The Foundation provides grant opportunities each year to develop, promote and strengthen understanding and engagement between Australia and China, including business and community stakeholders, in support of Australia’s national interests.

The Foundation's grant program objectives are to strengthen risk-informed engagement with China in Australia's national interest and to reinforce social cohesion by engaging our Chinese-Australian communities, showcasing their contribution and strengthening their voice and agency.

The intended outcomes of this grant opportunity are to:

• facilitate dialogue that increases mutual understanding in priority areas that further Australia's national interest, including arrangements that establish or strengthen relationships with counterpart organisations in mainland China, Hong Kong and/or Taiwan
• build Australian knowledge of and capability to engage mainland China, Hong Kong and/or Taiwan in our national interest, including fellowships or scholarships that improve language capabilities and lived experience
• support key Australian industry sectors to engage markets in mainland China, Hong Kong and/or Taiwan
• further climate change, net zero, green economy and clean energy transition outcomes
• showcase Australian excellence in, and enhance people-to-people links through, exchanges in culture, the arts, sports, education, academia, innovation, science, health, aviation, and tourism
• engage our diverse Chinese-Australian communities, showcase their significant contributions to Australian civic life, foster leadership and strengthen their voice and agency to engage in Australian civic life
• enhance understanding of modern and multicultural Australia by international students from mainland China, Hong Kong and/or Taiwan and connect emerging leaders in this cohort to Australian society, institutions or industry
• promote media and public communication activities on the above.

The Foundation has disbursed nearly 190 grants amounting to over $37 million in grant funding to date. For this competitive grant opportunity, up to $20.5 million is available over 4 years (2025-26 to 2028-29), with up to $7 million available per year.

It is anticipated most grants will be valued between $100,000 and $500,000, but this does not preclude some grants being more or less than this amount. Grants may be up to 4 years in duration.

Eligibility

To be eligible, you must:

• have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• be a permanent resident or citizen of Australia
• have an account with an Australian financial institution and
• be located in Australia or mainland China, Hong Kong and/or Taiwan

and be one of the following entity types:

• a company incorporated in Australia
• a company incorporated by guarantee
• an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
• an incorporated association
• a partnership
• a registered charity or not-for-profit organisation
• a publicly funded research organisation
• an individual who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia
• an Australian local government body
• an Australian state or territory government body
• an Australian statutory authority
• a Corporate Commonwealth Entity
• an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006.

• Phone: 02 6178 6888
• Email: grants@australiachinafoundation.org.au