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FAQs - 2022-23 Grants Round

What do I need to do to apply?

Before applying, you must read and understand the NFACR Grant Guidelines, the sample application form and the sample grant agreement which are available on this website and on GrantConnect.

What is the deadline for applications?

You must submit your application on Smartygrants by 19.30 AEST on 4 October 2022.

Who is eligible to apply for a grant?

Before you apply, please check that you are eligible based on Section 4.1 and Section 4.2 of the Grant Guidelines. One of the requirements is that you must have an ABN. We cannot consider your application if it does not satisfy all the eligibility criteria.

Can my organisation apply multiple times in this grant opportunity?

Yes. If your organisation (for example a University) wishes to submit multiple applications for different projects, you can.

What can the grants be for?

The Foundation provides grants to develop, promote and strengthen understanding and engagement between Australia and China in support of Australia’s national interests.

The Foundation’s strategic objectives are:

Promoting connections and practical cooperation
Building understanding and exchange
Showcasing Australian excellence
Engaging Australia’s diverse communities

Your grant should align with one or more of the Foundation’s strategic objectives and your grant activity must be consistent with the objectives and intended outcomes of the grant opportunity (as set out in Section 2 of the Grant Guidelines). Please review Section 5 of the Grant Guidelines which includes some examples of eligible activities.

Does my application have to include a connection to China?

Yes. This grant opportunity aims to develop, promote and strengthen understanding and engagement between Australia and China, including business and community stakeholders.

Does my grant activity have to occur in Australia?

No. Grant activities may take place in different locations, as long as they are all in Australia and/or Greater China.

What is the maximum duration for the grant?

The grant activity can occur for a maximum of two years, however grant funding will be disbursed in the 2022-2023 financial year.

What if COVID-19 prevents my grant activity from running as planned?

Please consider the risks and impacts around any COVID-19 restrictions on grant activities or projects, including those that involve international and domestic travel, and plan for the possibility of COVID-19 disruption in your grant application.

How will my application be assessed?

Your application will be assessed as per the assessment criteria outlined in Section 6 of the Grant Guidelines. Your application will be assessed equally against the 4 criteria. The amount of detail and supporting evidence you provide in your application should be relative to the size, complexity and grant amount requested.

How will my application be ranked?

This is a competitive grants opportunity. All applications are considered on merit against other applications. Your grant will be ranked on how well it meets the criteria, how well it achieves value with relevant money and whether it will ensure a reasonable spread of projects across priority sectors.

How much funding can I apply for?

We anticipate that most grants will be between $100,000 and $500,000 in total, to be paid within the 2022-2023 financial year. We do not offer multi-year or recurring grants. A grant activity may however take place over up to two years.

If successful, when will I get my funding?

We anticipate that funding will be available from January 2023. Successful grantees will need to negotiate a grant agreement that will determine the exact timing of when payment will occur within the 2022-2023 financial year.

Can a grant be used to cover the employment of existing employees?

Grants can be used to cover the employment of employees working directly on the grant project but not for ongoing salary costs. For existing employees, you may include a pro rata amount reflecting the amount of time they spend working directly on the grant activity.

Do I have to prove funding from another source?

This is not required, however under the criteria 4 in the Grant Guidelines, your application must demonstrate the sustainability of the grant activity beyond the Foundation’s support.

Do I get the funding in one payment?

This will be determined at the time of contracting. Grants can be paid in instalments by the Commonwealth upon completion of the agreed Milestones or in one single payment.

Can I get funding for a grant activity that will take place in 2024?

Yes. Note that you will receive funding to support the grant activity in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Will I get the whole grant amount I apply for?

Not all expenditure on your grant activity may be eligible for grant funding. The Program Delegate makes the final decision on what is eligible expenditure and may give additional guidance on eligible expenditure if required.

You must incur the expenditure on your grant activities or project/services between the start date and end or completion date for your grant agreement for it to be eligible.

How much detail do I need to include in the project details?

To enable the assessment committee to make an informed decision, ensure you answer all questions in the online application form on SmartyGrants and provide enough information about the project so they understand what the funding will be used for.

Consider the risks and impacts around any COVID-19 restrictions on grant activities or projects, including those that involve international and domestic travel.

What supporting documents do I need to provide to support my application?

Everything you need to provide is in the application form itself.

There is some flexibility in what additional supporting documents you choose to provide with your application and there is space to upload relevant documents on the application form where required.

How should I provide supporting video files?

The Foundation can only view videos hosted on YouTube. Instructions are as follows:

Open YouTube and select video to share.
Click Share icon.
Copy link and paste into application form.

NOTE: Video privacy settings should be “unlisted”.

What is the process for assessing the grants?

The grants process is outlined in Section 1 of the Grant Guidelines.

When will I be notified if I am successful?

The assessment process for grants takes up to 12 weeks following the closing date for submission of applications. We will advise you of the outcome of your application in writing. If your grant application is successful, we will advise you of any specific conditions attached to the grant.

If unsuccessful, can I apply again in future grant opportunities?

Yes.

My application was unsuccessful, how do I find out why it wasn’t successful?

If you are unsuccessful, you may ask for feedback within one month of being advised of the outcome. We will provide feedback within one month of your request.

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Acknowledgement of country

The National Foundation for Australia-China Relations acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to all First Nations peoples, their cultures and to their Elders, past, present and emerging.

Contact

contact@austaliachinafoundation.org.au
+61 2 6178 6888

Our response to Covid-19

The Foundation is operating at a time of unprecedented disruption caused by COVID-19. The pandemic has interrupted many areas of engagement, such as bilateral exchanges and visits, where the Foundation would, in normal circumstances, have operated.

Everyday people-to-people exchanges and sectors, such as education and tourism, have been profoundly impacted. The Foundation is aware of the need to recalibrate some of our programming and activities due to COVID-19 and our current focus takes account of this by seeking ways in which we may help respond.

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