation, green energy transition, the blue economy and other areas identified as priorities under Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040. The focus sector is expected to change for each cohort. 

The objectives of the program are to:

• bring together young (aged between 18 years and less than 40 years) female social entrepreneurs from Australia, all ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste for online and in-person leadership development, business and creative skills building and collaboration, and
• strengthen connections, deepen learning and provide networking opportunities for young female social entrepreneurs.

The intended outcomes of the program are:

• support women Entrepreneurs to scale-up and expand into international markets
• increased Women economic participation
• increased business, trade, tourism and investment between Australia and ASEAN and Timor-Leste
• increased cross-cultural connections between Australian and Southeast Asian business, and
• increased, positive, awareness of ASEAN-Australia relations among Australian and Southeast Asian business communities.

Eligible grant activities 

To be eligible your proposed grant activities:  

• must be consistent with the objectives and intended outcomes as outlined in Section 2 ‘About the grant program’ (above) 
• include eligible activities and eligible expenditure.  

Eligible activities must directly relate to the grant project and can include, but are not limited to:  

• industry dialogues (virtual or in person)
• trade delegations 
• virtual or real tours and exhibitions 
• major events, performances and forums 
• conferences and workshops 
• exchanges, internships, and secondments of personnel between Australia, ASEAN Member States and/or Timor-Leste 
• communications activities 
• market research 
• community engagement  
• investment policy talks, and or 
• other activities determined as eligible by the Program Delegate. 

Eligible locations  

Your grant can include activities at different locations provided they are in Australia and/or ASEAN Member States or Timor-Leste.  

Eligible expenditure  

You can only spend the grant on eligible expenditure directly related to the delivery of eligible activities.  

Eligible expenditure items include:  

• Reasonable air (economy class), land or sea travel costs and accommodation (up to four star) including meals and travel allowances, with the requirement to demonstrate the best value-for-money principles (refer to ATO Tax Determination – reasonable travel and overtime meal allowance expense amounts for guidance) 
• interpretation and translation 
• communications, advertising and promotion, graphic design, photography 
• publications and printed material 
• event and production costs (including freight and artists’ fees) 
• venue hire and catering 
• research-related activities  
• labour costs of employees you directly employ to deliver the core elements of the grant project (but not ongoing salaries/wages), or 
• other activities determined as eligible by the Program Delegate. 

$1,800,000.00

Before applying, you must read and understand these guidelines, the sample application form and the sample grant agreement.  

These documents may be found at GrantConnect. Any alterations and addenda will be published on GrantConnect and by registering on this website, you will be automatically notified on any changes. GrantConnect is the authoritative source for grants information. 

To apply you must: 

• complete the online grant application form on Smartygrants 

• provide all the information requested 

• address all eligibility criteria and assessment criteria 

• include all necessary attachments 

• submit your application/s to Smartygrants by the closing date and time. 

If you need further guidance around the application process or if you are unable to submit an application online contact us Smartygrants at service@smartygrants.com.au or by calling +61 3 9320 6888.