Business and Infrastructure Funding Opportunities - January 2020

Welcome to our Business and Infrastructure Funding Opportunities Newsletter where you will find details of grant and funding programs that are available for the Northern Inland Region for businesses and infrastructure projects.

Due to the number of grants that are available, we send two funding opportunities newsletters a month; one for Business and Infrastructure and another for Community Projects and Award Programs. These newsletters are a free service that we provide, and can you can add the Community Funding Opportunities and Awards Programs newsletter to your subscriptions by filling your details into on the left hand side of our website: www.rdani.org.au

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

Please note the below information is intended as a guide only. Closing dates and other details should be verified using the links provided as they are subject to change by the providers without notice.

Bushfire Assistance

There is a wide range of assistance available for individuals, businesses and communities that have been affected by the recent bushfires. If you have been affected by the recent bushfires, a list of available grants and assitance for the Northern Inland is available on our dedicated Bushfire Assistance page of our website and this is being updated reguarly.

Available assistance includes:

• Disaster Recovery Payment
• Special Disaster Grant - Bushfires
• Small Business Bushfire Recovery Grants
• Disaster Recovery Allowance
• Disaster Recovery Grants (Not-For-Profits)
• ATO Support for Bushfire Affected Businesses and Individuals
• Red Cross Emergency Grants
• Disaster Relief Loans - Small business
• Disaster Relief Loans - Primary producers
• Disaster Relief Loans - Sporting and Recreation Clubs
• Disaster Relief Loans - Not for Profit Organisations
• Natural Disaster Transport Subsidy
• Emergency Relief and Financial Counselling

Featured Grants

Small Business Bushfire Recovery Grants
Closes: Not Yet Advised
Value: Up to $50,000
Run By: Australian Government's Bushfire Recovery Agency

The Australian Government has announced further support for small businesses affected by the bushfires. This program is not yet open, however some details are available.

Recovery grants of up to $50,000 are available to eligible small businessesand non-profit organisations that have suffered direct damage to their premises or equipment from the bushfires and intend to re-establish in the community.

The grants are available for clean-up and reinstatement of assets including:

• equipment and materials to undertake clean-up;
• additional labour costs (above and beyond normal wage expenditure);
• replacing spoiled stock/goods caused by power outages;
• carting away damaged goods and material, including cost of disposal;
• payment for trades-people to conduct safety inspections;
• essential repairs to premises and internal fittings (e.g. floor covering, electrical rewiring, shelving);
• purchase or hire/lease costs for equipment essential to the immediate resumption of operations;
• leasing of temporary premises; and
• replacement of stock which is essential to the immediate resumption of operations.

The grants are available to eligible small businesses and non-profit organisations if they:

• have suffered direct damage to their premises and/or tools of trade (e.g. equipment, plant) and are responsible for the cost of repair or replacement, and
• are intending to re-establish in the community, region or sector requested, and
• were conducting business in the community, region or sector requested prior to the bushfires.

The grants are not available for expenses that are covered by insurance, and are not available to recompense lost business income.

Special Disaster Grant - Bushfires
Closes: 31st of July 2020
Value: Up to $75,000
Run By: Rural Assistance Authority

This grant is available for the Local Government Areas of Armidale, Glen Innes Severn, Inverell, Tenterfield and Walcha.

Grants are provided to help pay for the costs of clean up, reinstatement activities and emergencymeasures associated with the immediate recovery of primary production enterprises.

Eligible claims may cover:

• Hiring, leasing or purchase of equipment and/or materials to undertake clean-up
• Additional labour costs (above and beyond normal wage expenditure, i.e. day-to-day staffing)
• Disposing of damaged goods and injured or dead livestock, including associated costs
• Repairing a building or repairing or replacing fittings in a building, if the repair or replacement is essential for resuming operation of the primary production enterprise. (Funding is not available for repairs to a building that is used as a dwelling, unless it is used for carrying on the primary production enterprise, for example staff accommodation)
• Repairing or replacing fencing and horticultural netting (not covered by other assistance)
• Reconditioning/repairing essential plant and equipment, including repairing damage to, or replacing, water tanks, de-silting dams, water reticulation systems, forestry equipment,aquaculture and fishing equipment,
• Salvaging (but not replacing) crops, grain, feed, fertiliser and timber
• Health assessment, treatment and maintenance for livestock, poultry and aquaculture species,
• Purchase of fodder, grain, and feeds for livestock and poultry and supplementary pollen or pollen substitute,  and/or stock agistment costs, and associated transport costs (not covered by otherassistance),
• Purchase or hire/lease costs for equipment essential to the immediate resumption of the business (e.g. energy equipment such as generators and solar panels for non-residentialpurposes),
• Replacement of essential water used for firefighting purposes,
• Water cartage
• Payment for tradespeople to conduct safety inspections

Closing In January

Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) Program
Closes: 31st of January 2020
Value: $20,000 to $400,000
Run By: Australian Government Department of Agriculture
Aims to open, improve and/or maintain access to overseas markets for Australian agricultural products by building stronger relationships with trading partners, neighbouring countries and international organisations.

