Business, Industry and Infrastructure Funding Opportunities - May 2023

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 the subscription form in the footer 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.

Featured Grants

Growing Regions Program - Round 1
Opens: 5th of July 2023
Closes: 1st of August 2023 - 5:00 pm
Value: $500,000 to $15 Million
Run By: Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts

The Growing Regions Program – Round 1 will deliver grants up to a maximum of $15,000,000 over 3 years to deliver community infrastructure projects.

It will deliver community and economic benefits by investing in community-focused infrastructure which revitalises regions and enhances amenity and liveability throughout regional Australia.

The objectives of the program are:

• constructing or upgrading community infrastructure that fills an identified gap or need for community infrastructure.
• contributing to achieving a wide range of community socio-economic outcomes.
• is strategically aligned with regional priorities.

EV Charging Site Host NSW
Closes: 30th of June 2023
Run By: NSW Government Climate and Energy Action

Under the NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy, this investment will expand existing public fast charging across the state. This involves co-funding private industry to build and operate charging stations every 100km along major NSW highways, and every 5km along commuter corridors in metropolitan NSW.

With an expected increase in EV ownership across the state, your site could benefit by getting a head start on the market and appeal to EV drivers. Businesses, commercial property owners and managers, local councils as well as site operators and owners across NSW will have the chance to be part of the world-class charging network.

Expressions of interest (EOI) are now open for site hosts. The NSW Government are particularly interested in receiving EOIs for sites identified as optimal zones on the NSW EV fast charging master plan map. However, still complete an EOI even if your site(s) is not in one of the identified optimal zones. After you have submitted an EOI, your contact information will be made privately available to EV fast charging grant applicants. If you have registered your site in an earlier round it will remain on the list so there is no need to resubmit an EOI.

Reviving International Tourism Grant Program (RITG)
Closes: 13th of June 2023 (Stream 1) 4th of July 2023 (Stream 2)
Value: Up to $6 Million
Run By: Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade)

The Reviving International Tourism Grant Program (RITG) is designed to assist eligible small to medium enterprises (SMEs) that work directly within the Australian tourism export or travel wholesale industry sectors (inbound tour operator or outbound tour operator/travel wholesaler) to rebuild and strengthen international supply chains by undertaking demand driving activities such as attending expos, business development and marketing.

Stream 1 - Reconnect with international markets - has grant funding of up to $6m to attend approved events (including trade missions, international expos and conventions) with the goal of helping eligible tourism exporters (inbound tour operators) and travel wholesalers (outbound tour operators/travel wholesalers) attract or reconnect with international markets.

Stream 2 – Digital uplift - has grant funding up to $3m to undertake digital uplift activities including website overhaul/audit, online booking capability, integration and automation of systems, production of brochures, social media modernisation and accessibility upgrades.

Closing in June

Electric Vehicle Fleets Incentive - Round 3
Initial Bidding Closes: 2nd of June 2023 - 5:00 pm (extended)
Run By: NSW Government Climate and Energy Action
Help to bridge the cost of transitioning your fleet’s passenger, light commercial or sports utility vehicles to BEVs or FCEVs through a reverse auction process

Community Child Care Fund - Establishing Child Care in Limited Supply Areas
Closes: 8th of June 2023
Value: Up to $900,000
Run By: NSW Government Department of Education
Support for Child Care Subsidy approved providers to set up new centre based day care and family day care services in areas with limited supply.

Reviving International Tourism Grant Program (RITG) - Stream 1
Closes: 13th of June 2023 - 4:00 pm
Value: Up to $6 Million
Run By: Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade)
Assists SMEs that work directly within the Australian tourism export or travel wholesale industry sectors to rebuild and strengthen international supply chains.

Powering Australia Industry Growth Centre Program
Closes: 19th of June 2023
Value: Up to $14 Million
Run By: Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources
Supports businesses in developing and adopting new renewable technologies, including batteries.

1,000 Jobs Package Grant Funding
Closes: 30th of June 2023 , or when exhausted
Value: Up to $56,000 (GST exclusive) over two years
Run By: National Indigenous Australians Agency
Tranche Two provides a subsidy for new jobs for Community Development Program participants in remote Australia to support economic development.

Defence Global Competitiveness Grants
Ongoing Until Closes: 30th of June 2023
Value: $15,000 to $150,000
Run By: Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources
Helps Australian SMEs to invest in projects that build export capability to build a stronger, more sustainable and globally competitive Australian defence industry.

Critical Producer Grant
Closes: 30th of June 2023 - 5:00 pm or Until Expended
Value: $10,000 to $100,000
Run By: NSW Government Department of Regional NSW
Help primary producers and primary production enterprises impacted by the February and March 2022 NSW Severe Weather and Flooding events to rebuild and recover.

