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The aim of this program is to provide regional and remote communities with access to essential air services that can in turn connect these smaller communities with the rest of Australia. The Scheme supports regional commercial airlines operating low volume and new routes to regional and remote communities; as well as aeromedical providers.

The Government's policy for aviation encourages the growth of regional aviation services across Australia and the expansion of the current network by giving impetus for operators to test whether a new route can be commercially viable in time.

To be eligible for the commercial passenger component of the program:
    The airline has a current Australian air transport (formerly Regular Public Transport (RPT) Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) that authorises scheduled air transport operations on the route and authorises the aircraft / aircraft type for air transport services;
    Services are to be operated as scheduled air transport operations (charter services are NOT eligible);
    The route is to be to/from a Regional or Remote location, as defined by the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC);

• The route is serviced by a single operator;
• The route has no more than 15,000 passenger movements per annum;
• The route does not otherwise receive a subsidy for flight costs from any level of government;
• The proposed route is shown to have an economic and/or social impact on the community; and
• The aircraft type used on the route has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 15,000Kg or less.

Applicants flying commercial routes can obtain assistance of up to 60 per cent of the enroute charge; and up to 100 per cent for new routes for a period of up to three years

To be eligible for the aeromedical component of the program:

• The airline can demonstrate its engagement as a contracted aeromedical provider;
• The airline has an AOC that authorises these services;
• The aeromedical services are conducted using aircraft listed on the airline's AOC as being for this purpose;
• The aircraft used has a MTOW of 15,000Kg or less; AND
• Services operated by the airline are anticipated to include services to/from a Regional or Remote location, as defined by the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC).

Please refer to the Guidelines for more details on Eligibility.

Self-Employment Assistance can help you turn your business idea or existing small business into a viable business. The program allows you to choose the level of support that meets your needs and the needs of your small business.

Self-Employment Assistance can help you with your business idea or existing business through its flexible services including:

• Exploring Self-Employment Workshops
• Business Plan Development
• Free accredited Small Business Training
• Business Advice Sessions
• Business Health Checks
• Small Business Coaching.

You may also be eligible for financial support while you start and run your business as part of Small Business Coaching.

The Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program seeks to deliver transformative investment in regional, rural and remote Australia based on the principles of unifying regional places, growing their economies and serving their communities.

The program will focus on a partnership approach, bringing together governments and communities to deliver regional precincts that are tailored to local needs and have a shared vision in how that precinct connects to the region.

This grant opportunity is part of the regional Precincts and Partnerships Program.

The Precinct Delivery grant opportunity provides funding to deliver one or more elements of a precinct. This could include enabling public infrastructure (roads, pathways, underground infrastructure), open spaces between elements, or a particular building/s that is the catalyst for, or complements, other investment within a precinct.

For Stream Two, the project is considered to be one or more elements of a precinct. This grant opportunity will provide funding for the delivery of projects, rather than entire precincts. This contrasts with Stream One, where the project is considered to be the planning and development of the whole precinct.

Partnerships are essential to the program, which has a focus on bringing together all interested parties to collaboratively plan or deliver precinct proposals. These partnerships are intended to be conglomerates of relevant entities as well as other local stakeholders, including but not limited to:

• State and Territory government
• Local government
• Regional universities
• Not-for-profit entities
• First Nations groups
• Regional Development Australia committees
• Community organisations
• Private enterprise
• Australian government agencies that have policy/program interests or responsibilities.

The Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program seeks to deliver transformative investment in regional, rural and remote Australia based on the principles of unifying regional places, growing their economies and serving their communities.

The program will focus on a partnership approach, bringing together governments and communities to deliver regional precincts that are tailored to local needs and have a shared vision in how that precinct connects to the region.

This grant opportunity is part of the regional Precincts and Partnerships Program.

The Precinct Development and Planning grant opportunity provides opportunities to develop a precinct idea through to investment-ready stage. The rationale for Stream One is to recognise that financial constraints can inhibit great concepts being explored further and developed into realistic, well-designed and planned projects.

For Stream One, the project is considered to be a plan for the entire precinct, even if you are only considering future investment in one element of the precinct. This contrasts with Stream Two, where the project is one or more elements of a precinct.

The objective of the grant opportunity is to activate partnerships to jointly deliver precinct plans.

The intended outcomes of the grant opportunity are to:

• establish partnerships comprised of relevant government entities, community organisations and businesses that have a shared vision for a regional precinct
• deliver precinct plans that are tailored to their local contexts and based on community feedback and engagement
• support precinct plans to become investment ready.

Partnerships are essential to the program, which has a focus on bringing together all interested parties to collaboratively plan or deliver precinct proposals. These partnerships are intended to be conglomerates of relevant entities as well as other local stakeholders, including but not limited to:

• State and Territory government
• Local government
• Regional universities
• Not-for-profit entities
• First Nations groups
• Regional Development Australia committees
• Community organisations
• Private enterprise
• Australian government agencies that have policy/program interests or responsibilities.

