2024 Applications are now CLOSED

Please fill out all sections of the application form and submit by the deadline 5:00pm on Friday 13th of October 2023.

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 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.

Successful applicants will need to provide the Society with a witnessed acquittal statement on how the funds were spent.

Timetable

Applications must be submitted using this online form and reach the RCS before 5:00pm on Friday 13th of October 2023. 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. Qualifications and experience

Please outline details of your relevant qualifications and experience.

2. Title, description and purpose of your proposed project

Please give us a a brief summary/abstract of your proposed project (250 words maximum).

3. Outline how funds will be spent

Please tell us how you expect to spend the funds awarded. Keep in mind that successful applicants have to give us evidence of how they aquitted the funds.

4: How will your project help Commonwealth citizens?

Please describe how your project will help Commonwealth citizens. Please read the notes at the beginning of this application to understand the objectives of this award.

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.

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 awarded if I am found to have misled the selection panel, or have used the funds for a purpose not otherwise agreed between myself and the administrators of the award.

I am an Australian Citizen / Permanent Resident

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