IPPIN Grants

sea turtle

Did you know it takes just one piece of plastic to kill a turtle? That’s why we’re working to transform our plastic waste problem and pivot towards circular economy options.

Our grants allow innovators to scale up their market-ready solutions.   

The Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network
Seed Funding Grant Program (Round 3)

The Grant is aimed at accelerating innovative real-world solutions for reducing plastic waste entering the environment. 

IPPIN Seed Funding Grant Program is a CSIRO initiative and supports a broader partnership with the Indonesian, Vietnamese and Thai governments. 

Key information

  • Download the Application form
  • You must review the guidelines carefully before applying.
  • Applications will open on December 2, 2024, and close on February 7, 2025
  • Applicants are encouraged to attend an info session before submitting an application.
  • Late submissions will not be considered
  • Please send complete submissions to: IPPIN@CSIRO.au 

How does it work?

Organisations that have previously participated in an IPPIN program, may be invited to partner with CSIRO or an eligible Australian university to apply for a grant. 

The program will provide financial support to accelerate real-world solutions that aim to:  

  • reduce plastic leakage into the marine environment  
  • enable a collaborative innovation ecosystem linking Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, and building connectivity with partners globally by harnessing diversity of ideas and expertise to activate disruptive thinking  
  • build innovation outcomes relevant to the Australian, Indonesian Vietnamese and Thai governments’ priorities  
  • create and improve on the design and delivery of deep-tech solutions in emerging or under-resourced domains.  

If you are successful, you must enter into a grant agreement or arrangement with CSIRO in order to receive the grant funding. 


Who can apply?

To be eligible the lead applicant must either be:  

  • CSIRO  
  • an Australian university 

You or a project partner must have previously participated in a program or activity under the Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network, and have a project aimed at the objectives of the program.

Joint applications are encouraged, provided you have a lead applicant who is eligible to apply. 

What activities are eligible?

Eligible activities must directly relate to the project and can include: 

  • employment of personnel  
  • proof of concept activities (including field trials)  
  • pre-commercialisation of research outcomes  
  • other direct research costs  
  • exchanges and secondments of personnel between Australia and respective Chapters (Thailand, Indonesia or Vietnam) for purposes related towards proof of concept or pre-commercialisation activities  
  • new research–related information sharing, and communication initiatives related to testing of the project activities  
  • conferences, workshops, symposia related to the research. 

What are the assessment criteria?

You must address the following assessment criteria in your application: 

  1. The extent to which your project will create or apply innovative approaches to translate research and scale real-world solutions to address plastic waste. 
  2. Your capacity, capability and resources to deliver the project. 
  3. The broader national and international benefits of your project – this could include the economic and national benefit/s to be gained from your project for the priority area/s of focus during the project and beyond.

Please check the guidelines before submitting an application.

Examples of successful projects

Project 1: Citarum River Transformation: A Village-Scale Plastic Waste Pilot

More than 25 million people rely on the Citarum river for water, food, livelihoods, and their energy needs. The Citarum Action Research Program is a multidisciplinary program driving a shift towards circular solutions that will recycle, remanufacture and reuse waste.

The Citarum Action Research Program is a joint global environmental initiative that has helped communities living along the Citarum River capture and create value from waste that would otherwise be openly dumped on vacant land or into the river. 


Project 2: Assessment of a sprayable biodegradable mulch on Indonesian horticulture

TranspiratiONal-SBM being applied to tomatoes.

This innovation, supported by an IPPIN grant is an environmentally friendly, sprayable biodegradable polymer membrane product that can help farmers produce more during harvest, on the same land area, while using less water, nutrients and agrochemicals.


Where can I find more information?

Please join one of our informal drop-in info sessions.

We will run info sessions during the times and dates below.

  • 05 December 2024 ICT 11.30am till 12noon
  • 12 December 2024 ICT 11.30am till 12noon
  • 09 January 2025 ICT 11.30am till 12noon
  • 16 January 2025 ICT 1.30 till 12noon

Register now for a drop-in information session!

Contact IPPIN@CSIRO.au