Client alert

Government grants in August: A strong start for FY24

By:
Simone Barker
16 Aug 202316 min read
There is a change of pace in the FY24 grants landscape, with the State and Federal Governments announcing and opening a wave of exciting new grant programs to support priority industries and businesses.
Contents

We’ve identified several government grant opportunities to keep an eye on in August 2023 and the coming months. 

What’s on offer? 

With nearly 3,000 government grant programs on offer every year in Australia, it can be overwhelming to identify, plan, and apply for the grant program right for your business. At Grant Thornton, we support small, mid-sized and large businesses across a breath of government grant support, whether identifying and planning, grant application services or all the above.

If you are an innovative business with a pipeline of upcoming investment projects, there are likely some grant opportunities out there for you. Bonus points if you’re operating in priority industry sectors such as agriculture, defence, energy, food & beverage, health, medtech and life sciences, mining, renewables and low emissions technologies, resources and critical minerals, and space. We can design a dedicated grant strategy, identifying the programs you need to stay competitive and grow. 

Federal – Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) Plastics Technology Stream

Currently open and closing soon!

Competitive government grant program to support companies tackling hard-to-recycle plastics. A national opportunity, with varied application processes per state. 

Aims: 

  • Support a safe circular economy for plastics in Australia
  • Promote collaboration across supply chains
  • Significantly increase recycling and recovery rates of hard-to-recycle plastics
  • Build confidence to invest in recycling infrastructure in Australia
  • Ensure more waste plastic is remade into valuable new products
  • Support long-term jobs and a more highly skilled workforce in our recycling industry
  • Protect our environment through reduced plastic pollution

Timing: Currently open, different expression of interest and full application closing dates depending on your state

Funding: Grants between $1,000,000 and $20,000,000 (matched funding) (total pool of $60,000,000 over four years.) 

Eligible applicants:

  • An Australian entity or partnership incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
  • An entity or partnership under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006
  • An Australian research institution
  • A council, regional organisation of councils or other local government-controlled organisation
  • A non-government/non-for-profit organisation
  • An Aboriginal land council

Eligible activities:

  • Advanced recycling projects targeting hard-to-recycle plastics
  • Commercialisation or scaling-up of emerging and trial technology
  • Technology to extract plastics from products (such as e-waste) to make high value products
  • Equipment for existing or new material or plastic recovery facilities
  • End-to-end solutions for our plastics supply chain

Applications must be for:

  • new infrastructure, technology, process, machinery, or equipment
  • an improvement or expansion of existing infrastructure, technology, processes, machinery and/or equipment
  • commercialisation or scaling up to build or increase existing capacity.

State and territory focuses 

QLD

- New Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) processing and production facility

- New common-user plastic recovery capability

- Development of local re-manufacturing capability to produce product for large-scale infrastructure projects utilising Australian sourced recycled plastic materials

EOI close date: 11 September 2023

 

VIC

- Same as federal focus

EOI close date: 4 September 2023


NSW

-  Build domestic and international confidence to invest in recycling infrastructure in Australia

-  Support a safe circular economy for plastics in Australia to transform waste plastic into valuable new products, such as food-grade plastic packaging

EOI close date: 12 September 2023

 

SA

- Same as federal focus

EOI close date: TBC

 

ACT

- Same as federal focus

EOI close date: TBC

 

WA

- Processing of commercial film plastics (including linear low-density polyethylene)

- A commercial-scale pilot for an advanced recycling facility that can process industry and/or consumer soft plastics

- Recovery of non-hazardous plastic through e-waste processing

EOI close date: 14 August 2023

 

TAS

- Same as federal focus

EOI close date: 8 September 2023

 

NT

- Same as federal focus

EOI close date: TBC

Federal – Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Round 15

Currently open and closing soon!

Competitive government grant program supporting businesses collaborating with researchers to solve an industry problem through new technology, product or service development. 

Aim: Supporting industry-led collaborations between industry, researchers, and the community. This program is a proven mode for linking researchers with industry to focus on research and development towards use and commercialisation.

Timing: Currently open, Round 15 closes 14 September 2023
Funding: Grant funding is available between $100,000 to $3,000,000 (matched funding)

Eligible applicants

Eligible applicants must:

  • have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • be an entity incorporated in Australia and a trading corporation
  • be an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust where your trading activities
    • form a sufficiently significant proportion of the corporation’s overall activities as to merit it being described as a trading corporation; or
    • are a substantial and to merely peripheral activity of the corporation.

