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 developing countries on projects that reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development consistent with Australia’s national interest.
The program aims to:
- advance development outcomes through projects primarily focused on practical and tangible results. This may include projects which support good governance, human rights and those with a strong advocacy component,
- support Australia’s wider foreign and trade policy interests and public diplomacy objectives, including promoting a distinctive and positive image of Australia, and
- allow for a wide geographic reach reflecting that Australia has global interests and that DAP provides an effective way to build relationships and maintain Australia’s profile.
DAP projects cover a range of sectors such as education, health, water and sanitation, environmental protection, women’s empowerment and gender equality, supporting people with disabilities, economic livelihoods, food security and human rights.
DAP projects engage a wide range of partners including community groups, non-government organisations, educational institutions and local governments.
The Australian High Commission no longer accepts unsolicited applications or runs an open round for the Direct Aid Program, but works with trusted partners to deliver developmental and/or humanitarian outcomes for local communities in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.