Business Grants

Acceleration funding is available for successful NSW businesses that procure eligible AC or DC smart chargers between 12 November 2024 and 10 June 2025. This means for a temporary time the funding has been increased per vehicle smart charger port.

The competitive bid funding option of the electric fleets incentive is designed to support organisations with larger fleets that are beyond the pilot phase of their transition to EVs, and is open to any organisation that:

• operates a fleet of 21 or more vehicles (ICEVs or BEVs), and
• is applying for funding for 11 or more brand new BEVs.

The competitive bid funding option is split into two streams:

The individual stream
For businesses that own or lease vehicles to support its operations in NSW including also vehicle rental/subscription services.   

The aggregator stream 
For businesses providing vehicles to customers in NSW through leasing arrangements and will pass the incentive onto customers. 

The Skills Development Fund supports production companies, game development studios and screen businesses to provide skills development through structured work-based learning.

This involves:

• the development of a detailed Skills Development Plan that:
  • addresses the key skills needs of “below-the-line crew” (“Crew”) and Gamemakers on a given production/s, games project or more broadly the national screen sector; and
  • supports diversity, equity and inclusion;

AND

• an appointed individual from within the company or an external consultant in the role of Skills Development Officer, to oversee the delivery and implementation of the Plan.

Funding of up to $80,000 is available to deliver an applicant’s Skills Development Plan. The fund is open to significant productions or projects across all formats and genres. Game development studios are eligible, as are film and TV production companies and screen businesses servicing the Australian screen sector. A co-contribution from the applicant is strongly recommended.

Multiple rounds for this grant will be available over the 2024 to 2025 period, see the grant web page for full details.

This is a great opportunity for emerging filmmakers (writers and directors) to launch their careers and for mid-career producers to gain further practical experience, producing a short film in the Romantic Comedy genre, and grow their slate with at least one pitch-ready film (not the short film) to take to both local and international markets. 

Proper Loved Up is a new program combining previous short film and producer initiatives. This will enable practical experience for the producer, gaining knowledge in story, development, business, drama production and local & global markets. 

The MVP Ventures Program supports startups and innovative SMEs in the product lifecycle between early-stage research and mature investment opportunities, through grants to drive the commercialisation of highly innovative and new products.

The objective of the Program is to:

• support businesses throughout the pre-market development and commercialisation pathway of their innovative products in NSW
• attract and retain commercialisation activities in NSW

The Program targets new products within Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 3 – 9 to help them move along the TRL scale and enable them to attract large-scale private investment. 

To be eligible, your business must:

• have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
• be non-tax exempt
• be Headquartered in NSW
• have an account with an Australian financial institution
• be a company incorporated in Australia
• hold intellectual property (IP) or rights to commercialise
• have an Aggregated Turnover that is no more than A$1 million for each of the three financial years prior to the lodgement of your application, and
• have no more than a total of 20 FTE (including Founders).

To be eligible, your project must:

• be related to the pre-market development and commercialisation pathway of your product
• involve progressing your product or process along the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale between 3 and 9
• be aligned to and marketed within one of the following NSW Government Industry Development Framework priority industries
• have secured a minimum 50% cash contribution (no in-kind) for the project
• be completed within 12 months of funding, minimum project period is 3 months
• undertake funded activities in NSW
• demonstrate why sufficient funding for the entire project cannot be accessed from alternative sources and that the project would not proceed in NSW without government support
• include only eligible expenditure.

The News Media Relief Program (the program) will support the sustainability of Australian news publishers in the face of significant disruption to the media sector.

The objectives of the program are:

• support the sustainability of Australian news publishers in the face of significant disruption to the media sector
• support the creation of news content distributed online
• encourage the continued employment of journalists who primarily produce news that is in the Australian public interest
• building and maintaining social cohesion in Australia, including for Cultural and Linguistically Diverse CALD communities, First Nations communities and the wider Australian community.

The intended outcomes of the program are:

• support and safeguard news coverage in Australia
• mitigate the significant risk to the financial sustainability of news publications in regional and outer metropolitan areas of Australia, and publications providing news for CALD and First Nations communities.

Organisations with a primary purpose of producing core news content will be eligible for funding to support a proportion of the salary costs of journalists producing core news content that is distributed digitally.

The grant amount is $13,000 per eligible journalist full time equivalent (FTE).

