Travel

Australia-Thailand Institute (ATI)

Notes for Funding Applicants

Functions of the Australia - Thailand Institute

The functions of the Australia - Thailand Institute (ATI) are to make recommendations to the Australian Government, through the Minister for Foreign Affairs, for the broadening and deepening of the relationship between Australia and Thailand, with particular emphasis on:

Current Funding Priorities – Building Community Linkages

The Australia - Thailand Institute has established its funding priorities for the current grant application round.  Favourable consideration will be given to funding proposals which aim to build community linkages with particular reference to:

Funding support from other sources

The Australia - Thailand Institute encourages grant applicants to seek funding from other sources, including corporate sponsors.  Positive consideration will be given to proposals which have or may receive funding support from other sources.  The ATI may decide to award funding conditional on supplementary funds being raised from other sources.

Guidelines for ATI Funding

All applications are assessed against the ATI's guidelines for funding.  Applicants for funding must comply with these guidelines when submitting proposals for consideration.

  1. Individuals or organisations applying for funding should have a substantial record of achievement in the proposed field of activity.
  2. The activity should be a worthwhile initiative that will contribute to the ATI's objectives of promoting a broader and deeper relationship between Australia and Thailand.
  3. Preference will be given to activities that build people-to-people and institutional links rather than activities that would normally be considered for research grants by relevant Australian and international institutions.
  4. The activity should have clearly defined objectives consistent with the ATI’s objective of building community linkages with particular reference to public policy, health, culture and the arts.
  5. Where possible, support requested from the ATI should constitute seed funding to encourage financial assistance from other sources, including corporate sponsors.  The ATI may decide to award funding conditional on supplementary funds being raised from other sources.
  6. Preference will be given to activities that offer prospects of future independent activity as a result of initial ATI funding.
  7. Where an activity for which ATI support is sought is dependent upon the support of other organisations either in Australia or in Thailand, evidence of the willingness of each such organisation to provide support, either financially or in kind, should be provided.  In-kind support may include accommodation and other services provided without charge in either country.
  8. Where an activity contains an international airfare component, this should be costed as the applicable economy class excursion fare.  The ATI will not reimburse applicants for additional expenses incurred because of late bookings or other problems requiring tickets to be paid for at a higher rate.
  9. ATI funding is normally awarded for a specific financial year. If funding cannot be taken up within the specified period it may be withdrawn.  Any delay should be reported in good time with, if required, a request for extension to allow the ATI to consider the circumstances and to take any appropriate action.
  10. Provision should be made in the application for publicity for and promotion of the proposed activity.

The Australia - Thailand Institute reserves the right to amend the Funding Application Form and the associated Notes for Funding Applicants without notice.  It is the responsibility of applicants to check with the Institute's Secretariat on Tel: (02) 6261 3202 that the respective forms are current.

How to apply for ATI funding

Applications must be clear, legible, and consistent with the provisions of the ATI's Funding Application Form.  Applicants should pay particular attention to the following matters as set out in the Funding Application Form:

All essential information should be in the body of the application, with attachments strictly limited to documents supporting information set out in the application (attachments are not normally included in the brief provided for members’ consideration at Institute meetings).

Individuals and organisations intending to apply for an ATI grant for an activity which involves travel to Thailand should read the Australian Government travel advisory for Thailand prior to lodging an application.

The budget should make adequate provision for all likely expenses.  The ATI will not normally consider requests for supplementary funding.  The ATI may also decline to fund specific items in project budgets, or to provide funding at the level sought.

When preparing an application, it should be borne in mind that the ATI may not be familiar with the applicant or with the applicant's organisation or field of activity.  As the ATI's decision will be primarily based on the information provided in the application, this document should be clear, accurate, comprehensive and concise.

Activities not funded

The ATI is interested in a very broad range of activities.  Funding, however, will not normally be made available for the following purposes:

Conferences, meetings, fieldwork, sporting events

The ATI does not generally fund travel and accommodation for attendance at conferences or meetings, nor participation in fieldwork or sporting or other events, unless such activities are considered by the Institute to be of direct relevance to its objectives.  In considering applications for funding for such purposes, the ATI considers whether:

Notification

Applicants for Institute funding will be advised in writing of the outcome of their application.  Successful applicants will be advised of any special conditions which the ATI may attach to their activity (including which components the ATI has offered to fund - see notes on Report on completion of project) and will receive the Institute's Conditions of Award of Funding and Funding Acceptance forms.

As payment will not be made until the applicant has signified acceptance of funding conditions by signing and returning the Funding Acceptance Form, successful applicants should ensure that the form is completed and returned to the Secretariat as soon as possible.

Successful grant recipients from Australia who intend to travel to Thailand as part of an ATI-funded project are required to confirm that they have read the current Australian Government travel advisory for Thailand prior to travel.

Responsibilities of successful applicants

Funding recipients are normally responsible for all administrative costs and arrangements associated with their project, including visa and travel arrangements, visa charges, airport taxes, ground transport, travel and health insurance for project participants, medical and hospital insurance cover for visitors not covered by Medicare in Australia (including evacuation and death cover), any necessary insurance for equipment, and accommodation costs and arrangements.

