Information on how to apply is set out in Section 7 on pages 14–16 of the Grant Guidelines.
Applications for the 2026-27 Grant Program must be submitted using COALAR's online application form through SmartyGrants. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will not provide application forms or accept applications for this grant opportunity by email or other means.
Please take care to complete each section of the application form and make sure you provide the information requested. Applicants must address all of the eligibility and assessment criteria to be considered for a grant.
Applications and supporting documentation must be entirely in English.
Any application that does not meet these minimum requirements will be deemed ineligible.
Applicants are responsible for ensuring that the grant application is complete and accurate. Giving false or misleading information is a serious offence under the Criminal Code 1995. We will investigate any false or misleading information and may exclude your application from further consideration.
It is important that you keep a copy of your application and any supporting papers.
We will acknowledge receipt of your application through an automated email from the online grants management system, SmartyGrants, within one working day. If you find an error in your application after submitting it, you should contact us immediately during business hours on +61 (02) 6178 5366, or via email at coalar@dfat.gov.au prior to the close of the round.
Applications must be received by no later than 12:00 (midday) AEST on Monday 21 September 2026.
We will not consider applications received after the round has closed. We will not accept any additional information or requests from you to correct your application after the round has closed. If we find an error or information that is missing, we may ask for clarification or additional information from you that will not change the nature of your application. However, we can refuse to accept any additional information from you that would change your submission after the round has closed.
Before applying:
- read the Grant Guidelines carefully
- review the SmartyGrants online application form
- read the Charter for the Council on Australia Latin America Relations
- read the Council on Australia Latin America Relations Strategic Plan 2024-2027.
You may also wish to look at a draft grant agreement and the sample final report:
- COALAR draft grant agreement [DOCX 90 KB]
- COALAR draft grant agreement [PDF 423 KB]
- COALAR sample final report [DOC 36 KB]
- COALAR sample final report [PDF 268 KB]
It is recommended that you draft your statements against each criterion and gather all of the supporting information you need from partners prior to commencing the online application process.
Preparing your application
Please ensure you have:
- completed all mandatory fields on the application form
- clearly demonstrated how your proposal meets the objectives of COALAR
- attached two short, signed, independent references in support of you/your organisation and the proposal (please limit references to two only)
- attached a one-page letter from each project partner in the country/ries in which you are required to have a project delivery or support partner that substantiates their commitment to the project
- attached an organisation capability statement or individual's curriculum vitae
- attached a letter of support from your Research Office, if applying on behalf of a university
- made adequate provision for all likely expenses
- only attached the documents you have been asked to include, as outlined in section 7.1 of the Grant Guidelines.
Joint (consortia) applications
Some organisations may apply as a consortium to deliver grant activities. A consortium is two or more organisations who are working together to combine their capabilities when developing and delivering a grant activity. Individuals who intend the grant to be administered by a university should apply on behalf of the university, i.e., your university is the applicant.
If you are submitting a grant application on behalf of a consortium, one of the consortium members or a newly created organisation must be appointed as the 'lead organisation'. The lead organisation will be the one to enter into a grant agreement with the Commonwealth and will be responsible for the grant. The lead organisation must complete the application form and identify all other members of the proposed consortium in the application.
The application must include a letter of support from each member of the consortium. Each letter of support should include:
- an overview of how the consortium will work together to complete the grant activity
- an outline of the relevant experience and/or expertise of each of the consortium members
- the roles/responsibilities of consortium members and the resources they will contribute (if any)
- details of a nominated management-level contact officer for each consortium member
- details of the lead organisation.
You must have a formal arrangement in place with all members of the consortium prior to execution of the grant agreement.
Questions during the application process
If you have any technical difficulties, please contact SmartyGrants Help Desk (+61 3 9320 6888 between 9am and 5 pm AEST Monday to Friday).
If you have grant-related questions during the application period, please contact the COALAR Secretariat via telephone at +61 (02) 6178 5366, or via email at coalar@dfat.gov.au no later than 5 pm AEST on 14 September 2026. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade undertakes to respond to emailed questions within five working days.
A Frequently Asked Questions page providing answers to common questions will be posted on GrantConnect and the COALAR website.
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander applicants
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander applicants may wish to access assistance in submitting an application, where English is not their first language.
For assistance please contact:
Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC)
Telephone: 1800 622 431
Web: www.oric.gov.au