Business Grants

This program aims to support Australian news producers and enabling organisations to increase their commercial sustainability and improve the resilience of the sector through the funding of innovative new projects.

There is a total of up to $31.5 million available over 2 years for the program. Grants will be from $10,000 to $9 million.

The program will have two streams. Eligible applicants can apply for funding for activities that align with the outcomes under one of the following streams:

Stream 1: Journalism Production

Activities that increase journalism production and distribution including increasing training and staffing.

Applicants may apply for new projects that meet one or more of the following:

• improve or expand core news content produced and distributed digitally
• activities that develop the capacity and capability of Australian organisations to produce or expand their digital core news content,
• establish and support the emergence of new journalism in under-represented areas and/or underserved audiences in Australia (i.e. ‘news deserts’).

Stream 2: Organisational Support

Activities that support internal capacity building and commercial sustainability of Australian core news producers.

Applicants may apply for new projects that:

• develop or engage resources to build organisational and business capacities,
• diversify the avenues of support for the digital core news producers, through commercial means; and/or
• realise innovative economies of scale across multiple organisations in the provision of digital core news content.

Eligibility:

You can apply if you:

• have an Australian business number (ABN)
• are registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST)
• have an account with an Australian financial institution.

and are one of the following entities:

• an entity, incorporated in Australia
• an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
• a company limited by guarantee
• an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
• an incorporated association
• a co-operative
• a partnership
• an incorporated not for profit organisation or registered charity
• a sole trader.

The Farm Business Transition Program funding may be used for a range of activities, including planning, professional and technical advice, application of research and development innovations extension activities, and investment in on-farm infrastructure and improvements. These activities are intended to support the adoption of alternative farming systems and practices.

Grant funding of up to $75,000 (GST exclusive) over both rounds, per eligible applicant is available.

Costs incurred before a grant agreement is executed or the agreed activity start date are ineligible.

Applicants are required to provide 1:1 cash co-contribution, matching the dollar value of the grant funding approved. In-kind contributions will not be accepted as matched funding.

You must demonstrate a connection to the live sheep export by sea trade since 1 July 2020.

Applicants from Round 1:

Applicants awarded the maximum grant of $75,000 (GST exclusive) in Round 1 are not eligible to apply for further funding under Round 2.

Applicants awarded less than the maximum grant of $75,000 (GST exclusive) under Round 1 may apply under Round 2 for up to the remaining balance of the grant funding for different grant activities.

Applicants who were unsuccessful in Round 1 may apply in Round 2 for the same project or a different project.

Funding for this program is provided under the Phase Out of Live Sheep Exports by Sea - transition assistance initiative.

Maker Projects Grants aim to foster creativity and inquiry-based learning. They support the development of STEM skills in students and youth under 18 years of age in design, engineering and programming, through hands-on learning.

The objectives of the grant opportunity are to:

• deliver projects where students and youth under 18 years of age, at the time of application, can develop and apply their STEM knowledge through experimentation, tinkering and hands-on learning by engaging with a range of technologies
• encourage practical skills, creativity and entrepreneurial thinking through the delivery of hands-on STEM-related events and activities
• inspire students and youth under 18 years of age to pursue further studies and careers in STEM
• make projects accessible to as many young people as possible, including those in regional, rural and disadvantaged areas
• make a positive and ongoing impact on students and youth under 18 years of age, particularly those historically underrepresented in STEM including as defined in the glossary of the grant opportunity guidelines.

The intended outcomes of the grant opportunity are:

• increased practical knowledge and skills in scientific experimentation, design, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship through hands-on activities for students and youth
• increased accessibility and participation in STEM-related events and activities for students and youth under 18 years of age, particularly those historically underrepresented in STEM as defined in the glossary
• positive and ongoing development of STEM skills for participating students and youth, fostered through hands-on inquiry-based learning.

You can apply if you:

• have an Australian business number (ABN)

And are one of the following entities:

• an entity, incorporated in Australia
• an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
• an incorporated association
• an incorporated not for profit organisation
• a publicly funded research organisation (PFRO)
• a government or non-government vocational education and training (VET) provider as defined in section 14 of the grant opportunity guidelines.

