Frequently Asked Questions
- Am I eligible to apply for ACBE Plan grant funding?
- What sort of projects will be eligible for funding?
- What sort of projects will be deemed ineligible?
- How much funding can I apply for?
- How many funding rounds will be provided?
- How will the applications be assessed?
- How would you fund the grants if there were too many to be funded under the present scheme?
- Will there be a standard application form?
- Will it be focused on one market?
- Can the department recommend service providers or suggest partnerships?
- Can Universities and TAFEs apply for funding?
- If the member-based organisation applied for state or territory government funding to support its project would this make them ineligible?
- Is the grant funding based on financial year?
- Is there any flexibility around the Asian markets listed in the guidelines?
- Can an Australia member-based organisation partner with an offshore based member-organisation if it hasn’t had a previous relationship with them?
- Can a group of aligned offshore member-based organisations form a partnership with Australian member-based organisations?
- What is the reporting framework for successful applicants?
- Can successful applicants ask for a variation of payments if they identify a need for this once their project is underway?
- For successful applicants, how will the money be distributed?
- For successful offshore applicants, where will the money be paid?
- What is the preference for multimarket projects?
- Expressions of interest, is it mandatory?
- Elaborate on what you mean by in kind applicants?
1. Am I eligible to apply for ACBE Plan grant funding?
If you are an Australian member-based organisation situated either onshore or offshore, and have been incorporated for twelve months or more prior to 20 December 2012, you may meet eligibility requirements. Interested parties should refer to section 2.1 of the ACBE Plan Grant Guidelines to determine eligibility.
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2. What sort of projects will be eligible for funding?
New and innovative projects submitted by Australian member-based organisations that develop new relationships, enhance business links with Asia, build awareness and greater understanding and would not happen without a grant.
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3. What sort of projects will be deemed ineligible?
Devolved grants, that is, grants requested by the applicant for the purpose of distributing funds to other parties who are not contractors to the project and who have not been clearly identified in the grant application.
Projects that are already receiving funding from another Commonwealth Government agency.
Projects submitted by non-member-based applicants.
Applicants should refer to the goals and objectives in section 1.2 of the ACBE Plan Grant Guidelines for further information on project relevance.
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4. How much funding can I apply for?
There are two streams of funding available
- Stream A funding is for projects of 1 year duration from A$20,000 - A$100,000.
- Stream B funding is for projects of 1-3 years duration from A$100000 – A$300000.
The ACBE plan will fund up to a maximum of 50% of the total cost, with the remaining 50% funded by the applicant.
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5. How many funding rounds will be provided?
There will be one funding round per year.
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6. How will the applications be assessed?
The ACBE Plan is a merit-based competitive grants program with eligible applications assessed against the merit criteria outlined in Section 2.2 of the ACBE Plan Grant Guidelines.
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7. How would you fund the grants if there were too many to be funded under the present scheme?
The ACBE Plan provides a total of $1.5 million in funding per year. The number of projects selected will be within the scope of this funding.
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8. Will there be a standard application form?
There is a standard online form at www.austrade.gov.au/acbe.
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9. Will it be focused on one market?
The ACBE Plan focuses on 25 Asian markets as listed in Section 1.2 of the ACBE Grant Guidelines.
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10. Can Austrade recommend service providers or suggest partnerships?
No. It would not be appropriate for Austrade to recommend service providers or suggest partnerships.
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11. Can Universities and TAFEs apply for funding?
No. Just as individual businesses are not eligible, individual Universities and TAFEs are not able to apply for funding. Peak, member-based educational organisations are eligible.
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12. If the member-based organisation applied for state or territory government funding to support its project would this make them ineligible?
Funding support from other sources including state/territory and local governments is allowed however, funding from another Commonwealth Government agency or grant program is not.
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13. Is grant funding based on financial year?
Yes. The first round of funding commences on 1 July 2013 and funding for each round after that will commence at the beginning of the respective financial year.
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14. Is there any flexibility around the Asian markets listed in the guidelines?
Section 1.2 of the ACBE Plan Grant Guidelines outlines the markets covered by the ACBE Plan.
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15. Can an Australian member-based organisation partner with an offshore based member-organisation if it hasn’t had a previous relationship with them?
There is no restriction on Australia member-based organisations forming partnerships with offshore member-based organisations that they haven’t previously worked with.
Member-based organisations that elect to partner with another group (either onshore or offshore) need to nominate one organisation to be the lead applicant.
Austrade will contract with one party.
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16. Can a group of aligned offshore member-based organisations form a partnership with Australian member-based organisations?
Yes.
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17. What is the reporting framework for successful applicants?
The ACBE reporting framework is outlined in the ACBE Funding Agreement at www.austrade.gov.au/acbe
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18. Can successful applicants ask for a variation of payments if they identify a need for this once their project is underway?
Applicants can request variation of payments within financial years.
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19. For successful applicants, how will the money be distributed?
Distribution of funding will be negotiated with each successful applicant as part of the Funding Agreement available at www.austrade.gov.au/acbe
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20. For successful offshore applicants, where will the money be paid?
Into a nominated bank account in the country of operation. Payments will be in Australian dollars.
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21. Is there a preference for multimarket projects?
Providing applications meet the requirements regarding eligible markets in the guidelines there is no preference for either single or multimarket projects.
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22. Expressions of interest, is it mandatory?
No. However, we recommend you submit an expression of interest so we can undertake an assessment against the eligibility criteria and provide feedback on whether your project aligns with the objective and goals in Section 1.2 of the ACBE Plan Grant Guidelines.
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23. Elaborate on what you mean by ‘in kind’ applicants?
Applicants must provide 50% of the project funding, which may be derived from a number of sources and can include contributions that can be attributed directly to the delivery of projects under the ACBE Plan. Project proposals must be clearly budgeted with specific inputs such as salaries, contractors, travel.
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