Closing in February

Australia–China Agricultural Cooperation Agreement 2020
Closes: 12th of February 2020
Value: Up to $50,000
Run By: Australian Government Department of Agriculture
Supports Australian agriculture, fisheries, meat, forestry, regulatory, biosecurity and food safety industries, organisations, businesses and individuals, including their respective industry or sectors, who are seeking to enhance cooperation between Australia and China.

Safe Places Emergency Accommodation
Closes: 14th of February 2020
Value: $100,000 to $10 million
Run By: Australian Government Department of Social Services
Funding to deliver new emergency and crisis accommodation for women and children experiencing domestic and family violence.

Murray-Darling Basin Economic Development Program (Round 2)
Closes: 20th of February 2020
Value: $10,000 to $450,000
Run By: Australian Government Department of Agriculture
Assists eligible communities to undertake economic development projects to respond to the impact of water recovery activities under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. In the Northern Inland, Moree, Mungindi and Wee Waa are eligible.

Traceability Grants Program
Closes: 21st of February 2020
Value: Up to $50,000
Run By: Australian Government Department of Agriculture
Provides opportunities for successful applicants to conduct projects that will enhance the supply chain traceability systems and arrangements that support the export of our agricultural commodities.

Automotive Innovation Lab Access
Closes: 24th of Febraury 2020
Value: $50,000 to $200,000
Run By: Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
Aims to help businesses enhance their automotive product design and development process.

Package Assisting Small Exporters
Closes: 28th of February 2020
Value: Unspecified - $5M total pool for 3 years
Run By: Australian Government Department of Agriculture
Grants are available to organisations and individuals for projects that support small exporters exporting dairy, fish, eggs, grain, plant, horticulture, meat and animal products.

Increasing Resilience to Climate Change
Closes: 28th of Febraury 2020 (Extended)
Value: $10,000 to $30,000
Run By: AdaptNSW
Supports projects that help communities to take action and manage climate change impacts by being able to better plan, prepare for, and respond to heatwaves, storms, floods, drought and bushfires, to increase their resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Closing in March

Rural, Regional & Remote Clinical Trial Enabling Infrastructure Grant
Closes: 3rd of March 2020
Value: $5 Million to $100 Million
Run By: Australian Government Department of Health
Provides funding for new and innovative approaches to enhancing and improving clinical trial infrastructure (including facilities, research equipment, systems and services), to extend existing or provide new clinical trials into rural, regional and remote areas.

Closing Later and Ongoing

Infrastructure Grants
Next Round Opens: 16th of March 2020
Value: Up to $300,000 depending on project area
Run By: NSW Government Office of Responsible Gambling
Funding is available for arts and cultural infrastructure, sport and recreation infrastructure and projects that assist communities with essential infrastructure and disaster readiness.

Disaster Recovery Grants
Closes: 24th of May 2020
Value: $10,000 to $100,000
Run By: NSW Government Rural Assistance Authority
Available to eligible primary producers, small businesses, sporting clubs and not for profit organisations, following the declaration of a Natural Disaster.

Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme
Closes: 30th of June 2021 or when the $12 Million funding allocation is exhausted
Value: Up to $25,000 per farm enterprise
Run By: NSW Government Department of Primary Indsutries, Rural Assistance Authority
Eligible Primary Producers can claim a rebate of 25% of the cost of purchase, delivery and if applicable, the labour cost to engage a person to install water infrastructure for animal welfare needs.

Special Disaster Grant - Bushfires
Closes: 31st of July 2020
Value: Up to $75,000
Run By: Rural Assistance Authority
Helps to pay for costs of clean-up and other emergency measures including disposing of dead stock, and rebuilding or replacing damaged or destroyed on-farm infrastructure.

Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grant
Closes: 31st of July 2020
Value: Up to $40,000
Run By: NSW Government
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.

1,000 Jobs Package Grant Funding
Closes: 30th of April 2021 or until 1000 allocations
Value: Up to $56,102.78 over two years
Run By: Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Tranche Two provides a subsidy for new jobs for Community Development Program participants in remote Australia to support economic development.

Water Efficiency Program
Closes: 31st of December 2023
Value: Unspevified - Over $1 million
Run By: Australian Government Department of Agriculture
Funding for owners of water rights for at least 3 years in the Murray–Darling Basin to transferring that water to the Commonwealth under a contract to do efficiency works to achieve water savings.

AgBiz Drought Loans
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $500,000
Run By: Australian Government Regional Investment Corporation
A concessional 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.

Farm Investment Loans
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $2 Million
Run By: Australian Government Regional Investment Corporation
You can apply for this loan if you solely or mainly sell products into supply chains that are interstate or outside Australia, or plan to in the future.

