Partnerships for Recovery – Alumni Support Grants

Australia Awards alumni in Bhutan have been actively contributing to recovery efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In alignment to the priorities identified in Partnerships for Recovery: Australia’s COVID-19 Development Response, the Australian Government is supporting alumni contributions and initiatives through the provision of Alumni Support Grants for Australia Awards alumni in Bhutan.

The Alumni Support Grants will provide financial resources to alumni to implement innovative activities that will address challenges brought by the pandemic, especially for vulnerable groups and sectors affected.

The aims of the Partnerships for Recovery – Alumni Support Grants initiative are to:

  • contribute to Bhutan’s COVID-19 response and recovery
  • mobilise and support Australia Awards alumni to support Bhutan’s COVID-19 response and recovery
  • build alumni leadership capabilities through the practical implementation of projects/activities, including in ways that contribute to their Development Impact Plans.

Partnerships for Recovery – Alumni Support Grants are open to all Bhutanese Australia Awards alumni or alumni groups.

Applicants must be residing in Bhutan and the proposed activities must be:

  • Implemented in Bhutan between June 2021 to March 2022, and
  • Address at least one of the priority areas given below.

The Alumni Support Grant must contribute to activities in at least one of the following areas:

Broad field Specific areas
Health security Activities that support the containment of the spread of COVID-19 such as, but not limited to:

  • Promoting public health awareness campaigns
  • Supporting water, sanitation and hygiene services
  • Supporting local health systems with equipment and training services
  • Promoting emergency preparedness.
Economic recovery Activities supporting economic recovery efforts such as, but not limited to:

  • Promoting alternative livelihood solutions
  • Supporting local business, specifically small to medium and social enterprises
  • Supporting poverty reduction and sustainable development
  • Supporting access to finance for trade and investment
  • ·Supporting human capital and job creation, including the vulnerable population.
Stability Activities contributing to building social and economic stability such as, but not limited to:

  • Supporting social protection, food security and supply chains and resilient markets
  • Supporting continuation and smooth delivery of education and learning
  • Combating gender-based violence and delivery of essential sexual and reproductive health services disrupted due to the pandemic
  • Combating risk of natural disasters and the effects of climate change
  • Protecting and assisting the vulnerable population (women, children, elderly, and persons with disabilities).
  • Grants will be for a maximum of AUD 4,000-7,000 per grant project.
  • Alumni can apply individually, or as a group of 2 or more alumni on a joint grant project. This will be considered a single project and a maximum of AUD 7,000 will be awarded.
  • Grant projects must have clear objective/s, activities, and expected results.
  • Implementation must be completed by March 2022.
  • Successful applicants must sign a grant agreement with Scope Global/Australia Awards – Bhutan. The grant agreement will specify reporting and other requirements from the alumni.
  • Successful applicants must understand and sign Child Protection; Preventing Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment; and Fraud Control policies, before grant money can be disbursed.
  • Alumni will have until 8 June 2021, to submit the completed application form and documents through the online application portal.
  • Successful applicants will be informed by 14 June 2021.

All applications must be submitted through the Online Application Portal

Proposals will be assessed and ranked using the following criteria:

Criteria  Weight  Definition 
Alignment 30 The extent to which the activity is aligned with Australia’s Partnerships for Recovery framework and the needs in Bhutan.
Innovation 20 Value for money; ways by which the activity addresses constraints (for example, no face-to-face events) resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Technical feasibility and political acceptability 30 Clear activity logic (link of outputs to activities/inputs) and a practical implementation plan.

Ways the project will address resistance to change and issues relating to local dynamics/political economy.
Link to Australia and Australia Awards 20 The extent to which the activities are using the expertise of the alumni from their Australia Awards experience; the extent to which the proposals are using/strengthening Australia-Bhutan relations.
Total 100

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Delhi, will make the final selection and endorsement of alumni grants to selected applicants.

The grant recipient(s) must submit to the Program and meet the following reporting schedule:

  • Mid-Term Activity Completion Report (10 days after three months of implementation of activity)
  • Activity Completion Report (10 days after completion of activity)
  • Facilitate on-site visits by Program team to validate activity progress.
Date Milestone
18 May 2021 Issue call for proposals
8 June 2021 Deadline for submission of proposals
14 June 2021 Announcement of results
15-18 June 2021 Finalise grant agreements, including signing of Child Protection; Preventing Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment; and Fraud Control policies
21 June 2021 Start implementation of proposed activities
29 October 2021 Deadline for submission of mid-term reports and acquittals
31 March 2022 Last day of implementation of proposed activities
11 April 2022 Deadline for submission of Completion and Financial Reports
15 April 2022 Alumni exhibit/present to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Delhi

For further information, please contact Australia Awards – Bhutan office.

Mobile: (975) 17127450, (975) 17127451, (975) 17128452

Email at: inquiries@australiaawardsbhutan.org