Disaster Recovery Small Business Grant – Storms and Floods August and September 2022
Closes: 30th of June 2023
Value: Up to $50,000
Run By: NSW Government
Support for small business and not-for-profits directly impacted by storms and floods from 4 August 2022 or 14 September 2022 onwards.

Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grant - 2022-23
Closes: 30th of June 2023 - 5:00 pm
Value: $10,000 to $40,000
Run By: NSW Government Department of Education
A range of strategies to develop and support Aboriginal people through the creation of training and employment opportunities.

EV Charging Site Host NSW
Closes: 30th of June 2023
Run By: NSW Government Climate and Energy Action
Businesses, commercial property owners and managers, local councils as well as site operators and owners across NSW will have the chance to be part of the world-class charging network.

Special Disaster Grants – NSW Flooding – August to November 2022
Closes: 30th of June 2023
Value: $25,000 to $75,000
Run By: Rural Assistance Authority
Support for primary producers recovering from the devastating impacts of floods.

COVID-19 Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program - Phase 3
Closes: 30th of June 2023 - 11:30 pm
Value: $20,000 to $23.42 Million Estimated
Run By: Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
Supports Local Councils to create jobs by delivering priority local road and community infrastructure projects. 

Closing in July

Reviving International Tourism Grant Program (RITG) - Stream 2
Closes: 4th of July 2023 - 4:00 pm
Value: Up to $3 Million
Run By: Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade)
Assist eligible SMEs that work directly within the Australian tourism export or travel wholesale industry sectors to rebuild and strengthen international supply chains.

Closing in August

Growing Regions Program - Round 1
Opens: 5th of July 2023
Closes: 1st of August 2023 - 5:00 pm
Value: $500,000 to $15 Million
Run By: Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
Funds community-focused infrastructure which revitalises regions and enhances amenity and liveability in regional areas.

Closing Later

Regional Skills Relocation Grant
Closes: 15th of December 2023
Value: Up to $10,000 per worker
Run By: NSW Government Department of Regional NSW
Support for the costs of relocating skilled staff from metropolitan centres around Australia to Regional NSW.

Fee-Free Traineeships NSW
Closes: 31st of December 2023
Value: Unspecified
Run By: NSW Government Department of Education
Traineeships are a proven pathway to well-paid jobs in a diverse range of careers and are fee free in NSW.

Rural Procedural Grants Program
Closes: 31st of December 2023 (extended)
Value: Up to $20,000
Run By: Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine
Support for rural GPs providing unsupervised anaesthetics, obstetrics, surgery and/or emergency medicine to maintain and update their skills.

2023 COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program - Reimbursement Stream
Closes: 3rd of April 2024 - 2:00 pm
Value: $2,000 per resident plus $20,000 base funding
Run By: Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
Supports aged care providers to transition towards managing the costs of COVID-19 outbreaks as part of their business-as-usual arrangements.

Regional and Remote Airports Security Awareness Program
Closes: 30th of May 2024 - 5:00 pm
Value: $1,000 to $5,000
Run By: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs
Re-imbursement based funding to support regional and remote airports to meet requirements of the Screener Accreditation Scheme.

Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS-B) Broadcast Rebate Program
Closes: 31st of May 2024 - 5:00 pm or until expended
Value: Up to $5,000 per eligible aircraft
Run By: Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
Incentivises voluntary uptake of ADS-B equipment in Australian– registered aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) to improve safety and efficiency for Australian airspace users.

Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program - 2022 to 2024
Closes: 30th of June 2024
Run By: Australian Government Department of Education
Broad support program for eligible employers who employ apprentices in priority occupations.

Regional Australia Microgrid Pilots Program
Closes: 31st of December 2026 or until expended
Value: $1 Million to $5 Million
Run By: Australian Government: Australian Renewable Energy Agency
Support pilot projects for microgrids in Regional Australia.

Ongoing

Advancing Renewables Program
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Unspecified
Run By: Australian Government: Australian Renewable Energy Agency
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.

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.

Australian Government's Youth Jobs PaTH
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $11,000
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.

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

CSIRO Kick-Start
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $50,000 matched funding
Run By: CSIRO
Funding support and access to CSIRO’s research expertise and capabilities to help grow and develop their business.

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.

English Family Foundation - Ingnitor Fund
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $100,000
Run By: English Family Foundation
Supports Australian social enterprise change makers who are finding new and innovative solutions to tackle the most pressing issues within their local communities.

Entrepreneurs’ Programme- SMART Projects and Supply Chains
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Tailored advice
Run By: Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources
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.

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.

Get Connected Listing for Tourism Businesses
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Website Listing
Run By: Destination NSW
Provides tourism operators with the opportunity to showcase your tourism products on Destination NSW’s consumer websites for free.

