Business and Infrastructure Funding Opportunities - May 2018

Welcome to our new Business and Infrastructure Funding Opportunities Newsletter where you will find details of selected grant submissions from around the region for Business and Infrastructure projects.

Due to the number of grants that are available, we now send two funding opportunities newsletters a month; one for Business and Infrastructure and another for Community Projects and Award Programs, rather than the one combined newsletter. 

We wish you all the best with the Funding Opportunities below and if you are looking for a grant between newsletters, have a look at the grants area of our website which is updated weekly: www.rdani.org.au/our-region/grants-and-funding-opportunities.php

If you need some facts and figures for your applications, a range of data for our region is also available on our website here: www.rdani.org.au/our-region/regional-data.php

Featured Grants

Smart Cities and Suburbs Program - Round 2
Closes: 2nd of July 2018 5:00 pm AEST
Value: $250,000 to $5,000,000
Run By: Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

The $50 million competitive Smart Cities and Suburbs Program was announced as part of the 2016 election campaign. The program will support projects that apply innovative technology-based solutions to urban challenges. The program encourages local government agencies and bodies to deliver collaborative smart city projects that improve the liveability, productivity and sustainability of Australian cities, suburbs and towns. There is approximately $22 million in total funding for this round.

The grant amount will be up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs.
You must complete your project by 30 June 2020.

To be eligible you must:

• be an Australian local government agency or body as defined in appendix A of the grant opportunity guidelines; and
• have an Australian Business Number (ABN).

To be eligible your project:

• must include at least one partner organisation during the life of the project.

Projects must involve the innovative application of knowledge, hardware or software that:

• is new to the organisation, the local government area, city, region or country or
• delivers an outcome which has not previously been realised in your community.

Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Grants
Closing date: 3rd of July 2018 5:00 pm AEST
Value: No specified limit
Run By: Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) grants support medium to long term industry-led collaborations to solve industry problems and deliver tangible outcomes.

To support the overall aims of the CRC Program, CRCs undertake the following essential activities:

• medium to long term industry-led high quality collaborative research to solve industry-identified problems and deliver outcomes consistent with Government Priorities, improving the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of Australian industries
• an industry-focused education and training program. This must include, but is not limited to, a PhD program that complements the research program and that increases engagement, technology development, skilled employees and R&D capacity within industry entities
• implementation of strategies that build the R&D capacity within SMEs
• deployment of research outputs and encouragement of take-up by industry.

CRC grants provide CRCs with up to 50% of the resources with no specified limit to funding available for each CRC. The CRC collaboration must at least match the amount of grant funding sought through cash and/or in-kind contributions. In-kind contributions are non-cash resources provided by participants in the CRC to conduct the activities of the CRC. They may be staff or non-staff resources.

Closing Later and Ongoing

Wine Export Grants
Closing date: Ongoing until 1st of May 2020
Value: Up to $25,000
Run By: Wine Australia
Wine Export Grants are offered for specific wine export promotion activities aimed at supporting small and medium wine businesses to secure new distribution channels in China, Hong Kong, Macau and/or the USA.

Regional Filming Fund
Closing date: Four weeks prior to the start of filming in Regional NSW
Value: up to 35% of the budgeted NSW Regional Spend to a maximum of $100,000
Run By: Screen NSW
Provides Australian film projects that are filming in regional NSW with funding of up to $100,000 to offset the costs associated with shooting a film in regional areas.

Managing Farm Risk Program
Closing date: Ongoing
Value: Up to $2,500
Run By: Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
The Managing Farm Risk Program provides rebates for advice and assessments to help farmers prepare and apply for a new insurance policy that assists with the management of drought and other production and market risks.

Regional Growth Loans
Closing date: Unspecified
Value: $200,000 to $500,000
Run By: NSW Government
Regional Growth Loans are direct, interest-free loans for emerging and fast-growth SMEs in regional NSW that are scaling quickly and creating jobs, but face barriers in accessing finance from traditional lenders.

