Royal Commonwealth Society

(ACT Branch)

Phyllis Montgomerie Commonwealth Award

Applications for 2025 awards are now OPEN

To apply, please fill out all sections of the online application form (linked below) and submit by the deadline

5:00pm on Friday 4th of October 2024.

Background

The Phyllis Montgomerie Commonwealth Award is open to:

Australian citizens or permanent residents
Undertaking a research or educational project in a Commonwealth country (including Australia) under the auspices of an institution in the Australian Capital Territory.
The award aims to provide financial assistance associated with the project, e.g. travel, accommodation, data collection.

The Award has been made possible by a bequest from the estate of the late Mrs Phyllis Montgomerie OAM, a former president and life member of the Royal Commonwealth Society ACT Branch who died in 2011. Mrs Montgomerie was a lifelong advocate for social justice. The bequest is administered by the Council of the Royal Commonwealth Society ACT Branch which appoints the Award Selection Panel and which, in turn, makes recommendations to the RCS Council on a preferred recipient. The Award in 2024 (for 2025) will be up to $5000.

Members of the selection panel share extensive experience in academic, national and international affairs and humanitarian work in Australia and overseas.

Award Guidelines

Prospective applicants should be mindful that the work of the Royal Commonwealth Society as a civil society organisation and a charity is directed toward improving the lives and prospects of people throughout the Commonwealth. In this context, projects of interest to the RCS are wide-ranging across many fields, for example, education, health, agriculture, infrastructure, social justice, development, governance or inter-country relationships. Applicants should identify how their projects could benefit Commonwealth citizens, or countries, in terms of practical outcomes or by adding to existing knowledge, for example, about that country’s history.

You are required to answer all questions within the specified word limit. Failure to do so may result in your application being disqualified.

Successful applicants will need to provide a witnessed acquittal statement on how the funds were spent and be prepared to report back to the society on the outcomes of the project.

Our work is guided by the Commonwealth Charter, which can be found on the Commonwealth Secretariat website (thecommonwealth.org/charter).

Timetable

Applications must be submitted using this online form and reach the RCS before 5:00pm on Friday 4th October 2024. We recommend that you save a separate copy of your application.

Name

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Postal Address

Please provide your address.

Address 1

Address 2

City

State/Province

Zip/Postal Code

Country

Phone Number

Mobile or landline contact number.

1. Title of your proposed project

You can use a main title and a short subtitle. (maximum 100 words)

2. Summary of your proposed project

Provide a concise abstract of your project including summarising your aims, methods, timeline and how you plan to provide professional and/or community feedback on outcomes. Feel free to use point form responses. (maximum 350 words)

3. Outline how funds will be spent

In point form, list how you propose to spend the funds. Successful applicants will be required to provide evidence of expenditure. We will use your answer to this question to check the acquittal process. We understand that projects can evolve. Any variation in your use of funds will require prior approval from the RCS grant committee. (maximum 250 words)

4. Qualifications and experience

Please outline details of your relevant qualifications. If your project is part of ongoing work for a university degree, specify the degree. (maximum 250 words)

5. Track record

In point form, outline your relevant experience, particularly where this reflects your ability to successfully complete the project and your engagement with the field. (maximum of 5 most relevant points; 250 words total)

6: How will your project help Commonwealth citizens?

Applicants should identify how their project will benefit Commonwealth citizens, or countries, in terms of practical outcomes or by adding to existing knowledge, for example, about that country’s history, social development or scientific progress. Priority will be given to projects that specifically aim to benefit more than one Commonwealth country. Please read the notes at the beginning of this application to understand the objectives of this award. (maximum 150 words)

Name of Referee 1

Referees should be familiar with you and your project.

Contact details of Referee 1

Please give us a contact email, phone number and address.

Name of Referee 2

Contact details of Referee 2

Please give us a contact email, phone number and address.

Name of Host Institution in the ACT

Contact details of the Host Institution in the ACT

Please give us a contact email, phone number and address.

Final Certification

I certify that all the information I have provided is true and correct

I undertake to provide a written and oral report to the RCS at the conclusion of the project

I understand that I will be required to repay any funding if I am found to have misled the selection panel, or used the funds for a purpose not agreed to by the RCS award administrators

I am an Australian Citizen / Permanent Resident

I certify that my project is being conducted through an institution based in the Australian Capital Territory