Search Grants & Funding

The program supports innovative small and medium enterprises undertaking commercialisation and/or growth projects within the National Reconstruction Fund priority areas through advisory services and opportunities for matched grant funding. Minor changes or improvements to existing products or services are not considered innovative.

You will be connected to an Industry Growth Program Adviser who will provide tailored advice to support your commercialisation and/or growth project.

Once you have received this advice, you may also be able to apply for:

• grants of $50,000 to $250,000 to support early-stage commercialisation projects
• grants of $100,000 to $5 million for commercialisation and growth projects.

An innovative product, process or service:

• is new, unique or significantly different to any other previous product, process or service in the market or industry where the product is intended to be sold/traded; or
•  involves significant enhancements or developments of current products, processes or services that will enable the business to scale and transform.

Early-stage commercialisation projects are intended to include the journey from feasibility studies and the development of proof-of-concept through to the production and testing of early prototypes in a simulated or theoretical environment. Testing should validate the commercial viability of the innovative product, process or service. Various scales are typically referenced to demonstrate technology readiness or market readiness, with one example commonly referenced being Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). As a guide, early-stage commercialisation grant projects are intended to broadly include the journey through TRL3 to TRL6.

Commercialisation and growth projects are intended to include those that can already demonstrate completion of feasibility studies and proof-of-concept. Projects are intended to include the journey of product, process or service development from early prototyping through to actual application in its final form, and the capability to scale up to full rate production and grow into new markets. Various scales are typically referenced to demonstrate technology readiness or market readiness, with one example commonly referenced being Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). As a guide, commercialisation and growth grant projects are intended to broadly include the journey through TRL4 to TRL9.

Low interest loans of up to $250,000 are available to primary producers in NSW to fund a broad range of products, activities and services aimed at improving drought preparedness and climate variability resilience.

The DRRF loan can be used to fund a broad range of purchases, activities and services as listed below:

Animal Welfare:

• purchasing and transporting fodder up to a maximum value of $100,000
• purchasing and transporting stock and domestic water
• purchasing livestock feed storage, mixing and feeding equipment
• transporting stock to sale or agistment
• veterinary/professional nutrition or animal welfare advice
• genetic banking where destocking of stock is demonstrated
• fencing for rotational grazing, exclusion and cluster fencing, construction of containment feeding pens, stock shade structures
• planting of trees.

Farm Preparedness:

• on-farm water infrastructure (tanks, stock water systems, pumps, new dam construction, drilling bores, irrigation efficiency upgrades, water conservation infrastructure)
• on-farm grain and fodder storage infrastructure (silos, grain bunkers, hay sheds, silage pits)
• livestock feeding equipment
• infrastructure repairs/maintenance (dams, channels, fencing)
• upgrades and additions to planting machinery (moisture seeking points and minimum til conversions).

Income diversification:

• income diversification funding to promote and finance diversified income streams within the farm gate
• funding to promote and finance alternative primary production income streams within the farm gate.

Environmental:

• pest and weed control
• on-farm solar power conversion to mitigate the impacts of drought
• soil conservation and earthworks (including erosion control, contour banks, overbanks (keyline), water ponding and the management of vegetation and maintaining groundcover)
• soil biology, or compost making equipment.

Training and Business Development:

• training and professional development activities that improve business resilience to drought
• professional consulting services directly related to drought preparedness, for example, animal nutrition consultation and planning.

Apprenticeships are a proven pathway to well-paid jobs in a diverse range of careers. In NSW, apprenticeships are also fee free – meaning no more upfront training costs for students or employers.

There’s never been a better time to start an apprenticeship in NSW. The NSW Government is paying the course cost for 100,000 new apprenticeships – meaning apprentices undertaking a government funded apprenticeship no longer face a student fee of up to $2000.

Apprenticeships are a great career pathway. They combine on-the-job training with classroom study to give you the skills and experience employers are looking for. Apprenticeships generally take around 3-4 years to complete, and apprentices earn a salary while they learn.

There are more than 120 different apprenticeship courses available in NSW, in a range of industries including construction, cooking, aviation and automotive. Search all NSW apprenticeships funded under Smart and Skilled.

The NSW Government is offering a 10 per cent rebate for eligible digital games. Games must have a Qualifying NSW Expenditure of at least $500,000 to be eligible.

An eligible project must commit at the time of application to qualifying expenditure of at least AU$500,000 on the project in NSW. The spend may occur over several years. Multiple projects cannot be bundled to achieve the AU$500,000 threshold. A major update of an existing game is eligible if it meets the $500,000 threshold.

Qualifying NSW games expenditure must be on activities carried out in NSW related to production of the launch version of the game. The pre-development stage, being activities that are usually undertaken with the aim of determining whether a digital game is commercially feasible, is excluded.

Eligible games for the Rebate include:

• Games for entertainment and serious games
• Games for any platform including console, desktop, tablet, mobile, VR/AR
• Multi-player and single-player games.

Games must generally be intended for public release.

An applicant must submit an application with Screen NSW prior to the commencement of any eligible work for which the Rebate is sought. If production has already commenced on the project, only work carried out on or after the date of application will be eligible for the Rebate.

The Drought Infrastructure Fund is a long term, low interest loan product supporting NSW farmers to invest in permanent on-farm infrastructure that will:

• manage adverse seasonal conditions - improve water efficiencies with irrigation systems, cap and piping of bores, new dams, install water tanks and desilting of ground tanks
• ensure long term sustainability - increase the viability of a farm business and improve pasture and soil health, plant trees for shade and wildlife corridors, eradicate weeds, flood proof property and fence river banks.
• improve farm productivity - reduce risks and improve efficiencies by building fodder and grain storage facilities, sheds, fencing, roadworks and solar power conversions.

Eligible producers can borrow up to $1 million per project, with a total of $1 million outstanding at any one time to build on-farm infrastructure, including stock containment areas. A 2.5% fixed interest rate is applied to Drought Infrastructure Fund loans which can be repaid over a period of 20 years.

If you are a primary producer, you may be entitled to claim an immediate deduction for capital expenses incurred on fencing and fodder storage assets.

Your deduction is limited to the capital expenses you incur for:

• construction
• manufacture
• installation
• acquisition.

The expense must have been incurred primarily and principally for use in a primary production business conducted on land in Australia.

his loan scheme aims to support plantation expansion across Australia and increase domestic wood supply and the growth of regional economies and communities.

Loans are available for:

• purchasing land for developing a plantation
• costs involved in establishing a plantation
• replanting bushfire damaged plantations as a result of the 2019-20 Black Summer Bushfires.

Eligible activities may include:

• purchase of land for developing a plantation
• site preparation
• fencing
• roading
• installing irrigation or drainage systems
• purchase and planting of seeds
• payment of labour
• insurance costs
• other working capital.

The Farm Management Deposit (FMD) Scheme assists primary producers to deal more effectively with fluctuations in cash flows. It is designed to increase the self-reliance of Australian primary producers by helping them manage their financial risk and meet their business costs in low-income years by building up cash reserves.

The scheme allows eligible primary producers to set aside pre-tax income which they can draw on in future years when they need it, such as for restocking or replanting when conditions start to improve.

Income deposited into an FMD account is tax deductible in the financial year the deposit is made. It becomes taxable income in the financial year in which it is withdrawn (repaid).