Each CRC-P must include and maintain for the duration of the project, amongst its project partners at least:

  • two Australian industry entities including at least one SME; and
  • one Australian research organisation.

Eligible activities 

Projects must:

  • develop a product, service or process that will solve problems for the industry and deliver real outcomes
  • benefit small to medium enterprises (SMEs)
  • include education and training activities.

Full program details can be found here.

Federal – Powering the Regions Fund – Safeguard Transformation Stream

Major competitive government grant program to support Australia’s largest manufacturing and mining facilities to decarbonise.

Aim: This program supports decarbonisation investments at trade-exposed industrial facilities covered by the Safeguard Mechanism. Objectives of this program include:

  • supporting trade-exposed facilities covered by the Safeguard Mechanism to reduce their emissions and contribute to meeting Australia’s 2030 (and 2050) emissions reduction targets
  • reducing the risk of carbon leakage, which occurs when a business responds to emissions reduction policies by moving emissions-intensive production to a country with less stringent policies
  • providing skills development to existing industrial workforce in new equipment or processes that Contribute to the reduction of scope 1 emissions. 

Timing: Currently open, closing 1 November 2024. Assessed in batches. Batch 1 will close 1 November 2023 and is anticipated to be the most competitive. 

Funding: Funding is available between $500,000 and $50,000,000 (matched funding)

Eligible applicants: 

Eligible applicants must:

  • be an owner or operator of a trade-exposed safeguard mechanism facility that is not a new or expanded coal or gas production facility (eligible facility)
  • have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • be one of the following entities:
    1. An entity, incorporated in Australia
    2. A company limited by guarantee
    3. An incorporated association

Joint applications are acceptable, provided that the applicants have a lead organisation who is the main driver of the project and is eligible to apply. 

Eligible activities:

  • Aimed at contributing to Australia’s emissions reduction targets by 2030 and of net zero by 2050
  • Have at least $1,000,000 in eligible expenditure

Full program details can be found here.

Federal – Arena Sustainable Aviation Fuel Funding Initiative 

Competitive government grant program for sustainable aviation fuel technologies to support the development of Australia’s biofuels sector. 

Aim:

  • Advance the technology readiness level (TRL) and commercial readiness index (CRI) of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) technologies for at-scale deployment
  • Facilitate a pathway to the technical and commercial viability of producing safe from renewable feedstocks in Australia
  • Build industry capacity in the production of SAF from renewable feedstocks in Australia

Timing: EOI applications are currently open, closing on 1 November 2023

Funding: Funding is available between $1,000,000 and $30,000,000 (matched funding)

Eligible applicants

Eligible applicants must:

  • hold an Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • be (or warrant that the applicant will be at the time of entering into a funding agreement) an Australian entity incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
  • be a Commonwealth entity prescribed as a government business enterprise by section 5(1) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014
  • be an Australian State or Territory owned corporation or a subsidiary of an Australian State or Territory owned corporation
  • be an Australian local government or council.

Eligible activities:

  • Commercial or pre-commercial scale engineering feasibility, front-end-engineering-design (FEED) studies or other project development activities
  • Pilot-scale or pre-commercial demonstrations of novel technologies that have a demonstratable pathway to produce SAF
  • Demonstration of novel and scalable approaches to establishing the supply chain required in a future SAF industry

 

Eligible proposals must:

  • involve a renewable energy technology and/or has the potential to contribute to the program outcomes. For the purpose of clarification, activities can include research components to the extent these are part of a larger activity focused on the development, demonstration, deployment or commercialisation of a renewable energy technology
  • use a renewable feedstock or product produced from a renewable feedstock. Applicants can include group-mart configured references. Renewable feedstocks are feedstocks that are of a biogenic origin and replenishable nature
  • include an approved production pathway. This is the production of SAF in accordance with internationally recognised certification pathways such as ASTM or where a pathway to certification can be outlined.

Full program details can be found here.

Federal – Go-Green Co-Innovation Program

Competitive government grant program supporting Australian-Singapore collaborations on green energy projects. 

Aim: The GGCIP incentivise and facilitates co-innovation between small and medium-sized enterprises across the two countries. The GGCIP will help to establish or expand business and commercial activities that boost two-way trade in goods and services across green sectors. Grants can be used to fund the development and commercialisation of products, services or solutions that drive the decarbonisation of economic activities or help Singapore and Australia transition to net zero emissions. 