You must also deliver the project through a collaborative partnership where:

• the partnership must be established prior to the submission of your application
• the partnership must include at least one partner organisation during the life of the project
• the partnering organisation/s must be active participants in the delivery of the project and not just beneficiaries of the proposed activities.

Eligible NSW small businesses who are embedded network (on-supply) customers can apply for a National Energy Bill Relief payment of up to $150 in the 2025-26 financial year via this portal.  

Eligible small businesses who are retail customers will receive their Bill Relief payment automatically via their energy bills.

Your small business may be eligible if all the following apply: 

• has not already received the National Energy Bill Relief payment for the small business's energy account in the 2025-2026 financial year
• is in an embedded electricity network in NSW
• has an electricity account in the name of the business with at least 90 days of metered electricity usage
• uses less than 100 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity per year across all sites in NSW
• has an active ABN.

If you operate your small business from your home or your small business is on a residential electricity plan, you are not eligible. Other exclusions may apply, for example post offices, government owned agencies, gas and water retailers, and telecommunications companies are also not eligible. Please read the Terms and Conditions for further information on eligibility.

Digital Originals is a joint initiative of Screen Australia, SBS and NITV, aimed at developing exciting and innovative short-form scripted series for SBS and NITV.  These series contain 6 x 10-minute episodes for broadcast on SBS and NITV platforms.

Digital Originals is targeted at emerging creators working on exciting and risk-taking scripted projects. Following the success ofpast participants such as Homebodies, Moonbird and Appetite, this opportunity is aimed at episodic narrative series designed for SBS and NITV audiences. Prior experience in writing for screen is not necessary.

Up to ten teams will be selected to attend an exclusive workshop run by Screen Australia, SBS and NITV, featuring a range of industry guest presenters and past Digital Originals teams. The workshop will focus on short form narrative writing skills, pitching and developing the projects to align with the SBS Charter and audiences, culminating in a pitch to Screen Australia, SBS and NITV.

From the ten teams invited to attend the workshop, up to five will be chosen to take their project into further development, and from these, up to three will be chosen for production funding and commissioning with SBS, NITV and Screen Australia. Teams will have the support and resources of SBS, NITV and Screen Australia through the development process.

Team members residing outside of New South Wales (NSW), and residing in Australia, will receive economy return flights and accommodation within Australia for two to three team members to attend the workshop in person. Teams residing in NSW but outside of Greater Sydney may be provided with accommodation for the workshop and Pitch Day.

Following the workshop, selected teams will be provided with funding to develop their project, with delivery required by May 2027. Decisions on next steps will be made thereafter.

The Paid Practicum grant provides a wage subsidy to give ECEC Employees paid leave while they are undertaking their paid practicum.

Eligibility

Only ECEC services currently approved for and receiving the Childcare Subsidy (CCS) under Family Assistance Law, including long day care, family day care, in-home care, centre-based day care and outside school hours care services, are eligible and can apply for their employees.

To be eligible for a grant the employee must be:

• an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia or hold a valid work visa (including student visa) allowing employment in the ECEC sector; and
• a contact worker - an educator who is part of the adult to child ratio at a Service or who provides direct early childhood education and care, or supervision for children in other care types, such as IHC or FDC; or
  a non-contact worker – a director or educational leader who provides direct support, early childhood education and care, or supervision for children; and
• a full-time, part-time, or casual employee who has worked more than 40 hours overall in the preceding three months with that Service.

The Professional Development – National Child Safety Training grant provides support to ECEC educators, early childhood teachers and directors with five hours of time to complete the national child safety training.

Eligibility

Only ECEC services currently approved for and receiving the Childcare Subsidy (CCS) under Family Assistance Law, including long day care, family day care, in-home care, centre-based day care and outside school hours care services, are eligible and can apply for their employees.