If the journalist is not employed full time with the applicant, the grant amount requested should be based on a pro-rata amount of the FTE.

The program will run over 1 year from 2024-25.

You can apply if you:

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

And either:

• be located in, and provide core news content to, an eligible geographic community, or
• provide core news content targeted to an eligible audience.

You must also be one of the following entities:

• an entity, incorporated in Australia
• a company limited by guarantee
• an incorporated association
• a co-operative
• a partnership
• an incorporated not for profit organisation or registered charity
• an individual.

Eligible geographic communities are:

• a regional community - located in a regional area of Australia, i.e. one that is in a location that is not a major city of Australia. The geographic community may be centred on one or more specific towns or local government areas in a regional area with shared communal interests. The publication’s target audience is the regional community and does not target a state or national news audience.
• a local suburban community - located in a major city of Australia and is centred on one or more specific suburbs or local government areas in a metropolitan area with shared communal interests. The publication’s target audience is the local suburban community and does not target a state or national news audience.

Under the Australian Bureau of Statistics Remoteness Structure, major cities of Australia include but are not limited to: Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide, and Melbourne. Hobart is not considered a major city of Australia.

Eligible audiences are:

• First Nations audiences - primarily made up of members of at least one Australian First Nations community
• CALD audiences - primarily made up of members of at least one, specific community defined by their national, linguistic or cultural background.

In recent years, the Hunter New England and Central Coast area has been affected by various disasters, severe weather events, mass casualty events and the pandemic. In addition, cybersecurity incidents have become more prevalent across the sector, and staff shortages and frequent turnovers may make emergency planning processes more difficult.

In preparation for emergencies and disasters and to reduce their vulnerability, healthcare practices need to safeguard their staff and business continuity.

The Emergency Response Planning Tool (ERPT) is an online resource supporting general practices (including Aboriginal Medical Services, AMS) to effectively plan, prepare, respond, and recover from the impacts of emergencies and disasters.

The PHN is proud to announce that it is supporting Hunter New England and Central Coast General Practices and AMS by making available a limited number of free one-year licenses for the ERPT tool, to strengthen their long-term disaster preparedness and resilience. 100 ERPT licences were distributed to Practices in 2023.

This grant will consist of a registration link to enable a log in for the annual license which includes access, all management, maintenance and support for 12 months for the ERPT.

The PHN will not continue to fund the ERPT after the 12 months. At the conclusion of the 12 months, general practices and AMS can choose to continue to use the ERPT by paying for ongoing licence fees, or they can choose to discontinue the licence and use the pdf plan created as a starting point for their own ongoing plan revisions.

The grants for the licences will be managed via an open round for general practices and AMS on the PHN’s grants portal SmartyGrants and awarded on a first in basis to eligible applicants. The rounds will close once all ERPT licences have been allocated.

Eligibility

• General Practices and Aboriginal Medical Services in the Hunter New England and Central Coast PHN catchment.
• New users.
• Existing users: Practices and AMS who already use the ERPT toolkit are also eligible to apply, and will receive another 12 months on top of their existing license, if their current licence was not PHN funded,
• For multisite practices, every practice location can receive one license. Please note that you will need to submit separate applications for each site.
• General Practices and AMS that are intending to close or change ownership within the next 12 months are ineligible to apply
• General Practices and AMS that received a PHN funded licence in 2023 are not eligible.
• General Practices and AMS with outstanding grant commitments including reporting are not eligible.

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 On Farm Connectivity Program Round 2 (the program) will run over 1 year in 2024-25. This program forms part of the Better Connectivity Plan for Regional and Rural Australia (Better Connectivity Plan) and assists Primary Producers to take advantage of digital agribusiness solutions to boost productivity and improve safety.

The objectives of the program are:

• extend digital connectivity and take advantage of advanced farming technology
• enhance a Primary Producers’ capacity to implement digital agribusiness solutions through improved connectivity
• capitalise on the agricultural sector’s potential for increased productivity and growth
• support access to new communications equipment by offsetting some of the cost.

The intended outcomes of the program are:

• increased investment in equipment to support operations of the agricultural sector
• increased efficiency, competitiveness, productivity and profitability of the agricultural sector
• improved safety on farm
• increased use of advanced farming technology
• improved knowledge of advanced farming technology and digital literacy.

Eligible Primary Producers can only access the program (and rebate) through an Approved Supplier.

