The Alastair Swayn Foundation, a not-for-profit operating at the intersection of Australian architecture and design, is calling for applications to its 2025 grant round opening Tuesday 3 June and closing Thursday 3 July 2025.
Now in its sixth year, the Foundation offers unique funding opportunities to support visionary research, audio storytelling, and international knowledge exchange across the Australian architecture and design communities.
What’s on offer in 2025
International Research Grant – $20,000
Supports transformative international research aligned with the Foundation’s purpose, with a focus on projects that strengthen dialogue between Australian and global design practice.
Australian Design Grants – $10,000
Backed by the Foundation’s commitment to local impact, these grants fund design and architecture research that tackles key challenges or opportunities across Australia’s designed and built environments.
Design Audio Grants – $8,000
An opportunity for audio creators to fund design and architecture focused podcasts, radio series, or open lecture recordings – projects that make design and architecture accessible to wider audiences.
Real Impact: A Grantee’s Perspective
Previous grant recipient Simon Robinson, Director of OFFICE – a not-for-profit multidisciplinary design and research practice – used his International Research Grant to explore public housing renewal through a global lens.
“Through this grant, I was able to visit and catalogue 19 international examples of successfully refurbished multi-residential buildings. The grant has allowed us to broaden the discourse around public housing renewal, ensuring that global precedents inform local decision-making. I hope this research contributes to more sustainable and community-focused approaches to housing policy in Australia. I am incredibly thankful to the Alastair Swayn Foundation for making this work possible and for fostering critical conversations across design, policy, and social impact.”
Applications Open 3 June – One Round Only in 2025
To be considered, applications must align with the Foundation’s purpose and outcomes. Apply online by Thursday 3 July via the Alastair Swayn Foundation website.
For full grant details and to apply, visit: https://alastairswaynfoundation.org/grants