To be eligible for a grant the employee must be:

1. an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia or hold a valid work visa (including student visa) allowing employment in the ECEC sector; and
2. a contact worker - an educator who is part of the educator-to-child ratio at a Service or who provides direct early childhood education and care, or supervision for children in other care types, such as IHC or FDC; or
   a non-contact worker – a director or educational leader who provides direct support, early childhood education and care, or supervision for children; and
3. a full-time, part-time, or casual employee who has worked more than 40 hours overall in the preceding three months with that Service

The Livestock Transport Industry Transition Program will assist livestock transport businesses, including those who have made investments in transportation of sheep and the delivery of essential export-related goods such as feed, bedding, water systems, veterinary supplies and handling equipment specifically for the live sheep export by sea trade, to transition to other transport-related activities which may require further investment.

Grant funding can be used for planning, professional and technical advice, training and co-funded investment in asset modification and acquisition.

Grant funding of up to $40,000 (GST exclusive) over both rounds, covers up to 50% of eligible costs is available. Cash co-contribution of 1:1 is required - the applicant must match the dollar value of the grant funding approved. In-kind contributions are not accepted as matching funding. Costs incurred before a grant agreement is executed or the agreed activity start date are ineligible. 

You must demonstrate a connection to the live sheep export by sea trade since 1 July 2020.

Applicants from Round 1

Applicants who were awarded the maximum grant of $40,000 (GST exclusive) in Round 1 are not eligible to apply for further funding under Round 2.

Applicants awarded less than the maximum grant of $40,000 (GST exclusive) under Round 1 may apply under Round 2 for up to the remaining balance of the grant funding for different grant activities.

Applicants who were unsuccessful in Round 1 may apply in Round 2 for the same project or a different project.

The DRIVEN Charger Grant Stream grant opportunity makes $20 million available for the installation of new, public, fast EV charging stations at automotive dealership and EV repairer premises and, in turn, bolsters Australia’s public fast charger network.

The objectives of the DRIVEN Charger Grant Stream are to:

• deliver charging stations at automotive dealership and EV repairer premises
• encourage installation of charging stations in regional areas of Australia
• support automotive dealerships and EV repairers looking to host charging stations
• facilitate partnerships between Australian automotive dealerships or EV repairers and EV charging businesses (e.g. Charge Point Operators).

You can apply if you:

• have an Australian business number (ABN)
• have an account with an Australian financial institution
• are an entity, incorporated in Australia.

Your project must:

• support preparation, construction and installation of charging stations at automotive dealership and EV repairer premises in metro, regional and journey enablement areas as identified in the EVCI Mapping Tool
• meet the Minimum Operating Standards (MoS) for government-funded charging stations and minimum project delivery requirements
• include charging station(s) with at least one Combined Charging System (CCS) Type 2 plug for each charging bay
• include a minimum of 25 charging bays.

The eligible charging stations must be installed at a site that is a dealership or EV repairer premises.

The purpose of this grant is to provide Australian Government funding to support a wage increase for all eligible ECEC workers from December 2024.

Eligible ECEC workers include:

• workers covered by the Children’s Services Award 2010 and working in a Child Care Subsidy (CCS) approved Centre-Based Day Care (CBDC) or Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) service;
• workers covered by the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 and working in a CCS approved CBDC or OSHC service; and
• workers who are undertaking duties covered by the Children’s Services Award 2010 or Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 and working in a CCS approved CBDC or OSHC service but are not covered by these awards (including workers covered by a state industrial instrument, or working in a setting covered by a different award), and these duties constitute the majority of that workers role. 

Trainees who are undertaking a registered traineeship and whose pay and conditions are not covered by the Children’s Services Award 2010 or the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 are not included as eligible ECEC workers. 

To be eligible you must be a legal entity that provides CBDC or OSHC services (a Provider). One Provider may apply in relation to one or multiple service locations (Services) that the Provider owns and operates.

The Contemporary Music Touring Program (CMTP) supports national touring activity undertaken by Australian musicians performing original Australian contemporary music.

