Australian Embassy
Türkiye
Georgia and Azerbaijan

Direct Aid Program

Direct Aid Program - Türkiye

 

The Direct Aid Program (DAP) is a small grants program funded from Australia's aid budget. It has the flexibility to work with local communities in Türkiye on projects that reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development consistent with Australia's national interest.


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IMPORTANT ANNOUCEMENT 

DAP 2024-25 applications are now closed! Thank you for your applications.

Results will be communicated to all applicants through email. Unfortunately, there is no specific date for results to be announced. Please check our website regularly to keep yourself informed. 



 

1. What is the Direct Aid Program?

The Direct Aid Program (DAP) is a small grants program funded from Australia's aid budget and managed by the Australian Embassy, Ankara. It has the flexibility to work with local communities on projects that achieve sustainable development consistent with Australia's national interest.

There is no minimum amount that a single DAP project can receive in Türkiye, but the maximum is AUD $20,000 (Australian dollars) over the life of the project. Embassy exchange rates will be used on the day the payment is made to grant recipients. All funds should be expended before 30 June 2025, but projects may run up to a maximum of one year following the expenditure.

 

2. DAP Türkiye objectives

DAP Turkiye aims to advance Australia’s interests in Turkiye through the funding of small-scale development and humanitarian projects. DAP projects advance objectives for target groups in priority development sectors (see below), while promoting a positive image of Australia and building links with local communities across Turkiye.

 

3. Who can apply?

DAP is available on a not-for-profit basis to community groups, national or international NGOs, academic institutions, universities, research bodies, and local government institutions.

DAP is only available to institutions located in Türkiye for projects to be carried out in Türkiye.

 

4. Which sectors are we targeting?

The DAP Committee will be looking for projects that achieve practical and tangible outcomes in a number of sectors, including:    

  • Earthquake recovery
  • Education
  • Health
  • Gender equality, including women and girls’ social and economic empowerment
  • Empowerment of persons with disabilities
  • Empowerment of youth
  • STEM projects

 

5. Which groups are we targeting?

The DAP Committee will give priority to project that support disadvantaged communities and have an enduring impact for our ‘target groups’, which include:

  • Communities impacted by the Türkiye earthquakes in February 2023
  • Women and children
  • Persons with disabilities
  • Refugees

 

6. What are the requirements?

Projects must:

  • be self-contained with definite timelines, including a work plan
  • expend all funding by 30 June 2025
  • have outcomes that are clearly defined, specific, achievable, and sustainable
  • have outcomes that will help our target groups (see above)

Applications must:

  • be submitted through the online grants management system, SmartyGrants
  • include a clear, fully itemised, and fully costed project budget
  • make costings in AUD currency
  • provide supporting documents for the costings e.g., proforma invoices, screenshot from online stores
  • outline the development benefits of the proposal
  • demonstrate the applicant’s capacity to effectively implement the proposed project
  • demonstrate the applicant’s capability and capacity to manage any identified project-related risks
  • demonstrate soundness of the project's objectives and design
  • demonstrate that the project is technically feasible and practical
  • demonstrate that the project aligns with the objectives of the Direct Aid Program (see above)
  • where co-funding is involved, the other partners must be identified in the application
  • include a suggested time for a possible visit by Embassy officials

 

NB: All projects working with children must demonstrate they have a current child protection policy or code of conduct. Organisations without a child protection policy should use the DFAT Child Protection Policy in the link below. Please donwload, fill and sign the form in the link below and add the filled and signed form to your application using the related field.  

To fill the form; 

  • Inital all pages of the document,
  • Write down the following statement to the last page: "I acknowledge, understand and undertake to comply with the requirements of this document", and add your first name, last name, date and signature below the statement,
  • Attach the filled ans signed document to your application.


7. How are projects selected?

Along with above requirements, the selection committee will favourably consider projects that:

  • address gender issues in their implementation
  • include a contribution of their own or other donor contributions to the project
  • have a sense of community ownership (i.e. a significant community contribution in terms of labour, materials or funds)
  • will have tangible, enduring results
  • catalyse further development of the community or provide a model for similar developments elsewhere
  • include a communications plan which creates meaningful public visibility to reach a wide audience and raise awareness about the focus area
  • which is built on:
    • a fact-based needs assessment
    • an activity plan/timeline
    • concrete outputs
    • an analysis of expected and unexpected risks
    • risk mitigation measures

Please note, the following activities and items are generally NOT eligible for funding under DAP

  • grants programs run by other governments or organisations
  • micro-credit schemes or any other project that involves return of money or loans for cash
  • salary for permanent staff in the implementing organisation
  • administrative costs not directly related to project implementation
  • purchase or rental of property or land
  • purchase of vehicles
  • routine, recurring and/or running costs including office rent, electricity, water, phone, internet, etc.
  • routine maintenance and repairs (including of equipment such as photocopiers, computers, stoves, fridges etc.)
  • office or equipment insurance
  • commercial ventures
  • direct support for governments
  • Australian or overseas study tours
  • international travel
  • sponsorship of major sporting tournaments or cultural displays that do not have a clear developmental benefit

 

In some cases, limited DAP funding to pay for professional consultants and advisors, or for in-country travel expenses when they are directly related project implementation. However, such funding should be in small proportion relative to the overall project and should not constitute a major cost component.

