Australia Direct Aid Program Delhi 2026-27

The Direct Aid Program (DAP) 2026-27 round for New Delhi and Bhutan is a small-grants scheme paid for by the Australian Government and run by the Australian High Commission in New Delhi. It gives grants of up to ₹25,00,000 per project to non-government organisations and social enterprises doing development work in northern India or Bhutan. The round is open now and closes at the end of the day on Wednesday 11 November 2026 (Indian Standard Time).

What the program offers

Each project can ask for up to INR 25,00,000 (₹25 lakh). The money is a grant for a defined development project, not a loan, and it is meant for work that strengthens Australia-India bilateral relations by partnering with local organisations on practical, sustainable outcomes. The High Commission looks for projects that deliver measurable impact, advance shared priorities such as climate resilience, inclusive health and education, empowerment and skill enhancement, and sport for development, build inclusion (gender equality, disability equity, child protection), and create lasting partnerships between Australian and Indian or Bhutanese institutions.

The page lists what the grant will generally not pay for: staff salaries, loans, cash grants or micro-credit, commercial ventures, major assets such as vehicles or property, international travel unless it is essential to the project, sponsorship of big sporting or cultural events without a clear development benefit, construction, and routine running costs such as rent and utilities. Limited fees for professionals and advisers, and domestic travel directly tied to delivery, can be covered, but only as a small share of the budget.

Who can apply

Funding is for non-government organisations (NGOs) and social enterprises engaged in development activities. For this New Delhi round the project itself must be located in Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and/or Uttar Pradesh, or in Bhutan. Indian applicants must comply with the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA); proof of valid FCRA status and financial audit statements for the previous two years are mandatory. The project timeline must be 12 months or less.

This round suits registered NGOs with FCRA status and a clear, costed project in the listed northern states. It does not suit individuals, for-profit startups without a social-enterprise development focus, or projects in other states: the page sends projects in Goa, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra to the Mumbai Consulate-General, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the island territories to Chennai, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Telangana to Bengaluru, and the north-eastern states, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal to Kolkata.

How to apply

All applications go through the online grants system SmartyGrants. Create an account, start a new submission for the New Delhi 2026-27 round, and save as you go; the system keeps drafts. Your application must include a clear, fully itemised and fully costed budget, explain the development benefits, show that your team can manage the risks, show the project is technically feasible, and include a plan for advocacy, promotion and sharing results in coordination with the High Commission. Files can be up to 25MB each, though the portal advises keeping them near 5MB. Once you submit, you cannot edit or add documents, and you should treat a missing confirmation email as a sign that the form was not submitted.

How applications are judged and what happens next

A Direct Aid Program Committee assesses applications against the objectives and eligibility criteria. It gives particular weight to projects with a clear and substantive link to Australia, projects that advance Australia's bilateral priorities with India or Bhutan, and projects with a credible sustainability, communications and advocacy plan. The committee does not give detailed feedback to unsuccessful applicants; decisions are sent through SmartyGrants or by email.

Successful organisations sign a contract, complete due diligence (including references and details of the FCRA-designated State Bank of India account where funds will be received), keep full financial records with receipts, send a mid-term and a final completion report, follow the Australian foreign ministry's child protection policies, stay in regular contact with the High Commission and allow site visits.

About the Australian High Commission, New Delhi

The Australian High Commission in New Delhi is the Australian Government's diplomatic mission in India and Bhutan. It manages the Direct Aid Program together with the Australian Consulates-General in Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai, working with local development organisations.

Things to check before you apply

• Check your FCRA validity first; the page treats it as mandatory for Indian applicants, and funds go to an FCRA-designated bank account.
• Foreign contribution rules, tax treatment and reporting duties are for your own adviser to confirm.
• Projects must have a visible link to Australia and a plan to publicise results with the High Commission.
• The deadline is close, so a practical tip: draft the budget and narrative offline before opening the form, and submit well before midnight on 11 November.
• Projects outside the listed states belong to the nearest consulate's round, which may have different dates.