Supplier Improvement Plan
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Tailored advice to create a Supplier Improvement Plan
Run By: Australian Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
A Supplier Improvement Plan will give you: access to, and active engagement with, a highly qualified and experienced Business Adviser or Business Facilitator over 12 months; independent guidance and insight about your customer’s needs and requirements; a customised action plan with recommendations for improvement; and assistance to implement the recommendations in your action plan.

Renewable Energy Venture Capital Fund Program
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Unspecified
Run By: Australian Government: Australian Renewable Energy Agency
ARENA’s Renewable Energy Venture Capital Fund Program fosters skills and management capability. It encourages investment in innovative Australian renewable energy companies to strengthen their chance of success.

Advancing Renewables Program
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Unspecified
Run By: Australian Government: Australian Renewable Energy Agency
ARENA’s Advancing Renewables Program supports a broad range of development, demonstration and pre-commercial deployment projects that can deliver affordable and reliable renewable energy for Australian families and businesses.

Clean Energy Innovation Fund
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Unspecified
Run By: Clean Energy Finance Corp
The Innovation Fund targets technologies and businesses that have passed beyond the research and development stage, and which can benefit from early stage seed or growth capital to help them progress to the next stage of their development.

Murray Darling Basin - Regional Business Accelorator Program
Closing date: Unknown
Value: Up to $10,000
Run By: NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet
The objective of the program is to help enterprises in the NSW Murray Darling Basin region to increase their sales and create new jobs. The program recognises innovation in marketing and adoption of new technology as key enablers of regional business growth. Contact the Department's Office of Regional Development in Tamworth on 02 6766 1360 or ORDTamworth@dpc.nsw.gov.au to apply.

Black Spot Program
Closes: Ongoing
Run By: Department of Infrastuructre and Regional Development
By funding measures such as traffic signals and roundabouts at dangerous locations, the programme reduces the risk of road crashes.

Community Broadcasting Foundation Emergency Grants
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $10,000
Run By: Community Broadcasting Foundation
Funds are available to assist community stations to replace damaged or destroyed essential equipment and related immediate expenses in order to restore basic transmission following an unforeseen event.

Infrastructure Grants
Closes: Various dates throughout the year
Value: $10,000 to $300,000 Based on project category
Run By: NSW Department of Industry, Liquor and Gaming
Liquor & Gaming NSW offers grants to communities across NSW to support the building, renovation and fitout of infrastructure. Funding is available for sport and recreation, arts and cultural infrastructure, and projects that enhance facilities used to shelter communities and provide emergency services.

Entrepreneurs’ Infrastructure Programme
Closes: Ongoing
Run By: Australian Government
The Programme aims to improve the capabilities of small to medium enterprises to become more competitive and grow. The Programme is now accepting applications for Business Evaluations, and Business Growth Grants under the Business Management stream.

Jobs for NSW
Closes: Ongoing
Run By: NSW Department of Industry
Jobs for NSW is a private sector-led and NSW Government-backed initiative which aims to make the NSW economy as competitive as possible and therefore help create new jobs across the State.

New Enterprise Incentive Scheme
Closing date: Ongoing
Value: Income Assistance and Advice
Run By: Australian Government Department of Employment
NEIS is a program delivered by a network of 21 providers who provide individualised help for job seekers to become self-employed business owners.

New Air Combat Capability - Industry Support Program (NACC-ISP)
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Matched up to $1 million
Run By: The Departments of Defence and Industry, Innovaiton and Science
Provides Australian businesses and research organisations with matched funding of up to $1 million for Projects to help them enter export markets, secure domestic contracts and upskill their staff so they can win work with the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program.

Farm Business Skills Professional Development Program
Closes: Funding will be available from 2 November 2015 until 30 June 2020
Value: Up to $5,000
Run By: NSW Department of Primary Industries, Rural Assistance Authority
As part of the NSW Government's Drought Strategy, a Farm Business Skills Professional Development Program has been developed to support farm business in all conditions, but particularly in relation to preparing for and responding to drought.

