Asian Century Business Engagement plan
The Asian Century Business Engagement (ACBE) plan grant funding commenced on 1 July 2013.
This four-year program has been established to assist member-based business organisations harness commercial opportunities in Asia for small to medium sized Australian businesses.
Under the plan, eligible applicants can be offered between $20,000 and $300,000 in grants. The grants are merit-based and competitive.
Successful ACBE Plan grant recipients for 2013 have now been announced
The successful ACBE Plan grant recipients for 2013 were announced on Friday 28 June 2013. A list of all successful applicants is now available.
Next available grant round
It is anticipated that a new grant round will open in March 2014. Member-based organisations which have not previously applied for a grant and those that applied for the recently concluded round, are encouraged to apply when the next round opens.
The new grant round will be preceded by an expression of interest (EoI) phase commencing in February 2014. All member-based organisations considering applying for an ACBE Plan grant should complete an EoI prior to proceeding to application stage.
Please note, successful applicants will be required to complete a funding agreement. A template of the funding agreement can be viewed now.
Frequently Asked Questions
View Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the Asian Century Business Engagement plan
Objective and goals of the Plan
The objective of the ACBE Plan is to facilitate new initiatives to improve Australian business links into Asia through Australian business organisations based in Australia or in Asia.
The key goals of the ACBE Plan will be to leverage and / or expand the capability of member-based business groups to:
- assist Australian firms to more effectively access in-market business networks and develop new relationships with potential business contacts and partners in Asian countries
- identify and secure more opportunities for Australian firms to compete and succeed in regional value chains
- enhance and strengthen business links between Australia and Asia by reinforcing the profile of Australian business capability within the region to increase awareness and understanding of Australia in Asia, and of Asia in Australia.
ACBE Plan grants are intended to provide partial funding to member-based business organisations to deliver new projects or programs aimed at achieving the objective and goals of the ACBE Plan. This includes projects or programs that demonstrate the potential for the development of long-term links between institutions in Australia and their counterparts in Asia.
Guidelines
The Asian Century Business Engagement (ACBE) Plan Grant Guidelines (the Guidelines) are designed to provide potential applicants with the information they need in order to make an informed decision as to whether they should apply for a grant under the ACBE Plan. The Guidelines also outline the information that potential applicants will need to include in an application.
These guidelines are divided into five sections:
- Section 1 provides an overview of the Plan
- Section 2 provides details on eligibility, merit criteria and the selection process
- Section 3 provides eligible expenditure guidance
- Section 4 outlines other requirements relating to grants
- Section 5 provides information on submitting grant applications
ACBE information sessions presentation
Asian Century Business Engagement Plan (ACBE) - Time to do Business - Presentation delivered as part of the ACBE information sessions by Sally Deane, Manager East Asian Growth Markets, International Issues Branch, Austrade Canberra (PDF, 442KB)