The Responsible Gambling Fund provides funding to support innovative projects that prevent and reduce gambling harm in communities across NSW.

The Office recognises opportunities for innovation and advancement can be led by a broad range of organisations. Support is prioritised for projects that advance the outcome areas of the Office’s Strategic Plan 2021-24 of education and awareness, leadership and influence, and services and support.

Support can be provided for one-off projects that address or enable unique opportunities to be put forward in the
areas of technology, prevention and harm minimisation. The Office encourages collaborative partnerships involving appropriate subject matter expertise to ensure that all projects are effective and strategic in their approach to preventing and reducing gambling harm.

The Office encourages proposals involving the development of preventing and reducing gambling harm. The Office is open to supporting a wide range of projects. For example, projects could include:

• the development of consumer products like apps or online tools that:
  • help people make informed choices
  • use geographic location or other indicators to support people at risk of harm
• projects that deliver gambling harm minimisation messaging in innovative ways—for example to a youth audience, or in the context of online sports betting.
• development of online training content that aims to minimise harm. For example a suite of animations that explain how odds work and the chance of winning.
• innovative application of ICT—for example the integration of existing tools and triage systems in health and welfare settings with gambling screening.

The Strategic Opportunities Program supports individual initiatives and events that demonstrate long-term benefits to the NSW screen industry.

The objectives of the Program are:

• to build capacity within the industry and organisations and businesses within the sector;
• to support new and sustainable partnerships in particular between organisations of State significance and practitioners;
• to support audience access strategies for projects and practitioners.

 Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

• the project/event is well planned and of high artistic quality and it has capacity to contribute to the overall stability and strength of the NSW screen industry;
  • the plans for the use of the funding and the amount of other funding;
  • track record of the applicant and partners;
  • the availability of funds.

Events and programs that support high-quality activity, engagement and participation with these Priority Areas are of particular importance:

• people living and/or working in regional NSW
• people living and/or working in Western Sydney
• Aboriginal people
• people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds
• people with disability

Fifty-five industrial facilities in the manufacturing and mining sectors contribute approximately 30% of emissions in NSW. The NSW Government have committed $305 million under high emitting industries to support these sectors to significantly reduce their emissions and strengthen their resilience into the future.

This program will provide funding support for high emitting manufacturing and mining facilities in NSW that emit more than 0.09 MtCO2e per year1 to reduce their emissions beyond current projections. Funding is available to support the development and deployment of decarbonisation projects that prioritise scope 1 emissions reduction. This funding covers project feasibility through to commissioning as detailed in Figure 3. All projects must be aligned with credible  decarbonisation roadmaps and deliver emissions reduction that exceeds legislative requirements.

Two types of projects, pre-deployment and deployment, will be supported under HEI funding to accelerate adoption or to implement technically ready decarbonisation opportunities.

Pre-deployment projects
The aim of these projects is to accelerate deployment of technologies that can significantly reduce Scope 1 emissions,
aligning with Priority 2 in the NZIIP investment plan 2022–2024. Pre-deployment projects include, but are not limited to:

• late-stage feasibility studies
• commercial trials
• business case development
• front-end engineering and design.

Deployment projects
The aim of these projects is to achieve significant decarbonisation at NSW manufacturing and mining facilities. In line
with Priority 1 in the NZIIP investment plan 2022–2024, these projects are required to be technically ready and commercially proven decarbonisation opportunities. Cost-effective emissions reduction projects must align with
long-term decarbonisation pathways to be eligible to receive NSW Government capital co-funding support.

The Westpac Youth Impact Challenge is a nationwide initiative open to all young people around Australia aged 7 to 21 years. The Challenge aims to help young Australians solve problems in their local communities.

To take part in the Challenge, participants must identify a local problem and brainstorm an innovative business or social change idea to solve it. Participants can choose to work individually, or in a group of up to 3.

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.

eyond Blue’s NewAccess for Small Business Owners (NASBO) is a guided self-help mental health coaching program. 

It’s free, confidential and convenient. Available nationally by phone or video call, no GP referral is required. 

Over 6 sessions, your mental health coach will work with you to manage stress and overwhelm using straightforward problem-solving approaches.  

All mental health coaches are specially trained and have a small business background so they understand your unique challenges. 

Traineeships are a proven pathway to well-paid jobs in a diverse range of careers. In NSW, traineeships are also fee free.

There are more than 390 traineeship courses funded in NSW, in a range of industries including early childhood, health and allied services, business, IT, hospitality and warehouse operations.

Fee free traineeships are available to NSW trainees – including school-based trainees whose training:

• is funded under the NSW Government’s Smart and Skilled Program
• commenced on or after 1 January 2020.

If you have previously commenced your Smart and Skilled traineeship training before 1 January 2020 and are returning to a traineeship after 1 January 2020, you will be eligible for fee free for the remainder of your training if your traineeship course or your employer has changed.

Each student is limited to a maximum of commencing three fee free traineeships under this initiative.

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.