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 2026-27 Competitive Grant Program (the program) will run over 4 financial years from FY2026-27 to FY2029-30.

The Foundation's intended outcomes for the Program are to:

• build Australian knowledge of, and capability to, engage mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and/or Taiwan in our national interest, and develop a sovereign national China capability pipeline spanning schools, universities, and the workforce, across industry and government.
• facilitate dialogue and exchange that increases mutual understanding in priority areas that further Australia's national interest, including with counterpart organisations in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and/or Taiwan.
• support key Australian industry sectors to engage markets in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and/or Taiwan.
• further climate change, net zero, decarbonisation, dryland farming, climate smart agriculture, green economy, the environment and clean energy transition outcomes.
• support collaboration and exchange in health, ageing and medical technology (medtech)
• showcase Australian excellence in, and enhance people-to-people links through, exchanges in arts and culture, sports, education, academia, sustainable aviation and tourism.
• engage Chinese-Australians through:

a. strengtheningcivic participation and supporting understanding of Australia's foreign policy drivers

b. engaging and empowering Chinese-Australian leaders

c. promoting recognition of Chinese-Australian contributions and

d. promoting inclusion of Chinese-Australian communities

• enhance understanding of modern and multicultural Australia by international students from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau 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 209 grants amounting to over $44 million in grant funding to date. For this competitive grant opportunity, up to $20.6 million is available over 4 years (2025-26 to 2028-29), with up to $6.9 million available per year.

It is anticipated most grants will be valued between $100,000 and $400,000, but this does not preclude some grants being more or less than this amount. Grants may be up to 4 years in duration.

If you have any questions for the Stage One EOI process, email grants@australiachinafoundation.org.au before 10:00am AEST Thursday 21 May 2026.

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, Macau 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