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8. What are the accountability requirements?

All successful DAP applicants should complete an ‘acquittal’ form at the end of the project.

The acquittal process requires the following:

  • completion of all expenditures of the project at least two months prior to 30 June.
  • accounting for all expenditure.
  • an accurate assessment of the actual outcomes against the objectives in the original proposal.
  • In your acquittal, you should submit receipts and other relevant documents showing details about each budget item (e.g., if you have STEM equipment in your budget, you should submit the related invoice that matches the amount of the item referred in your approved budget)
     

9. How do I recognise the Australian Government’s support?

All projects must be branded under the Direct Aid Program with the Australian Aid identifier and the Australian Government crest.  This includes project signage, publications, annual reports, events, websites, sponsorship materials, stationery, advertisements, clothing, merchandise, media releases, marketing and promotional material, speeches, and interviews.

Projects are encouraged to invest in a banner for Australian Government outreach and promotional purposes, with either the Australian Aid identifier or Australian Government logo.

The community within the project area should be informed by the project coordinators that the funding was provided by the Australian Embassy in Ankara.

DAP recipients should create permanent reminders for the projects. Minor costs associated with ‘badging’ a project – such as a plaque – may be appropriate to fund under DAP.  However, the costs should be minor in proportion to the overall project.

Please note that selected projects will be advised of the detailed DAP branding and visibility rules and guidelines. See here for more information.

 

10. What are environmental and social safeguards?

The safeguard policy provides guidance on DFAT’s safeguard responsibilities for aid investments and how to meet them, and sets out requirements for five key safeguards:

  • environmental protection
  • children, vulnerable and disadvantaged groups
  • displacement and resettlement
  • Indigenous people
  • health and safety

All program investments, regardless of value or delivery mechanism must be screened for safeguard risks. Where screening indicates an environmental or social impact may occur, the safeguard risk must be assessed and rated.

Please see https://dfat.gov.au/aid/topics/aid-risk-management/Pages/environmental-and-social-safeguards.aspx.

 

11. What else do I need to consider?

 

Child Protection

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has a zero tolerance approach to child exploitation or abuse. DFAT recognises that it is the shared responsibility of all adults to prevent child exploitation and abuse. In Australia, there is recognition that organisations that work with children also have a role in protecting them, and need policies and procedures to enable them to do so.

The policy applies to all DFAT funded partners including:

  • Contractors
  • Consultants, advisers and contracted individuals
  • Non-Government (NGO), Civil society (CSO) and contractor organisations and their personnel
  • Downstream partners or organisations subcontracted by DFAT funded NGO's, CSO's consultants, contractors or advisers and their personnel
  • Australian Volunteers Program participants and partner organisations
  • Recipients and awardees under the Australia Awards program
  • DFAT grant recipients, including under the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), Direct Aid Program (DAP) and Public Diplomacy programs.

For more: Child Protection Policy | Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (dfat.gov.au)

 

Terrorism Resourcing

DFAT is committed to making all reasonable efforts to ensure public resources are not used, either directly or indirectly, in a way that supports a person who, or an organisation that, fosters terrorism. To help stifle terrorism, DFAT requires its officers and funding recipients to manage terrorism resourcing risks in relation to any of its activities.

for more: Terrorism Resourcing Risk Management Statement | Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (dfat.gov.au)

 

Preventing Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH)

DFAT does not tolerate sexual exploitation, abuse or harassment (SEAH) of any kind. This applies to our own organisation and extends to those we work with, both in Australia and overseas. Alongside others, we continue to strengthen our approach to safeguarding – by enhancing accountability, improving support for people affected, and driving cultural change through strong leadership.

For more: Preventing sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment | Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (dfat.gov.au)

 

12. How do I apply?

All applications for funding should carefully follow the this guideline and must be submitted online via the Smartygrants platform before the closing date.

Submissions for Türkiye Direct Aid Program (DAP) for the 2024-25 will be accepted between the following times:

 

Opening Date:                             08:00 hrs (GMT+3) on 11 September 2024
Updated Closing Date:           17:00 hrs (GMT+3) on 18 October 2024


You can apply to the program through the links below:

 

Turkish: dap.smartygrants.com.au/turkiyedap2024tur

English: dap.smartygrants.com.au/turkiyedap2024eng

 

Please note that you can choose either language to fill your application. You do not need to fill both. 

 

Click here to learn more about our DAP 2023-2024 projects

 

13. Contact Us

For inquiries, please contact us at [email protected] email address.