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The Direct Aid Program

The Direct Aid Program (DAP) of the Australian Embassy focuses on relieving humanitarian hardship and advancing developmental objectives in Lebanon through projects that are consistent with the international relations and public diplomacy objectives of the Embassy. An internal committee of the Embassy assesses proposals for small development projects from individuals, community groups and non-government organisations engaged in development activities on a not-for-profit basis. Government bodies are not eligible for funding under the Direct Aid Program.

Projects that are likely to be successful in obtaining funding are:

• participatory in nature and have involved beneficiaries in their identification, design and management
• address the needs of vulnerable or disadvantaged groups including women, children and the disabled
• address poverty alleviation, community sanitation, environment and education, basic human rights, rural development and gender equality
• have a lasting developmental outcome, either by creating infrastructure or building ongoing capacity
• request between USD5,000-USD15,000 from the DAP, and
• will be completed by May 2012.

Projects that are unlikely to be successful in obtaining funding are:

• those for the purchase of vehicles,
• those for generic conferences, training, or cultural or sporting activities that cannot demonstrate a developmental outcome
• items of a recurrent nature such as staff salaries, office rental and utility costs, spare parts, supplies, routine maintenance and repairs
• micro-finance projects or micro-credit schemes that involve a return of money.

Our website (www.lebanon.embassy.gov.au) lists projects that have previously been funded under the Direct Aid Program. Australia has obligations under a series of United Nations Security Council resolutions to prevent terrorist financing and to freeze terrorist assets. The Committee will not recommend any project unless it is satisfied that the project will not, directly or indirectly, provide support to terrorism.

A successful proposal is likely to include:

• a brief outline of the applicant's activities and goals
• a brief outline of the applicant's sources of funding
• at least two referees who can vouch for the bona fides of the applicant
• a list of other funding sources the project has been submitted to
• a brief outline of the project
• details of the beneficiaries
• an explanation of how the project will assist the beneficiaries to help 
  themselves in a sustainable way
• a detailed budget for the project.

The selection process is highly competitive and proposals will be assessed on the basis of the information provided. The Committee aims to support a geographic spread of projects and to balance support among different communities. The Committee favours projects located in areas where there is a strong link to Australia.

Your obligations

You will be required to provide written documentation to prove that DAP funds were spent according to your proposal. Embassy officers would expect to visit the project. The Embassy would expect you to make a clear reference to Australia in public relations material and, if the project involves infrastructure, you mark it as a gift of Australia.

We look forward to receiving your proposal.

Indicative timeline