The Australian Government, through the Laos Australia Institute, is putting a call out for proposals from alumni across the country for the ‘Alumni Innovation Grants’. These grants aim to provide funds to Alumni that can benefit Laos in one of three key areas: Health Security, Poverty Alleviation, and Economic Stability.

 The Australian Government, through the Laos Australia Institute, is once again providing funding opportunities for alumni to implement activities that support Laos’ economic recovery and resilience during COVID-19. 

Objectives

The objectives of the Alumni Innovation Grants (AIG) are:

• to provide a much-needed funds in a timely manner which support alumni to utilize their skills and knowledge in response to the current COVID-19 crisis;
• to support initiatives that benefit communities that may be negatively impacted by COVID-19;
• to develop, maintain and strengthen professional linkages and partnerships between alumni and the Australian government, and Australian businesses, organizations and educational institutions;
• to connect alumni to each other across disciplines and professions, organizations and institutions, and geographic areas in order to share good practice and create opportunities for collaboration; and
• to develop a network of alumni who view Australia’s capabilities and credentials in a positive light.

Themes

AIG project applications must be innovative and offer alumni the opportunity to put their knowledge and skills to good use. Grants are available for all sectors and industries however the project application must address one of three key areas:

• health security
• stability
• economic recovery

And all applications must be inclusive of women, persons living with disability, ethnic minorities or other marginalized groups. Projects that do not include at least one of these groups in meaningful ways will not be considered.

Funding Information

The Alumni Innovation Grants program (AIG) is the mechanism to provide Alumni with funds of up to AUD10,000 to enable implementation of innovative activities which respond directly to the crisis.

Eligibility Criteria

• The AIG is open to all Lao PDR nationals who have graduated from a recognized Australian tertiary institution, including recipients of Australia Awards scholarships or privately fee-paying alumni, as well as graduates of Lao Australia National Scholarships and Disability Inclusive Development Scholarships.
• The AIG is also open to all Lao PDR nationals who have completed short-term tertiary courses at registered Australian institutions, through Australia Awards Fellowships or other Australian Government funded training or studies.

For more information, visit Laos Australia Institute.