Drought loans
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $2 Million
Run By: Australian Government Regional Investment Corporation
Concessional loan to help farm businesses in the agriculture, horticulture, pastoral, apiculture, or aquaculture industryto prepare for, manage through, and recover from drought.

Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grant
Closes: 30th of September 2020
Value: Up to $100,000
Run By: Wine Australia
Support for producers who add value by encouraging visitors to wine regionsby providing access an annual grant reflective of their eligible physical cellar door sales.

Austtalian Government's Youth Jobs PaTH
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $11,0000
Run By: Australian Government Job Active
Helps employers find and recruit the right young person for their business by facilitating trials and providing a wage subsidy of up to $10,000 if you hire them.

Restart
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $10,0000
Run By: Australian Government Job Active
Restart is a financial incentive of up to $10,000 (GST inclusive) to encourage businesses to hire and retain mature age employees who are 50 years of age and over.

Defence Global Competitiveness Grants
Closes: Ongoing
Value: $15,000 to $150,000
Run By: Australian Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
The Defence Global Competitiveness Grants will help Australian SMEs to invest in projects that build export capability to build a stronger, more sustainable and globally competitive Australian defence industry.

CSIRO Kick-Start
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $50,000 matched funding
Run By: CSIRO
CSIRO Kick-Start is a new initiative for innovative Australian start-ups and small SMEs, providing funding support and access to CSIRO’s research expertise and capabilities to help grow and develop their business.

Dreamstarter - Scholarships
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Unspecified
Run By: ING
ING are looking to provide education scholarships for change makers working on an early-stage business that will create positive social impact through trade of a product or service.

Dreamstarter - Grants for Growth
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Unspecified
Run By: ING
Dreamstarter Grants for Growth provides ING Dreamstarter Alumni with access to funding to accelerate the growth of their businesses and increase their positive social impact.

Impact Investment Ready Growth Grant
Closes: Ongoing rounds through the year
Value: Up to $140,000
Run By: Impact Investing Australia
Provides impact businesses and mission-driven organisations with grants for business, financial, legal and other capacity building support from providers to secure investment.

Export Market Development Grants
Closes: Yearly rounds / Varying dates
Value: Up to $150,000
Run By: Austrade
The Export Market Development Grants scheme is a key Australian Government financial assistance program for aspiring and current exporters.and supports a wide range of industries.

On-farm Natural Resource Management Grants
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Unspecified matched
Run By: Northern Tablelands Local Land Services
Funding is avaliable to develop projects on-farm and we would like landholders to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to help us identify and support their natural resource priorities.

Newsagents Assistance Fund
Closes: Unspecified
Value: Up to $10,000
Run By: NSW Government Department of Industry
The Newsagents Assistance Fund assists eligible agents to update their NSW Lotteries retail image and fit-out to align with the NSW Lotteries brand.

Youth Employment Program
Closes: Unspecified
Value: Support
Run By: NSW Government Department of Industry
Local businesses that provide opportunities for young people benefit from access to job-ready employees with the skills and training they need for their businesses.

Safe and Secure Water Program
Closes: Ongoing until expended
Value: No minimum or maximum, $1 Billion total pool
Run By: NSW Department of Industry
The SSWP will co-fund eligible water and sewerage projects that deliver economic growth in regional NSW through improvements to public health, water security, environmental outcomes and/or social benefits.

Drought Relief Heavy Vehicle Access Program
Closing date: Not Specified - indicated until $15 Million total pool expended
Value: Up to $300,000 per Local Government Area
Run By: NSW Roads and Maritime Services
This program has been established to contribute to the cost of maintenance and minor improvements on council roads and roadsides, where those improvements will contribute to heavy vehicle access, in support of the drought relief freight task.

Regional Investment Attraction Fund
Closes: Undisclosed
Value: Undisclosed
Run By: NSW Government
Grants and interest-free loans targeted at offsetting government levies and duties, such as payroll tax, to eligible businesses that want to invest and grow in regional NSW, which will lead to new jobs.

Relocation Assistance for Skilled Workers
Closes: Undisclosed
Value: Up to $10,000 per worker
Run By: NSW Government
Grants are available to help attract skilled employees to regional NSW businesses operating in eligible industriesto meet the costs of relocating employees, such as for furniture removal and temporary accommodation for up to three months.

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.

Supply Chain Facilitation
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Tailored advice
Run By: Australian Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
Provides access to a skilled advisor who will work with you to develop an improvement plan for an identified supply chain opportunity and support you as you implement the 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.

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.

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: Based on individual assessment
Run By: Australian Government Department of Human Services
Provides assistance to farming families experiencing financial hardship. The program focuses on helping farmers make important decisions to improve their long-term financial situation.

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 - New & Existing Incubators
Closes: Applications are ongoing
Value: $26,000 to $500,000
Run By: Department of Industry, Innovation and Science
Provides new and existing business incubators with grants of up to $500,000 to assist Australian start-ups develop the capabilities required to succeed in international markets.

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.