Australia-Japan Foundation Grant: Sport and Culture Focus

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Image Credit: Shutterstock - Aritra Deb

The Australia-Japan Foundation (AJF) grant has recently opened for applications across the country, with a key focus on sport for the 2025 round.

The AJF is a part of the International Relations Grant Program, designed to foster better relations with and a greater understanding of foreign nations via people-to-people links across borders.

In particular the AJF aims to:

  • Increase awareness and comprehension in Japan of shared interests with Australia.
  • Increase awareness and comprehension in Australia of Japan’s importance to Australia as an economic and strategic ally.
  • Increase awareness in Japan of Australia’s expertise and excellence.

As a grant designed for to connect Australian and Japanese people across a wide array of backgrounds, the AJF has highlighted a number of key priorities for 2025. These include:

  • Sport
  • Society and culture
  • Economic diplomacy and geopolitics
  • Education and Australian studies
  • Scientific development and innovation
  • Communication
  • Advocacy

The AJF also endorses the recognition of three values in candidates’ application.

  • Gender equality
  • Recognition and inclusion of First Nations people
  • Recognition and inclusion of diversity

Previous grant recipients under the sporting category include:

  • Japan Wheelchair Rugby Foundation
  • Australian Blind Football
  • Adelaide Giants Baseball Pty Ltd
  • Judo Federation of Australia Limited
  • AFL Japan
  • Sport Inclusion Australia
  • Queensland Rugby Union Limited

Grant Details

Across the 2025-26 period, a total of $780,000 AUD is being offered by the AJF.

Grants are divided into two categories – single year projects and multi-year projects. Projects must begin within the 2025-26 financial year and be completed by the designated end date in the grant agreement.

Grant applications for a period of one year range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $50,000.

In special circumstances, a one-year grant of $80,000 or multi-year grants of $50,000 a year for three years may be accepted.

However, the AJF stipulates that projects should not be solely funded by a grant and candidates with other backers will boost the application. Furthermore, successful grant recipients may be offered less money than they applied for.

Grant Eligibility

Potential applicants must:

  • Have an Australian Business Number (ABN), Australian Company Number (ACN) or Indigenous Corporation Number (ICN)
  • Be an Australian consortium with a lead organisation
  • Be an Australian registered charity or not-for-profit organisation
  • Be an Australian local government body
  • Be an Australian State or Territory government body
  • Be a corporate commonwealth entity
  • Be an Australian statutory authority
  • Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia
  • Be a Japanese citizen or organisation

Applications that involve those under the age of 18 must also provide the project’s child protection guidelines which meet the DFAT Child Protection Policy.

Applicants will not be eligible for the grant if:

  • They are, or are partnered with, an organisation which is not part of the National Redress Scheme.
  • They are a previous applicant which has not provided an acceptable acquittal of a previous DFAT grant.

Applications for the grant close on May 6 2025 at 14:00 AEST.

For more information on the grants, click here.

To apply for the grants, click here.

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Victory unites with Roasting Warehouse in culture-led partnership

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Image credit: Melbourne Victory

The Melbourne-based anf family-owned business will join the Victory family, uniting two institutions which represent the city’s culture and identity.

A partnership with local roots

As the newest partner of Melbourne Victory, Roasting Warehouse joins forces with a vital part of the city’s sporting landscape.

The club’s Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the partnership bears so much value to both parties.

“We are excited to collaborate with Roasting Warehouse, a community-oriented destination for high-quality coffee, proud of its foundations in Melbourne,” said Carnegie via official media release.

“Football and coffee sit at the epicentre of Melbourne’s culture. The two go hand-in-hand, consistently at the centre of the conversation that stirs Melburnians, which is no different to the conversation sport and Melbourne Victory stir in the State.”

Indeed, this is a partnership which combines the identity, passions and culture of an entire city, therefore giving it the foundations required for long-term, mutual success.

Representing the best of Melbourne

Both Victory and Roasting Warehouse are hugely successful in their respective industries. They are institutions with community-oriented philosphies, who pride themselves on craft and quality.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Melbourne Victory, a club that represents the heart, passion, and ambition of Melbourne,” revealed Roasting Warehouse Head of Brand, Alexander Paraskevopoulos.

“As a Melbourne-founded, family-run business, supporting a team that means so much to the local community feels very natural for us.”

Furthermore, through their high-quality blends, Roasting Warehouse will look to prepare Victory’s players and staff for high performances on the pitch as the seasons nears completion.

But this is about far more than just fueling athletes.

This is a partnership which embodies and unites two of Melbourne’s greatest strengths and cultural markers – a connection forged from the city’s very own DNA.

 

For more information about Roasting Warehouse, click here.

Marie-Louise Eta makes history as new Union Berlin head coach

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Image credit: FC Union Berlin

In an historic appointment, Eta will take over as head coach of Union Berlin until the end of the season.

History in the making

Previously the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history with Union Berlin, Eta will now take the reigns of the men’s first team on an interim basis.

Currently, the club sit in 11th place in the Bundesliga table, but with only two wins so far in 2026, relegation appears an all-too-real prospect, and one which the club is desperate to avoid.

“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” said Eta via official media release.

‘I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations.”

Eta will begin as Union’s new head coach with immediate effect, and will be in the dugout for the club’s matchup against Wolfsburg this weekend.

 

A step into an equal future

Eta’s appointment signals a major step towards a more level playing field in the football landscape.

Furthermore, Eta joins other coaches including Sabrinna Wittmann, Hannah Dingley and Corinne Diacre who, in recent years, have blazed a trail for female coaches to step into the men’s game.

Wittmann currently manages FC Ingolstadt in Germany’s third division, and was the first female head coach in Germany’s top three divisions.

In 2023, Dingley became caretaker manager of Forest Green Rovers, and thus the first woman to lead a men’s professional team in England.

Diacre, now head coach of France’s women’s national team, managed Ligue 2’s Clerment Foot between 2014 and 2017.

 

Final thoughts

The impact therefore, is that Eta’s appointment will show future generations of aspiring female coaches that men’s football is an equally viable and possible pathway as the women’s game.

The time is now to level the playing field.

And while it may be a short-term role, its effect on attitudes towards equality and fair opportunities in the game will hopefully resonate long after the season ends.

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