Grants will support projects that focus on priority green economy sectors including:

  • renewable and clean energy
  • waste management and circular economy
  • sustainable agribusiness and food
  • green transportation and logistics
  • built environment and infrastructure
  • energy efficient technologies and products
  • advanced manufacturing and sustainable materials
  • environmental monitoring, analysis, and assessment.

Timing: Anticipated open in Q4 2023

Funding: $20,000,000 in total funding

Eligible applicants 

Eligible applicants must:

  • be an Australian SME
  • have a separate, non-linked SG business partner
  • have a project in a green priority sector
  • jointly develop green products, services or technology
  • have sufficient cash flow and own sources of funding for the project.

Project guidelines (full details TBC)

The call for proposals to all joint projects focusing on developing innovative products and applications in green technological and application area. Particularly:

  1. Projects should deliver ready to market solutions with strong market potential in Australia, Singapore or any international market
  2. Projects should demonstrate a balanced technological contribution by the participants from both countries. No partner may contribute more than 70 per cent of total project contribution, in terms of person months and total budget of the project
  3. Projects must not have commenced at the time of the application. The application period should be between 24-36 months. 

Full program details can be found here. 

WA Investment Attraction Fund

Competitive government grant program for businesses across a breadth of industries to create jobs in WA. 

Aim: The program encourages new investment that will create local jobs and contribute to economic diversity.

Timing: Round 2 expected soon. EOI application period expected to be open for 8 weeks.

Funding: Grants up to $5,000,000 (matched funding)

Eligible applicants 

Eligible applicants must be:

  • registered, or be eligible to register for an ABN
  • a legal entity, or partnered with a legal entity, with a proven trading history for the past three financial years as accepted in their domicile (as a minimum)
  • able to provide a business plan and evidence that supports management, technical and financial capability to undertake the current proposal. This may also include evidence of completed or current projects of a similar or greater size. 

Eligible activities

Eligible activities must:

  • demonstrate alignment with one or more of diversify WA priority sectors:
    1. Energy
    2. Tourism, events and creative industries
    3. International education
    4. Defence industries
    5. Mining and mining equipment, technology and services (METS)
    6. Space industries
    7. Health and medical life sciences
    8. Primary industries
  • Anticipated additions in Round 2: Decarbonisation (specified as a government priority), new energy (FY24 Budget specifies the Investment Attraction Fund will be available to support new energy projects)
  • improve value and productivity in one or more cross-sector activities:
    1. Supply chain development
    2. Advanced manufacturing
    3. Science, Innovation and technology
    4. Environmental, social and governance frameworks.

Program details based on Round 1. See list of successful recipients, which can be found here.

WA Collie Industrial Transition Fund

Discretionary government grant funding program for businesses (particularly green manufacturing, energy intensive industries and clean energy) to develop or expand in the Collie region. 

Aim: To attract new and emerging industries as Collie transitions to new forms of industry and power generation 

Timing: Open on an ongoing basis; funding offered on a first-come-first-serve basis

Funding: No set minimum or maximum funding limits (projects should have a project value of at least $4m for matched funding)

Eligibility

Eligible applicants

Eligible applications include private sector businesses with a valid ABN or ACN.

Applications will also be considered from groups of businesses, the Shire of Collie, and Government Trading Enterprises.

Priority sectors include:

  • green manufacturing or minerals processing
  • energy intensive industries
  • future clean energy industries. 

Eligible activities

Eligible activities include those that develop new industries or expand existing industries and increase productivity and employment opportunities in the Collie region. Support will be flexible and tailored to specific project proposals and may include, for example support:

  • to develop common-user infrastructure, and which address local infrastructure challenges that impact on industry establishment, productivity or expansion, for example water, energy, or transport infrastructure
  • for development and commercialisation of new industry and business opportunities that demonstrate strong potential for jobs in green manufacturing, green minerals processing, energy intensive industry or renewable energy
  • for specific infrastructure, plant or equipment that supports development of new businesses, particularly green manufacturing, green minerals processing, energy intensive industry or renewable energy project/s, or a substantial expansion, and/or significant innovation and productivity improvements of existing businesses.

Full program details can be found here.

