Aboriginal and Local Business Participation in Recovery Program WA

  • Funding available: Up to $25,000 per applicant for services and training grants; up to $100,000 per applicant for equipment and assets grants
  • Applications close: 31 March 2026 (or earlier if funding is exhausted)

The Aboriginal Business Participation in Recovery Grants support Aboriginal-owned small businesses and sole traders in Western Australia to participate in the economic recovery following Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie and associated flooding.

The program funds business support, advisory services, employment support, and equipment/assets to help businesses establish, grow, and contribute to recovery and reconstruction efforts in the Kimberley region.

Key Requirements

  • Project must align with recovery needs outlined in the Kimberley Recovery Plan or support DRFA-funded recovery/reconstruction work
  • Applicants must submit a business plan, insurance certificate, bank details, quotes/tax invoices, and (for equipment/assets >$2,000) a cost-benefit analysis and asset management plan
  • Must demonstrate community need/benefit, business capability, relevant skills/qualifications, and compliance with procurement requirements
  • Insurance coverage appropriate to the activity and risks is required

What is eligible for funding?

  • Services and training: business planning, support, legal/financial services, branding, website development, marketing, training/upskilling, insurance, accreditation, PPE, promotional materials
  • Equipment and assets: hire, lease, purchase, or modification of plant, tools, equipment, and light machinery used exclusively for business purposes; improvements to business infrastructure and systems
  • All activities must be directly related to recovery needs and not business-as-usual operations

What companies are eligible for funding?

  • Aboriginal-owned small businesses (fewer than 20 FTE employees) or sole traders
  • Registered with Supply Nation, Aboriginal Business Directory WA, or Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations
  • Located and operating in the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley, or operating in SDWK and located in Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley, Halls Creek, or Broome with at least 2 years’ history of providing goods/services to SDWK
  • Establishing or expanding business to participate in recovery work
  • Must have ABN, business bank account, appropriate insurance, and relevant qualifications/licenses

 

Is this grant competitive or entitlement based?

Competitive. Your application will be assessed among other applications by a judging panel.

How can I increase my chances of winning this grant?

By engaging an accredited government grants consultant, such as Avant Group.

Competitive grants often require significant business case development and project analysis to support the application, this may include detailed presentations supporting the project’s merit, projected sales, cost-benefit analysis and more.

As part of your engagement with Avant Group, your account manager will assess the required documents and will provide the following as needed to support your grant submission.

Grant application writeup including a detailed presentation illustrating how the grant funding will contribute to your project, how the funding will contribute to the project’s budget, a project milestone plan, delivery timeline, impact on employment if applicable and a breakdown of the management and leadership team for the project

  • Industry analysis presentation
  • Competitor Analysis Presentation
  • Marketing and Sales Analysis Presentation
  • 3-5 year Cashflow Forecast
  • 3-5 year Balance Sheet Forecast
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis of Grant Funding
  • End-to-end grant application including information collating, analysis and application writing
  • CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) cost-benefit analysis
  • Stakeholder relations and Risk Mitigation Plans
  • Any other relevant forecasting that will support your application

How can I get help with my application? Or know if I’m likely to win funding?

Avant Group offers a no-obligation assessment of your eligibility for funding and will assess your likelihood of a successful grant application.