Grant Application
AirAsia Foundation’s grant-making is aimed at helping social enterprises scale up as a way of empowering communities and enabling them to build sustainable livelihoods. Applicants must be registered and be based in ASEAN, and have a minimum two-year business track record. NGOs looking to diversify funding sources through social enterprise are also welcomed to submit an application.
The scope of your proposal should clearly define a new initiative or expansion of an existing initiative based on a set of targets achievable within a 12-month period. This may include investment needed to develop and market new products or services, train new community members or purchase new equipment for the planned expansion. Applications must clearly explain how the investment will enable the organisation to improve its income-generating capacity to fully or partially fund future activities. We do not accept applications for organisations to finance operating cash flow or to fund purchase of land or buildings.
Our priority is to support smaller social enterprises that face funding constraints through conventional channels to grow their businesses. We advise applicants to review our past and current awards to gain a better understanding of our grantee profile.
Application Guidelines.
Our main criteria for selection are:
Impact on intended beneficiaries
We would like to know about your social objectives and how your enterprise is meeting your goals. Tell us about your communities and how they will be impacted.
Innovativeness of the approach
We are interested to know how your social enterprise stands out from others. Are you applying a new approach or are you creating a product or service with a unique selling point?
Sustainability beyond the funding period
An important criteria we look out for is financial sustainability. Tell us how our grant can help you generate income that can be reinvested into growing your business.
Ability to tap on AirAsia’s strengths
Other than grant funding, is there any other way you can tap on the AirAsia network to further your objectives?
In addition to the criteria above, we also look out for
Location, location, location
To enable us to promote your social enterprises to our guests, we prioritise social enterprises that are based in a village/town/city that is within reasonable reach of an airport served by AirAsia in ASEAN.
Track record
We will only fund organisations that are managed competently through accountability, cost-consciousness and effective leadership.
Volunteerism
As far as possible, we would like to engage AirAsia Allstars in the Foundation’s work. If your organisation has programmes for corporate volunteers, we would like to know about them.
Here’s an outline of our assessment steps.
1. Application form review
We go through all the information you submit including visiting your website and looking for online write-ups about your work.
2. Interview
We either email you for more information or arrange a Skype call. At this stage, we will request a detailed budget and timeline.
3. On-site evaluation
We visit your project site and meet you, your staff and community members. Once our evaluation is complete, we will prepare our report.
4. Review by Council of Trustees
Applications that pass the first three steps will be tabled at our next Council Meeting. Our Trustees will deliberate and make their recommendations.
Much as we would like to provide each application with individual responses, we may not be able to do this at all times. If your application meets our initial assessment, you will hear from us as soon as possible. Application review process may take up to 6 months.