The tour must comprise of performances in at least three venues or locations outside of the performer’s hometown. Tours that include regional and remote destinations, or which assist performers residing in regional and remote areas to tour, are a priority for funding.

Grants are available from $5,000 to $50,000, depending on the number of tour venues or locations in regional or remote areas.

Who can apply

You may submit a maximum of two applications to each round of CMTP.

You may apply as an individual, on behalf of a group, or as an organisation, to tour live music performances within Australia.

Touring musicians must be performing original Australian contemporary music. Funding can be provided to performers, managers, agents, and music networks on behalf of professionals working in the Australian music industry. Applications must contain one tour only.

Public Lending Right (PLR) and Educational Lending Right (ELR) are Australian Government programs that compensate Australian creators and publishers in recognition of income lost through free multiple use of their books in public and educational lending libraries. These programs support the enrichment of Australian culture by encouraging the growth and development of Australian writing.

A creator or a publisher must register and submit title claims within five years from the year of publication. Books are surveyed in a sample of either public lending libraries (PLR) or school, TAFE and university libraries (ELR).

Eligible creators are:

• authors, editors, illustrators, translators and compilers
• Australian citizens, wherever they reside, or non-citizens who normally reside in Australia (eligibility ceases if residency in Australia ceases)
• those who receive on-going royalties from the sale of their book.

Eligible publishers are:

• companies whose business consists wholly or substantially of the publication of books and who regularly publish in Australia—'regularly publish' is defined as at least once in the preceding three year period
• non-profit organisations that publish to further their aims or objectives
• self-publishing creators.

The objective of the Program is to incentivise voluntary uptake of ADS-B equipment in Australian-registered aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) to improve safety and efficiency for Australian airspace users.

The program will provide:

• better situational awareness for pilots through improved electronic visibility of nearby airborne VFR and IFR aircraft
• enhanced search and rescue capabilities through improved air traffic information
• air traffic controllers with additional and accurate automated aircraft position information of VFR aircraft.

The Program funds two classes of eligible ADS-B equipment:

• installed ADS-B equipment that air traffic controllers can use for aircraft separation purposes (referred to as ADS-B)
• portable ADS-B equipment for local electronic traffic information purposes (referred to as ADS-B EC).

To apply you must:

• be the registered owner of a crewed aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) or Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and shown in an approved registration database including:
• the CASA Australian aircraft register for VH aircraft (e.g. fixed wing, helicopter, balloon, glider) registration database managed by CASA
• an approved Australian Sport Aviation organisation:
  • Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus)
  • Australian Sport Rotorcraft Association (ASRA)
  • Sports Aviation Federation of Australia (SAFA).
• purchase and/or install in your registered aircraft:
  • a device which provides ADS-B-OUT functionality or an ADS-B EC device but not both, after 20 December 2021, or
  • a device which provides ADS-B-IN functionality or a device which provides ADS-B-IN and OUT functionality, after 31 May 2024.

If a grant was paid in respect of your aircraft under ADS-B Round 1 you are eligible to apply under the following conditions:

• the equipment adds ADS-B IN functionality that was not previously available, or
• you are upgrading from an EC device to installed equipment.

The Contemporary Music Touring Program (CMTP) supports national touring activity undertaken by Australian musicians performing original Australian contemporary music.

The tour must comprise of performances in at least three venues or locations outside of the performer’s hometown. Tours that include regional and remote destinations, or which assist performers residing in regional and remote areas to tour, are a priority for funding.

Grants are available from $5,000 to $50,000, depending on the number of tour venues or locations in regional or remote areas.

Who can apply

You may submit a maximum of two applications to each round of CMTP.

You may apply as an individual, on behalf of a group, or as an organisation, to tour live music performances within Australia.

Touring musicians must be performing original Australian contemporary music. Funding can be provided to performers, managers, agents, and music networks on behalf of professionals working in the Australian music industry. Applications must contain one tour only.