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.

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

Landing Pads for Start Ups
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Support
Run By: Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade)
Assists market-ready scaleups take their business globalby providing an operational base and customised support for their overseas expansion goals.

New Enterprise Incentive Scheme
Closes: 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.

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

Regional Investment Attraction - Investment Concierge
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Support
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.

Safe and Secure Water Program
Closes: Ongoing until expended
Value: No minimum or maximum, $1 Billion total pool
Run By: NSW Government
Co-funds 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.

Tradex Scheme
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Varies based on the the goods imported
Run By: Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources
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.

Business Connect
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Advice and Support
Run By: NSW Government
A dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business.

SafeWork Small Business Rebate
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $1,000
Run By: SafeWork NSW
Support for small business owners and sole traders in NSW who buy and install equipment to make their workplace safer.

Ladies in Livestock Program
Closes: Ongoing
Run By: Northern Tablelands Local Land Services
Delivers hands-on, practical skills to women as independent land stewards with a keen interest in agriculture, to work and make decisions on properties.

Major Project Status
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Government Support
Run By: Major Projects Facilitation Agency
Formally recognises the significance of a project to the Australian economy and provides extra support and coordinated approvals.

Employment Assistance Fund
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Unspecified
Run By: Job Access
Assists people with disabilities and mental health conditions to buy work related modifications and services.

Workplace Legal Advice Program
Closes: Ongoing
Run By: Fair Work Ombudsman
Provides eligible employers and employees with free independent legal help to deal with workplace issues arising from the coronavirus outbreak. 

Bridges Renewal Program
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $5 Million
Run By: Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
Funding to upgrade and replaceme of bridges to enhance access for local communities and facilitate higher productivity vehicle access.

Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $5 Million
Run By: Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
Funds infrastructure projects that improve the productivity and safety outcomes of heavy vehicle operations across Australia.

NSW Quad Bike Safety Rebate
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $2,000
Run By: SafeWork NSW
Support for farmers and businesses to improve quad bike safety by investing in key safety items.

Minimum Viable Product Grants
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $25,000
Run By: NSW Government
Supports pre-revenue technology startups to help them engage with a potential business customer, or channel to market.  

Regional Roads REPAIR Program
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Undisclosed
Run By: Transport for NSW
assist councils in carrying out larger rehabilitation and development works on regional roads.

Boating Infrastructure Emergency Repair Pool (BIERP)
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $500,000
Run By: Transport for NSW
Funding for repair or replacement of recreational boating infrastructure.

Traffic Route Lighting Subsidy
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Undisclosed
Run By: Transport for NSW
A subsidy for providing a higher level of lighting on certain major routes, with the aim of decreasing night time road crashes.

Electric Vehicle Rebate
Closes: Until allocation exhausted
Value: Up to $3,000
Run By: NSW Government
Rebates for the first 25,000 new full battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles purchased.

Electric Vehicle Stamp Duty Refund
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $3,000
Run By: NSW Government
Reimbursement of the stamp duty paid on purchases of new or used full battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.

Local Government Road Safety Program
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Unspecified
Run By: Transport for NSW
Works in partnership with local councils to co-fund Safety Officer positions and contribute funding to projects targeting road safety issues at a local level.

Regional Filming Fund
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $100,000
Run By: Screen NSW
Offsets costs for film makers associated with shooting in regional areas of NSW.

Startup Travel Stipend
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $2,000
Run By: NSW Government
Helps regional recipients of the Minimum Viable Product grant to travel for an innovation-related purpose.

Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme
Closes: Ongoing
Run By: Australian Government Clean Energy Regulator
Creates a financial incentive for individuals and small businesses to instal eligible small-scale renewable energy systems.

Conservation Partners Grant
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $15,000
Run By: NSW Government Biodiversity Conservation Trust
Supports landholders in managing their conservation area, allowing them to improve the biodiversity value of their properties.

Natural Disaster Donated Fodder Transport Subsidy
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Transport costs up to 1,500km
Run By: Rural Assistance Authority
Supports organisations that donate and transport donated fodder to a central location within NSW for the benefit of primary producers with livestock, in the event of a natural disaster.

Off-farm Efficiency Program
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Unspecified
Run By: NSW Deptartment of Planning & Environment - Water
Supports projects that provide long-term benefits through improved water infrastructure and reduced water losses.

Airservices Australia Enroute Charges Payment Scheme
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Based on enroute charges
Supports regional commercial airlines operating low volume and new routes to regional and remote communities; as well as aeromedical providers.

Self-Employment Assistance
Closes: Ongoing
Run By: Australian Government Department of Employment
Support to help you turn your business idea or existing small business into a viable business.