Applying for Funds

APEC administers two project approval sessions per year for APEC member economies to apply for funding. Project sessions are very competitive – there are more applications than there is funding available. Members are encouraged to think deeply about their project, and consult widely with their colleagues, to ensure that they have the best possible chance of receiving funding. Funding is approved by APEC’s Budget and Management Committee (BMC). The project selection process is also explored on the APEC Project Funding Sources page in further detail and you are strongly encouraged to read the information presented there. You will also find out about the specific eligibility requirements that adhere to the various APEC project funding sources.

There are two stages to each project approval session:

1. Concept Note Stage: The process starts with the submission of a maximum-five-page Concept Note (excluding annexes) outlining the intention of the project by the dates specified below. Only approved Concept Notes proceed to the next stage.


2. Project Proposal Stage: This stage only applies for approved Concept Notes. A Concept Note is developed into a longer and more detailed Project Proposal that specifies precisely how the project will work. Project Proposals must be submitted by the advertised Submission Deadline. Please assess carefully and select the most adequate Project Session to submit your Concept Note. The APEC project application process can take anywhere up to 12 months but normally takes between 6 and 9 months, starting with the submission of the Concept Note, a scoring process and Quality Assessment of the Project Proposal (1-3 months). Only when the Proposal receives a Satisfactory rating can the project work start. 

For example:
If you apply in Project Session 1, 2025, project work may normally start in November 2025.
If you apply in Project Session 2, 2025, project work may normally start in March 2026.

Further, if you are planning project events to be held during SOM1, you are strongly advised to apply in Project Session 1 of the preceding year.  If you are planning events during SOM3 (especially when your project includes the implementation of pre-event activities like surveys and research), you are advised to apply in Project Session 2 of the preceding year. Applying later than the above advised Project Sessions to conduct SOM1 or SOM3 events may result in the need to reschedule your intended project event dates due to the length of the application approval process. First-time POs should always consult with their Program Director or PMU before applying, to ensure their proposed project timeline is realistic.

To begin, you must download the APEC Project Concept Note template. It was updated in November 2024 and is available here and on the Project Overseer Toolkit webpage. The dates for the two 2025 Project Sessions are provided below. 

Dates for Project Session 2, 2025

Concept Note Development

A project originates from an economy or economies, and is considered and delivered through an APEC forum (such as working group or a committee, etc.). Individuals affiliated with APEC fora are eligible to apply for APEC funding, provided their Concept Note and Project Proposal are endorsed by their forum. This individual, called a ‘Project Overseer’ (PO), will lead the design and delivery of the project on behalf of their economy.

The POs must prepare a maximum-five-page Concept Note (excluding annexes) describing the project’s objectives, relevance, methodology and alignment to APEC’s goals. We encourage POs refer to the Concept Note Development Materials during drafting Concept Notes. POs must also clearly identify the specific funding source to which they are applying – see APEC Project Funding Sources. The project must secure the requisite number of co-sponsors (check with the Program Director for your forum for the required number). Concept Notes then need endorsement by the forum.

Some funding sources require that Concept Notes be endorsed by a specific forum in addition to your own. Your Program Director will assist where such co-endorsement is required. The endorsed Concept Note must be submitted to the APEC Secretariat Program Director by the Upload Deadline, for the next stage in project selection.

Concept Note Approval

PMU sorts all Concept Notes according to the project funding source nominated by the POs. Each project funding source has been assigned to specified fora for the purposes of Concept Note eligibility assessment and scoring. In some cases, such as SOM, CTI and SCE, more than one funding source has been assigned to a Responsible APEC Forum (RAF). PMU will send Concept Notes to the RAF, who will assess whether the Concept Note meets the eligibility criteria for the funding source in question, and will also score the Concept Note against pre-determined scoring criteria. All economies participate in the eligibility and scoring process. PMU then processes the results and will make a funding recommendation to BMC, based on eligibility outcomes and the scores of each Concept Note. BMC will then make an in-principal funding decision.

Project Proposal Development

Once Concept Notes are approved in-principle by BMC, the Secretariat will notify POs of the funding outcomes. Successful POs will be invited to expand their Concept Note into a full draft Project Proposal on APAS. As with the original Concept Notes, the proposal must be endorsed by the relevant fora. The PO must then submit the proposal and peer review to the APEC Secretariat. We encourage POs refer to the Project Proposal Development Materials and the Standard guidelines for drafting a Project Proposal for APEC-funded Projects during drafting Project Proposals.

PMU also assesses project proposals according to the Quality Criteria for Assessing APEC Projects: relevance, impact, effectiveness, sustainability and efficiency. The Secretariat provides advice and assistance, as needed, until the proposal meets satisfactory quality on all criteria.

Final approval

Once proposals have reached satisfactory quality, the Secretariat recommends them to BMC for approval. Proposals that are over US$200,000 in value are also approved by SOM. If the proposal is approved, the project moves to the implementation stage. 

For further information on specific projects and the process for applying for APEC funds, please review the Guidebook on APEC Projects or contact the relevant APEC Secretariat Program Directors.