Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) – 2026 Research Funding

Funding available: No min or max funding request.
Funding priorities: ACARP priorities are organised by committee / technical areas (e.g., Underground, Open Cut, Coal Preparation, Technical Market Support, Environment & Community, Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation).
Matched funding / in-kind contributions: Not stated as a fixed co-contribution requirement. Proposals should indicate funds requested from ACARP and any funds from other sources
Applications close: April 29, 2026

The Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) is seeking short research proposals for its 2026 funding round to address key technical problems facing Australia’s black coal industry. Proposals are sought annually and should align with ACARP’s strategic direction, including research that minimises emissions and environmental impacts while improving safety, productivity and operational performance.

Priority areas are set by ACARP technical committees and span Underground, Open Cut, Coal Preparation, Technical Market Support, Environment and Community, and Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation.

Key Requirements

Align with ACARP priorities and strategic direction – proposals should address at least one of the key priorities set out in the Research Priorities Newsletter, with an emphasis on minimising emissions and environmental impact, and continuing focus on safety and environment drivers.
Submit a compliant short proposal package – short proposals must include the current proposal summary sheet, be no longer than six pages (including the summary sheet), and be submitted as a single unsecured PDF.
Demonstrate industry benefit and credible approach – short proposals are ranked based on the priority of the problem to industry and the credibility of the proposed approach, including clear articulation of expected outcomes and benefits to coal producers.

What is eligible for funding?

ACARP will consider research projects that address technical problems and issues significant to the Australian coal industry, including proposals aligned to the following priority areas:

Underground research (e.g., emissions minimisation, seam gas management, automation and roadway development technologies, geological understanding, asset reliability).
Open Cut research (e.g., operational efficiency, resource recovery and quality improvement, emissions reduction, post-mining land use, water management, tailings alternatives, safety and predictive technologies).
Coal Preparation research (e.g., beneficiation improvements, sustainability, tailings/closure practices, energy and water efficiency, automation on stockpiles, reliability).
Technical Market Support research (e.g., HELE testing-related research, metallurgical coke/PCI for lower-carbon ironmaking, coal-to-coke performance, new products from coal/waste)
Environment & Community research (e.g., water, noise/air, rehabilitation and closure, licence to operate).
Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation research (e.g., fugitive emissions measurement, gas capture, utilisation/destruction of mine gas)

What companies are eligible for funding?

Eligible applicants include businesses, community groups, or individuals with proposals addressing greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of coal, but not from the utilisation of coal.

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.

This grant is open

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