Qld Industry Partnership Program

Open government grant program to incentivise Queensland’s priority industry sectors to grow and create jobs. Priority industry sectors include hydrogen, biofutures, biomedical, resource recovery and recycling, batteries, critical minerals processing, and renewable energy manufacturing. We understand that new guidelines for this program are being developed – contact us to discuss. 

Aim: This program supports projects that will strengthen local supply chains, create jobs and grow the footprint of Queensland’s industries. 

Timing: Open

Funding: Currently uncapped grant funding, also offering other tailored assistance packages including payroll tax reimbursement or interest-free loans

Eligible applicants 

Eligible applicants must:

  • be a legal entity and hold an active ABN
  • have obtained internal approval to make the application, including approval to co-fund all project costs not covered by financial assistance provided through the program
  • have the financial ability to deliver the project
  • have a history of regulatory compliance, including development and environmental approvals.

Eligible activities

  • Eligible projects must meet the following criteria:
  • be located in Queensland or have tangible benefits for Queensland
  • have a minimum total project cost of $200,000 which can either be operational or capital costs
  • be unlikely to proceed without assistance
  • not have already commenced.

Target sectors

  • Aerospace
  • Beef Processing
  • Biofutures
  • Biomedical
  • Defence
  • Hydrogen
  • METS
  • Resource recovery

We expect clean energy, decarbonisation and critical minerals to be added.

Current program details can ben be found here.

Qld Made In Queensland

Competitive government grant program supporting SME manufacturers in Queensland. 

Aim: To assist small and medium sized manufacturers to increase international competitiveness, productivity and innovation via the adoption of new technologies and to generate high-skilled jobs for the future.

Timing: Round 6 expected to open later this year, likely around October 2023. (Round 5 had two-stage process: EOIs opened between 31 Oct – 12 Dec 2022 and Detailed Applications opened between March –  April 2023). 

Funding: Grants between $50,000 to $2,500,000 (matched funding). Round 5 had a total funding pool of $20,000,000.

Eligible applicants

Eligible applicants must:

  • be Queensland based business whose principal activity is manufacturing
  • hold an active Australian business number and be registered for GST
  • be a small to medium enterprise with between 5 and 200 full-time employees in Qld
  • be able to pay for 50 per cent of project costs
  • accept that the Department may require security over any or all of the funded items. 

Eligible project must:

  • involve the introduction of equipment, a process or technology not currently used by the applicant that is industry-leading (best practice) such as:
    • implementing advanced robotics/ advanced industry 4.0 equipment
    • implementing a sector relevant system or process
    • the development of a plan or strategy 
  • be designed so that it is aimed at achieving the desired business transformation, embracing Industry 4.0 (digitisation, interconnected factory, big data analytics etc.)
  • have a project site address in Queensland.

For more information see here

Qld Investment Schemes – Strategic Investment Scheme and Investment Support Scheme

Discretionary government grant programs to support mid-sized and large organisations with high-value and investment-ready projects that offer strategic, long-term economic benefit, including supply chain jobs across Queensland. 

Full program details can be found here.

 

What about Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales?

There have been several grant opportunities in Victoria and South Australia. Here’s what you missed:  

  • Made in Victoria: Industry R&D Infrastructure Fund (closed 18 August 2023) – competitive grant program offering up to $2m for new and enhanced R&D Infrastructure 
  • Victoria’s Circular Economy Infrastructure Fund: Hazardous Waste Round 3 (closed 25 July 2023) – competitive grant program offering up to $4.5m for improved reprocessing and recycling of hazardous wastes
  • South Australia’s Thriving Regions Fund: Enabling Infrastructure Program (closed 9 August 2023) – competitive grant program offering up to $1m for new infrastructure in regional South Australia. Another Round anticipated in 2024 

New South Wales grant programs have been largely on hold as the new government prepares for its first Budget in September. We anticipate grant programs related to regional job creation, decarbonisation and green energy development might appear soon.

Given the constantly shifting landscape, staying up to date is a challenge. That’s why we recommend companies to actively prepare for grant opportunities and to be grant ready to achieve bigger, better or faster business outcomes. 

Learn more about our services or connect with Simone Barker, Director Innovation Incentives and Government Grants team leader, on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date with the latest grants news.

Learn more about how our Government grants services can help you
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Learn more about how our Government grants services can help you
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Authors
  • Simone Barker Simone brings a background in management consulting and international business with particular focus on Asian export markets to the Innovation Incentives team. She specialises in supporting businesses to achieve their growth strategies through access to government funding and incentives. View Profile

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