Funding recipients should note that health insurance is essential.  The ATI will not accept any liability for any medical, hospital or evacuation costs incurred by participants in projects funded by the Institute.

Funding recipients are also responsible for making their own arrangements regarding any taxation liabilities that may arise from the award of funding.

All funding recipients must abide by the Conditions of Award of Funding attached to this paper.  The funding may otherwise be withdrawn.  Applicants should therefore read these conditions carefully before submitting an application.

GST obligations

To clarify funding procedures, the ATI requires the following information in writing from funding applicants:

Under the Pay As You Go tax obligations, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is required to withhold tax (at the rate of 48.5%) and remit it to the Australian Tax Office, when the applicant does not have an ABN, or cannot provide written advice from the ATO of exemption from the withholding tax.  Successful funding applicants who do not have an ABN should therefore provide the Institute with written confirmation, where applicable, of one or more of the following, preferably on the ATO “Statement by a Supplier” form NAT 3346-6.2000:

Recipients of Institute funding are also required to identify in their grant application, if possible, any indirect savings resulting from the abolition of the wholesale sales tax and other indirect taxes and duties.  If it is not possible to identify savings in the application, this should be done in the report upon completion of the grant, as noted below.

Report on completion of project

It is a condition of ATI funding that recipients provide a report within eight weeks of completion of the activity to enable an informed assessment of the appropriateness and effectiveness of the expenditure of ATI funds.  The report should include:

An interim report is required in the case of any activity that extends beyond six months.

Access and equity

All funding applications are made using standard documents and are assessed by a standard appraisal procedure, helping to ensure consistency and equity in Institute funding decisions.

The Australia - Thailand Institute is committed to the principles of equal opportunity and encourages individuals and organisations from target groups to apply for funding for projects consistent with the Institute’s guidelines.

Applications should be addressed to:

Australia - Thailand Institute Secretariat
South and South East Asia Division
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
RG Casey Building
John McEwen Crescent
BARTON  ACT  0221

Conditions of Award of Funding

  1. The money constituting the funding shall be used only for the specific activity for which the funding is awarded.
  2. The approved activity shall not be undertaken by any body or person other than the funding recipient without prior approval of the ATI.
  3. The funding recipient shall notify the ATI of any alternative or additional source of funding for the approved activity, whether such funding becomes available before or after the award of ATI funding.
  4. No changes in an approved activity, or in the allocation of money among approved activities within a project, shall be made without the prior approval of the ATI.
  5. If the grant recipient is in breach of any of the conditions of this grant which it does not rectify within fourteen (14) days of receipt of notice from the Institute requiring it to do so, or it fails to comply with any reasonable direction given by the Institute, then the Institute may terminate the grant by written notice without prejudice to any other remedy it may have.
  6. Where a grant is terminated in accordance with Condition 5, the grant recipient must repay to the Institute all monies provided by the Institute within fourteen (14) days of a written notice of termination being served on the grant recipient by the Institute. If, after the approved project has been completed, it is discovered that the grant recipient has breached any of the conditions of grant which it is not able to rectify within fourteen (14) days of receipt of notice from the Institute requiring it to do so, then the Institute shall retain the right to terminate a grant and require the grant recipient to repay all monies provided by the Institute.
  7. If the commencement of the approved project is delayed for any reason, an application for a postponement of the starting date should be made in writing to the Institute.
  8. The grant will normally be valid only for the financial year in which it has been awarded. The Institute should be promptly advised of project delays.
  9. Funding recipients are expected to cooperate with the ATI in publicising the activity, and ATI sponsorship must be appropriately acknowledged during the course of the activity and in any publicity arising from it.
  10. Within eight weeks of completion of the activity, the funding recipient shall provide the ATI with a written report on the activity, including a financial statement authorised by a certified accountant, with documentary evidence of expenditure of ATI funding such as used airline tickets and receipts for major expenditure items.
  11. Provision of funding is subject to fulfilment of any special conditions set out by the ATI in its letter of offer or elsewhere, including any requirement for project participants to undertake briefing prior to commencement of the project.
  12. Upon completion of the project, or termination of the project for any reason, money that has not been expended according to the conditions of the award of the funding shall be refunded to the ATI, as well as any indirect tax savings resulting from the abolition of the wholesale sales tax and some other indirect taxes and duties.
  13. If a project results in a grant recipient creating or producing data, information, reports or materials which may be subject to copyright or which constitutes intellectual property of whatsoever nature ("Project Materials"), such Project Materials remain the property of the grant recipient as and when they are created or produced, notwithstanding that any report or acquittal documentation provided to the Institute by a grant recipient in accordance with these conditions will be owned by the Institute.
  14. The grant recipient indemnifies and shall keep indemnified the Commonwealth, its officers, employees and agents from and against all actions, claims, demands, costs and expenses (including the costs of defending or settling any action, claim or demand) made, sustained, brought or prosecuted in any manner based upon, occasioned by or attributable to any injury to any person (including death) or loss of or damage to property which may arise from or be a consequence of any unlawful or negligent act or omission of the grant recipient, its officers, employees or agents in carrying out the approved project.

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