2026 Grant Round
Applications open 2 July — 7 June 2026
ApplY FORGrants
The Alastair Swayn Foundation supports projects that advance Australian architecture and design through research, critical inquiry, experimentation and public engagement. Through its grants program, the Foundation invests in ideas and initiatives that contribute to a more thoughtful, equitable and sustainable future for people and planet.
As an influential platform for Australian design and architecture, the Foundation seeks to effect change in service of the common good. We support work that expands design thinking beyond disciplinary boundaries and encourages new collaborations across fields including the built environment, technology, health, culture, education and the creative industries.
The Foundation welcomes proposals from across the broad spectrum of architecture and design practice, research and culture — including architecture, landscape architecture, interiors, urbanism, industrial design, interaction and digital design, communication design, fashion, object design and emerging interdisciplinary practices.
We are particularly interested in projects that:
contribute to public discourse and knowledge sharing;
explore new models of practice, living and making;
respond to environmental, technological and social change;
foster cross-disciplinary collaboration;
support emerging voices and new perspectives; and
strengthen Australia’s design and architectural culture.
Outcomes, research and insights from projects supported through the grants program are openly shared for the benefit of the broader community. Explore previous recipients and research outcomes through Swayn Open Research.
Grants Streams
Australian Design
Supporting research, projects and initiatives that contribute to Australian architecture and design culture.
International Research
Supporting international engagement and research that brings new knowledge, insight and connections back to Australian practice and discourse.
Strategic Focus
The Foundation’s current strategic focus is guided by four themes that respond to contemporary challenges and opportunities facing architecture, design and society.
Living Together
Moving beyond a focus on the single-family dwelling to explore new living models shaped by density, proximity and collective living in an increasingly populous world.
The Non-Urban
Shifting attention away from city-centric perspectives to examine the spatial, ecological and social conditions of regional and rural life.
Design for the World Changing Us
Exploring how architecture and design respond to climate realities, altered environmental conditions and planetary limits.
Intelligence and Innovation
Investigating both the challenges and opportunities for design practice in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and emerging digital technologies.
Research Outcomes and Impact
The Foundation’s grants program supports projects that generate lasting public value through research, dialogue, publication, exhibition and engagement.
By supporting open and accessible knowledge sharing, the Foundation aims to strengthen connections between research, industry, practice and community — contributing to a more informed and engaged design culture across Australia.