The Australian Government announced $30 million for the On Farm Connectivity program in the October 2023 budget with $15 million available for Round 1 and Round 2 of the program. A further $3 million is now being provided for Round 2.

For Round 2 of this grant opportunity $18 million is available in 2024-25.

The grant (rebate) amount will be up to 50% of the cost of eligible equipment item/s listed at Appendix B of the grant opportunity guidelines.

• The minimum grant (rebate) amount is $1,000 (GST exclusive).
• The maximum grant (rebate) amount is $30,000 (GST exclusive).

As an Approved Supplier listed at Appendix A, you can claim up to the maximum rebate amount for each eligible Primary Producer with an Australian Business Number (ABN).

Eligibility:

You can apply if you:

• are an Approved Supplier in appendix A of the grant opportunity guidelines
• supply an eligible connectivity solution and the associated eligible equipment as listed in Appendix B of the grant opportunity guidelines to an eligible Primary Producer (as defined in Appendix C of the grant opportunity guidelines) and provide a quote itemising the equipment to be supplied
• be able to supply (including delivery and installation if applicable) the eligible connectivity solution and associated eligible equipment to the eligible Primary Producer within the 120 calendar day period of approval
• ensure the Primary Producer’s ABN has been registered for 12 months prior to application submission and be at different locations if submitting multiple applications.

Only if the Primary Producer meets the eligibility criteria, and:

• are a registered business and have an ABN that has been active for the previous 12 months
• have an annual average gross income (i.e. total revenue before expenses and tax) from primary production of between $40,000 and $4 million. Annual average income is calculated as the average of the previous 3 full financial years’ income for each ABN
• are not a hobby farmer
• operate an eligible primary production activity listed at Appendix D of the grant opportunity guidelines.

This opportunity is part of the Better Connectivity Plan for Regional and Rural Australia (Better Connectivity Plan) which is providing more than $1.1 billion to rural and regional communities. Through the October 2022 Budget, the Government provided $656 million for the Better Connectivity Plan to improve mobile and broadband connectivity and resilience in rural and regional Australia.

Up to $55 million (GST exclusive) is available for Round 8 to fund deployment of new or upgraded mobile phone infrastructure that will provide resilient mobile coverage in regional and remote areas prone to Natural Disasters, to assist during times of emergency.  

This grant will deliver resilient new and improved mobile coverage and competition in areas prone to Natural Disasters, including bushfires, cyclones and floods, by co-funding with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)  and Mobile Network Infrastructure Providers (MNIPs) to deliver new or upgraded telecommunications infrastructure.

The grant opportunity will be administered by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA).

Infrastructure funded must deliver the mobile coverage outcomes to regional and remote communities for an operational period of 10 years.

To assist collaboration between local communities and the telecommunications industry, the Government has launched an online project noticeboard which enables local governments and state, territory and federal parliamentarians to identify potential projects or locations which would benefit from new and improved coverage. Industry applicants are encouraged to consider the proposed projects and locations on the Project Noticeboard when developing their applications.

Eligibility:

Applicants must:

·         have an Australian Business Number (ABN)

·         be one of the following entity types:

• a National Mobile Network Operator (MNO); or
• a  Mobile Network Infrastructure Provider (MNIP).

The Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grant (EDAEG) adopts a number of strategies to develop and support Aboriginal people through the creation of training and employment opportunities. Promoting diversity, innovation and service responsiveness in the NSW workforce, the Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grant subsidises the salary, development and support costs of Aboriginal employees in public service agencies and local government authorities.

Grant elements

• School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships – $10,000 one off payment to support school-based apprenticeships and traineeships.
• Post School Element – up to $30,000 (Part-time or Full-time Employment Status) to support the continuation of employment for a learner who successfully completed a High School Certificate (HSC, Year 12) requirements from the year 2022 to the present day.
• Aboriginal Adult Apprenticeships and Traineeships (AAAT) – up to $40,000 to support the creation of employment of an apprenticeship or traineeship. Learners must be a minimum 21 years of age to be eligible.
• Permanent Ongoing Employment – up to $40,000 to support the creation of permanent employment.

The 2024-25 National Energy Bill Relief payment helps NSW small businesses pay their electricity bills. 

Eligible NSW small businesses who are embedded network (on-supply) customers can apply for a National Energy Bill Relief payment of up to $325 in financial year 2024-25 via this portal.  

