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Applications for the 2024 round of the Strategic Policy Grants Program have opened, facilitating the development of ideas and research on strategic issues facing the nation.
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New, emerging, and established strategic and defence studies experts are encouraged to apply for the grants, with a total of $3.5 million in funding available over a three-year period.
Applications are expected to address challenges and priorities outlined in the Defence Strategic Review, with applications closing on 31 October.
Defence hopes that the grants will support public participation in Defence and strategic policy, while strengthening the nation’s international partnerships and enhancing strategic policy advice.
“In an ever-changing strategic environment, new ideas and fresh thinking are critical to ensuring Defence’s own strategic direction is fit for purpose,” Dr Sheridan Kearnan, first assistant secretary of policy at Defence, said.
“The Strategic Policy Grants Program adds real value to Australia’s defence policy debate through encouraging innovative and far-reaching research to address our current strategic circumstances and challenges.
“Through the program, we want to increase the amount and quality of discourse, debate, and research on Defence’s strategic policy issues, and deliver professional development opportunities to the strategic policy workforce.”
The scope of the previous round of applications included:
- strategic competition, particularly in the Indo-Pacific;
- expanding capabilities and technologies in the information, cyber, and space domains; and
- threats to human security and state fragility in Australia’s immediate region, such as climate change and pandemics.
Earlier in the month, six Australian businesses were awarded grants worth a total of $3.8 million under the Defence Global Competitiveness program and the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority program.
These grants provide up to half the cost of a project to help Australian businesses build capabilities crucial for Defence and to overcome barriers for Defence exports.
Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy MP said, “The Albanese government is strongly committed to supporting a thriving sovereign Australian Defence industry, which is the cornerstone of delivering the national Defence priorities outlined by the Defence Strategic Review.”
The businesses were Advanced Navigation, Frontline Safety Australia, Adelaide Profile Services, QuantX Labs, Redline Engineering, Muir Engineering, and George Lovitt Manufacturing.
