Australia-Korea Foundation Grant Round FAQs

What is the Australia-Korea Foundation?

Established by the Australian Government in 1992, the Australia-Korea Foundation (AKF) was formed to promote bilateral relations between Korea and Australia.

The objectives of AKF are to:

• increase public awareness of Australia in Korea and of Korea in Australia
• develop partnerships in areas of shared interest in the bilateral, regional and global context
• increase Australians' capacity to effectively engage with Korea.

The AKF offers annual grant funding to organisations and individuals to support projects or activities which advance Australia's engagement with Korea, including exchanges, partnerships and other collaborations in the general fields of business, education, academia, arts/culture and society.

Read more on the Australia-Korea Foundation.

How to apply

Before applying please read the AKF grant guidelines and log onto SmartyGrants to access and view the application form.

What is the maximum duration of the grant?

The standard grant period is one (1) year. In exceptional circumstances, multi-year grants are awarded for a maximum of three (3) years.

How are applications assessed?

The grant guidelines provide information about eligibility and assessment criteria.

When preparing the application, applicants should bear in mind that the assessment committee may not be familiar with the applicant, the organisation or the field of activity. As the Board's recommendation will be primarily based on the information provided in the application form, this document should be clear, accurate, comprehensive and focused.

What can grant money be used for?

Your grant must be used to implement the project outlined within the application. You can use the grant to pay for costs detailed in your budget and grant agreement, including:

• Economy flights, reasonable accommodation costs, meals and travel allowances, and other transport
• Communication and translation
• Venue hire and catering
• Advertising and promotion, graphic design, photography, social media, video and printed material
• Production costs, including freight and artists' wages
• Only one participant per conference or meeting and only where the participant is a principal speaker and the subject of the conference is of direct relevance to the grant opportunity.

Venue hire and meeting costs

Applicants that include meetings in their plan are strongly encouraged to secure local, in-kind support (e.g. venues, symposium organisation) Applications will be assesses to ensure they represent good value for money.

Cash and in-kind contributions

If cash and/or in-kind support is included in budgets, it must be specific to the project and able to be clearly substantiated. Including the salary of existing staff members as in-kind support is not typically required.

What are reasonable amounts for overseas travel expenses?

The Australian Tax Office Tax Determination (TD2023/3) sets out reasonable amounts for overseas travel expenses such as meals and incidentals.

This determination can be found at:

https://www.ato.gov.au/law/view/pdf/pbr/td2022-010.pdf

As a guide, the determination calculates that for travel from Australia to Korea, an appropriate budget is $240 for meals and $45 for incidentals giving a total of $285 per day for anyone on a salary of $133,450 p.a. and below.

Costs for airfares and accommodation should be budgeted at amounts that can be fully substantiated.

When will I be notified of the outcome?

Applicants will be notified in-line with the timeline set out in the grant guidelines.

Can I resubmit a previous application?

Yes. Organisations and individuals are welcome to resubmit project proposals from previous applications but would still be required to create a new application in SmartyGrants and meet the eligibility and assessment criteria for the current round

Can I apply if I have an existing AKF grant?

Yes. Applications are welcome from those who have received funding in previous grant rounds. Individuals and organisations with outstanding grant acquittals or other compliance issues are not eligible to apply in open rounds.

How do I write a strong application?

• Have a good idea, work out how you're going to execute it and find a keen partner in Australia or Korea to help you with it.
• Read the grant guidelines and ensure your project outcomes are aligned with AKF objectives and priority areas. You should also consider how your application addresses themes like gender, diversity and inclusion; or innovation.
• Make the impact of the project clear. If the AKF supports your project, what will be new that couldn't be done without AKF support?
• Develop a strong communications plan. Demonstrate how your project will generate positive and effective media coverage and commentary on the Australia-Korea relationship, promote a contemporary and positive image of Australia and support the Australian Government's international policy goals.
• Demonstrate the viability of the project by making the co-contributions and collaboration between Korean and Australian partners clear.
• If your project proposal includes travel, articulate an alternative/virtual plan to deliver the project.
• Write the application for a non-specialist reader and have someone else read it before you submit.

Can you help me connect with a partner in Korea or Australia?

No. The Australia-Korea Foundation is not able to connect you with partners in Australia or Korea. Applicants are expected to be able to identify and work with partners to enable them to complete the proposed project.