Australian High Commission
India
High Commission address: 1/50 G Shantipath, Chanakyapuri - Telephone: 4139 9900 - Fax: 4149 4490

Direct Aid Program (DAP)

DIRECT AID PROGRAM GUIDELINES

Funding for the Direct Aid Program has been increased in 2009-10. The Australian High Commission will distribute AUD250,000, or RS 1 crore, in support of small scale development programs across India and Bhutan.

We accepted applications for the 2009-10 DAP round from April – October 2009. The next round will open in mid-2010 and calls for applications will be publicised on this website.

The Oz Haat Charity Mela was held on 5 December 2009. The next Oz Haat will be held later in 2010.

The Australian High Commission hosted a discussion on "Development imperatives in India" to celebrate the achievements of Australia’s Direct Aid Program (DAP) in India. 


Oz Haat 2008: A DAP funded exhibition and sale in support of Indian NGOs, held annually at the Australian High Commission

DIRECT AID PROGRAM GUIDELINES

Under the Direct Aid Program (DAP) the Australian High Commission supports small-scale sustainable development projects in India and Bhutan with grants of up to 10 lakh rupees.

The focus of DAP is on activities that alleviate poverty and contribute to developmental outcomes. There is a particular focus on addressing the needs of women, children, and other disadvantaged groups.

Since 2001, DAP has funded 125 projects in India and three in Bhutan, distributing total funding of more than one million Australian dollars (approximately 3.5 crore rupees).

Examples of projects funded by DAP in the past include the purchase of Braille machines, installation of sanitation and water management facilities, education classes and health care services.

For more information on DAP, please see: http://www.dfat.gov.au/direct_aid_program/dap_guidelines.html

CRITERIA FOR ASSISTANCE

Who is eligible to apply?

DAP funding is available to individuals, community groups, international or Australian NGOs, academic institutions, research bodies, libraries, museums or other organisations engaged in development activities on a not-for-profit basis.
Indian organisations seeking assistance must be registered and have the approval of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) to receive funds from a foreign source.

How much is available?

We prefer to fund projects in the range $5,000 - $30,000 (170,000 to 1,000,000 Indian Rupees or Bhutanese Ngultrum). The upper limit of DAP funding for any one proposal is AUD$30,000.

We encourage partner organisations to meet some of the project costs with their own funds or in-kind support.

How long can the project run?

DAP is a one time grant for a project taking one year or less to implement – no additional funds will be provided for the same project.

Organisations can apply for funding for different projects in subsequent years.

What can DAP pay for?

DAP is designed to support small-scale development activities in India and Bhutan. There must be a demonstrable benefit to a disadvantaged group for your project to be suitable.

We prefer to provide funding for capital goods rather than awareness raising or training programs, although we will also consider well targeted and well designed vocational and literacy programs.

Funds can be used for:

- community health (purchase of equipment)
- education programs (purchase of books or school equipment, including braille machines)
- small-scale infrastructure (such as building wells or irrigation facilities)
- environmental programs with a development aim (for example solar lighting, water harvesting)
- preservation of culture with a developmental link
- sporting programs with a developmental link
- in exceptional circumstances, skills transfer through conferences or training workshops

Our target beneficiaries are:

- women
- children and youth
- other disadvantaged groups
- the rural poor

What can’t DAP pay for?

DAP funds cannot be used to fund micro credit schemes or any project that involves the return of money by beneficiaries.

We do not encourage organisations to apply for funding to cover salary or administrative costs for the program. We cannot cover general organisation administrative costs such as electricity bills or office rental.

The funds can only be utilised for purposes they are provided and agreed. Any major changes must be submitted to the DAP Committee for re-approval. Unused funds must be returned at the end of the project.

How to apply?

You must submit your application in writing to the Australian High Commission, answering all the questions on the application check list below.

Should you be successful in your application for DAP funding you will be required to keep full financial records of all expenditure, including receipts; submit a progress report not more than six months after receiving your funding; and submit a full financial report on completion of the project.

If the proposal is approved by the Australian High Commission, a contract will be signed specifying the terms and conditions.

How long will it take to get an answer?

Please allow 10 – 12 weeks to process a proposal, after which the Australian High Commission will inform you of their decision.

Other important information:

Projects must have a clearly defined purpose, provide a step-by-step program, and a detailed budget for each activity. Assistance cannot be given to activities without a clear design and description of costs and proposed expenditure.

The project should be identifiable as being sponsored by the Australian Government – you must let us know how you intended to meet this requirement. A small amount of funding may be requested to help badge your program as Australian funded ie by erecting a plaque, using stickers, or stamping books as donated by the Australian Government.

Building or construction related projects should meet or exceed Australian standards. Asbestos must not be used as a building or construction material.

ABOUT THE ORGANISATION

REQUIRED DETAILS FOR A DAP APPLICATION
(your application should not exceed 5 – 10 pages)

 

1. Name of the organisation
2. Who should we contact in your organisation? Please provide address / telephone / fax / email contact details
3. Registration number.
Attach an authorised copy of the registration of your organisation.
4. FCRA registration number (for Indian Applications)
Attach an authorised copy of the FCRA registration of your organisation.
5. Background information about the organisation (not more than 100 words - attach brochure or web address if available)
When were you founded ? What is your purpose? Who do you help?
6. List the number of staff ( full time / part time / volunteers)
7. Please use the table below to list all the projects you implemented in the last 3 years and which are ongoing. We will use this information to check your references.

Year / Date Project & brief Description Name of Organisation providing funding and contact person– include person’s name, address, contact number, email Amount Provided Completed or Ongoing?
         


DAP PROJECT PROPOSAL

1. Name of the project

2. Location:

Include village and state details.

3. Summary of the project activity

- aim
- methodology for implementation. Please provide detail.

4. Project duration (should not be more than 12 months).

If the project is in multiple parts, please include a timeline of your activities.

5. Details of the target group.

- How many people will benefit?
- Who are they and how will they be selected?
- What will be the long term benefit of the project for them?
- If necessary, how will they travel to the project site (ie. training centre).
- If necessary, what accommodation will be provided for the beneficiaries.

6. Sustainability

- What will be the long-term benefit of the program?
- How will the program continue after the funding period is over?
- Can you see any future costs ? If so, how will these be met?

7. Monitoring procedures.

How will you monitor the success of this project?
What will there be to show as an outcome of the project when the funding is spent?

8. Please provide a detailed budget using the table below as a guide:

  Cost per individual item Total cost NGO contribution Contribution from other donor DAP Contribution
Item 1          
    Total Cost: Total Contribution: Total Contribution: Total Requested from DAP:


9. Other Partners

Has the proposal been sent to any other funding organisations? If so, please provide their contact details.

10. How will this project be identified as sponsored by the Australian Government?

Note - The community within the project area should be kept informed that the funding was provided by the Australian Government. Where possible some form of permanent reminder should be created. You can include a small amount in the budget to cover these costs.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

1. Copy of registration
2. Copy of FCRA (for Indian Applications)
3. Financial Audited statement for the last 2 financial years

The application will not be processed if the required documentation is not included

Applications should be submitted in hard copy only to:

DAP Coordinator
Australian High Commission
1/50G Shantipath
Chanakyapuri
New Delhi 110 021
Fax: (011) 2688 7366

All subsequent correspondence relating to DAP matters, including as to the status of projects, should be through this email address: newdelhidap@dfat.gov.au

Note – do not send project applications by email. They will not be considered.

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