Eligible small businesses who are retail customers will receive their Bill Relief payment automatically via their energy bills. Contact your energy retailer for more information.

The payment is delivered by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water on behalf of the Commonwealth Government.

The Regional Filming Fund offsets costs associated with shooting in regional areas of NSW. Regional NSW is defined as all areas in NSW outside the Sydney Metro area.

The objectives of the program are to:

• Increase economic activity in regional NSW, by encouraging NSW screen productions to film outside of metropolitan areas
• Enable regional NSW to benefit from the growth of film and television production in the State

Applicants must fulfil the following eligibility criteria:

The production must film on location in Regional NSW for a minimum of five shooting days
in a single Local Government Area (LGA)
Please find the LGA map here.

• At least one of the Key Creatives must be NSW-based
• The production company must be registered in NSW and have its principal place of business in NSW unless the production has an eligible NSW Spend of at least $5 million
• The production must film on location in Regional NSW for a minimum of five shooting days
• At least 50% of the total budget must be expended in NSW
• Productions must be fully financed at the time of application, with the exception of contributions being sought from Screen NSW and other state, federal or international agencies (Note: they will only consider an application where those agencies have confirmed their contribution or if the application has been submitted to a funding round running concurrently with the Screen NSW round.)
• Productions that have been shortlisted for Screen Australia’s Documentary Production
• Producer Program or Multi-Platform Drama Fund may apply
• Feature films must have distribution in place
• Television drama, narrative comedy and factual/documentary programs must have a financial commitment from a broadcaster, subscription service or distributor.

This quick response funding program is designed for domestic and international touring and travel activity for NSW contemporary music artists, acts and music industry professionals.

Funding can support domestic and international travel and accommodation costs for:

Artists and Acts

• tours by artists and acts performing new and original contemporary music
• performance at significant contemporary music industry events by artists and acts performing new and original contemporary music
• professional development opportunities including attendance at events, workshops, camps, mentorships and residencies.

Funding can support up to six people per touring party. This includes the artists and a maximum of two people with roles that support the artists to undertake the tour. These support roles include:     

• one operational crew member (e.g. tour manager or key technical production crew)      
• one support person for people with disability, family or cultural needs.

Sound NSW may consider supporting travel and accommodation costs for more than six people for larger groups or those with additional support needs. Please speak to Sound NSW staff for further advice.

Music Industry Professionals

• music industry professionals working in contemporary music to attend professional development opportunities, significant music industry events and/or identified business opportunities.

This program is open all year for applications, with monthly assessment meetings. Applications submitted by 12pm on the last Friday of each month (excluding December) will be grouped together for assessment. Applicants will be notified of the decision within 4 weeks of this date. 

Please see the frequently asked questions for a list of submission dates and activity start dates here.

Sound NSW may consider supporting applications outside this schedule for exceptional international opportunities (excluding tours). Please speak to Sound NSW staff for further advice.

This funding aims to:      

• increase performance opportunities for NSW artists     
• support NSW artists and industry professionals to have a national and global presence     
• strengthen the live music ecosystem     
• grow music audiences for NSW artists. 

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 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.

Reopening of the Bin Trim Equipment Rebates Program for eligible NSW businesses, councils, and organisations. $6 million has been allocated to continue the initiative for three years until 30 June 2027, or until all funding is used.

Rebates up to $50,000 are being offered to cover up to 50% of the cost of small-scale, on-site equipment or technology that avoids, reduces, reuses, or recycles waste. The initiative is aimed at supporting businesses to transition to a circular economy.

Some examples of equipment and technologies that may be funded include but are not limited to:

• balers
• briquette presses
• bulk bag stands and bulk bags
• cardboard perforator
• commercial worm farms
• compactors
• glass crushers
• granulators
• organics rapid decomposition units (where output is sent to a licenced composting facility)
• plastic injection moulders
• shredders
• smart scales and other food waste monitoring equipment
• source separation bins, wheelie bins, skip bins and other bin equipment – with bin signs and stickers
• trolleys to transport waste and maximise waste separation and diversion.

Businesses applying for the Rebates Program must:

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

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

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.

The Newsagents Assistance Fund assists eligible agents to update their NSW Lotteries retail image and fit-out to align with the NSW Lotteries brand.

The Newsagents Assistance Fund is available to NSW Lotteries Agents that were active on 30 January 2015

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.