The Rebates Program aims to support targets identified in the NSW Waste and Materials Strategy 2041 (WaSM), including:

• reducing total waste generated by 10% per person by 2030
• achieving an 80% average recovery rate from all waste streams by 2030
• tripling the plastics recycling rate by 2030
• phasing out problematic and unnecessary plastics by 2025
• halving the amount of organic waste sent to landfill by 2030
• significantly increasing the use of recycled content by governments and industry.

The objectives of the Rebates Program are to:

• avoid or divert new tonnes of waste generated by businesses from landfill
• help businesses transition to a circular economy by targeting actions higher on the waste hierarchy (e.g. avoiding or re-using waste above recycling, and upcycling above downcycling)
• support the transition away from problematic, unnecessary and single-use plastics, and
• reduce organic waste going to landfill and support the introduction of mandatory food-waste collections from targeted businesses, commencing from 2025.

Businesses applying for the Rebates Program must:

• currently have a commercial and industrial (C&I) waste service at a site in NSW
• currently have a valid ABN and employ one or more full time employees in NSW, and
• currently send C&I waste to landfill in NSW or process/recycle C&I waste generated by businesses.

Businesses can include entities that are registered charities, not-for-profits, public entities (including schools and hospitals), and government organisations. 

The objective of the grant opportunity is to provide co-funding for dealerships and repairers to install EV chargers.

The intended outcomes of the grant opportunity are to:

• increase in the number of EV charging stations throughout the country including remote and regional areas
• increase the number of EVs on the roads.

You can apply if you:

• have an Australian business number (ABN)
• have an account with an Australian financial institution
• are an entity, incorporated in Australia.

You must also be one of the following:

• a licenced motor dealer/trader
• a service centre associated with a licenced motor dealer/trader
• an automotive repair business, compliant with Australian Standards 5732:202 2 (EV operations – maintenance and repair) and which has at least one current member of staff suitable qualified to undertake work on EVs.

To be eligible for a rebate, you must have purchased and installed at least one eligible smart EV charger(s) at an eligible site (listed in section 4.2 of the grant opportunity Guidelines) on or after 26 March 2024.

Eligible smart EV chargers include:

• AC plugs with 7 kW charging speed (single phase)
• AC plugs with 11-22 kW charging speed
• DC plugs with 50 kW or less charging speed.

You can only apply for concessional this loan if your small business is currently or has been supplying goods or services relating to primary production to farm businesses in an affected area. This loan is not available to farm businesses.

The loan is for ten years and has no fees, 2 years interest free, 3 years interest only and 5 years principal and interest.

It may be used for:

• refinance your debt
• pay suppliers
• pay for operating expenses
• pay salaries, wages and rent

The Impact Investment Ready Growth Grant provides impact businesses and mission-driven organisations with grants of up to $140,000 for business, financial, legal and other capacity building support from providers to secure investment.

Growth Grants were created in recognition of the potential for impact investing to change the way Australia addresses social issues and the important role that access to capital can play in delivering better outcomes for people and communities. They support enterprises that are high growth, can deliver positive social outcomes and have the potential to secure capital investment.

Trial a young person to find out if they're the right fit for your business and get $1000 to help cover the costs of the trial. During the trial, you don't pay the young person. Instead, the Australian Government gives them $200 a fortnight on top of their income support and covers their insurance.

Businesses can also receive up to $10,000 (GST inclusive) through a Youth Bonus wage subsidy if they hire an eligible young person between 15 and 24 years of age.

The young person must:

• be a fully eligible participant, commenced with a jobactive or Transition to Work provider
• have received employment services from a provider (jobactive, Transition to Work, Disability Employment Services or Community Development Programme provider) continuously for the last six months
• have mutual obligation requirements at the time they commence in the wage subsidised job
• not been in a pre-existing employment relation with you in the previous six months
• not be an immediate family member.

Concessional loan to help farm businesses in the agriculture, horticulture, pastoral, apiculture, or aquaculture industryto prepare for, manage through, and recover from drought.

The loan is for ten years and has no fees, 2 years interest free, 3 years interest only and 5 years principal and interest.

It may be used for:

• refinance your debt
• pay for operating expenses or capital
• access new debt for operating expenses and capital