Indigenous Business Australia
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Financial support and advice
Run By: Indigenous Business Australia
IBA assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to access the skills, knowledge and resources required to start and grow viable and sustainable businesses.

Innovation Connections
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $50,000
Run By: AusIndustry
Provides small and medium sized businesses with access to expert technology advice to address technology and knowledge gaps, and collaborate with the research sector in developing new ideas with commercial potential.

Farm Household Allowance
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $50,000
Run By: AusIndustry
Provides small and medium sized businesses with access to expert technology advice to address technology and knowledge gaps, and collaborate with the research sector in developing new ideas with commercial potential. Support includes up to $50,000 in matched funding to work on collaborative projects.

Arts and Cultural Development Program
Closes: Applications close on various dates
Valuation: Dependant on program chosen
Run By: NSW Goverment Create NSW
Create NSW offers direct funding to organisations, artists, practitioners and arts and cultural workers through the Arts and Cultural Development Program (ACDP).

TechVouchers
Closes: Applications are ongoing
Value: Partnership creation and up to $15,000
Run By: NSW Government Department of Industry
Innovate NSW TechVouchers (TV) assists technology SMEs to collaborate with a NSW research organisation to overcome a technical challenge or test a new technology.

Incubator Support - Expert-In-Residence
Closes: Applications are ongoing
Value: $5,000 to $100,000
Run By: Department of Industry, Innovation and Science’
Provides business incubators with grants to access top quality research, managerial and technical talent through incoming and outgoing secondments of national or international experts.

Tradex Scheme
Closes:Ongoing
Value: Varies based on the the goods imported
Run By: The Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
The Tradex Scheme provides an upfront exemption from Customs duty and GST for eligible goods imported to Australia that are then exported within one year or other approved period.

Regional Tourism Product Development Program
Closes: 30 June 2019
Value: $15,000 to $150,000
Run By: Destination NSW
Regional Tourism Product Development funding is available for new accommodation projects, infrastructure projects, visitor signposting and new attractions and experiences.

Regional Cooperative Tourism Marketing Program
Closes: 30 June 2019
Value:  $100,000 to $500,000
Run By: Destination NSW
Regional Cooperative Tourism Marketing Program is available to undertake a Cooperative Tourism Marketing Program which will be led by Destination NSW.

Closing in June

Ian Potter Foundation Conference Grants
Closes: Current round closes 5th of June 2018
Value: Up to $20,000
Run By: The Ian Potter Foundation
The Conference program assists organisations to bring keynote speakers of international renown to Australia. The speakers impart their knowledge and expertise to conference delegates in Australia to inspire new thinking and foster learning.

State Heritage Emergency Works
Closing date: 30th of June 2018
Value: Up to $10,000
Run By: NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
To avert immediate risk of further damage caused by unexpected events to the heritage values of a State Heritage Register-listed item or item with a current Interim Heritage Order.

NSW Regional Conferencing Development Grants
Closes: Ongoing until the 30th of June 2018 or until funds are expended
Value:  Up to $100,000
Run By: Destination NSW
The Regional Conferencing Development Grants Pilot Program is intended to assist stakeholders to create new business events to be staged in regiona NSW and/or attract existing business events to regional NSW locations.

Closing in July

Smart Cities and Suburbs Program - Round 2
Closes: 2nd of July 2018 5:00 pm AEST
Value: $250,000 to $5,000,000
Run By: Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
The program will support projects that apply innovative technology-based solutions to urban challenges. The program encourages local government agencies and bodies to deliver collaborative smart city projects that improve the liveability, productivity and sustainability of Australian cities, suburbs and towns.

Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Grants
Closing date: 3rd of July 2018 5:00 pm AEST
Value: $1,000
Run By: Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) grants support medium to long term industry-led collaborations to solve industry problems and deliver tangible outcomes.