WA Local Capability Fund – Aboriginal Business Round

Now in its eighth round, the program continues to support Aboriginal businesses in building capacity and unlocking new supply opportunities.
The level of funding is 75% of eligible costs up to a maximum funding level of $50,000 per successful applicant.
A Clean Energy Incentive has been added to this round, although not a requirement businesses that demonstrate a clear link between their proposed activities and the clean energy supply chain will receive a 10% boost to their application score.
Applications are open until 4 September 2025

The Aboriginal Business Round provides funding support to Aboriginal Western Australian small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enhance their business capability and capacity to supply to major Western Australian State or Local Government agencies, the Australian Government and the private sector.

Now in its eighth round, the program continues to support Aboriginal businesses in building capacity and unlocking new supply opportunities.

Key Requirements

This round of funding is specifically designed to support eligible Western Australian Aboriginal SMEs to:

Participate in the clean energy supply chain and/or
Improve their capability, capacity and competitiveness to supply goods, services and works to export markets, the Western Australian State or Local Government, the Australian Government, and the private business sector.

Businesses are not required to operate within the clean energy sector or propose a clean energy specific project to be eligible. However, those that demonstrate a clear link between their proposed activities and the clean energy supply chain will receive a 10% boost to their application score.

What is eligible for funding?

To be eligible, expenditure must:

Be incurred by you within the project period.
Meet the eligible expenditure guidelines below.
Be at least $10,000 in total.

Eligible activities must be implemented in WA and have a clear and direct link to the grant objective. The following activities are eligible for funding:

1) External Expertise:

Planning and Business Advice:

Strategic and business planning
Development and implementation of marketing plans
Supply chain facilitation
Tender submission advice and preparation
Preparation and submission of applications for other government and international grants

Improvements to Internal Business Infrastructure / Systems:

Production systems
Transportation and distribution systems
IT and communication systems, including cyber security
Operational systems and other activities necessary to meet the pre-qualification requirements of the target market

Training:

Up-skilling of employees to improve operational processes
Training as part of the employer’s staff development requirements
Travel and accommodation costs associated with training where local options are not available
Costs involved in bringing registered trainers to deliver local group training

Plant and Equipment:

Acquiring new equipment or machinery
Acquiring second-hand equipment or machinery through a dealer
Modifying existing equipment or machinery
Upgrades or expansions to applicant-owned business operating facilities
Purchase of specialised motor vehicles used exclusively for business purposes (e.g., bobcats, forklifts, cherry pickers, back hoes, bucket trucks) Note: Utility vehicles, 4x4s and vans are not considered specialised vehicles
Purchase of specialised computer hardware and software (e.g., tender management software; project management software; online sales and marketing systems)
Related freight and installation costs on capital expenditure.

Clean Energy Supply Chain Eligible Expenditure

Examples of eligible clean energy supply chain expenditure include:

1) Raw Material Sourcing

Extraction and processing of essential materials such as lithium, copper, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements used in batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, and other components.

2) Manufacturing and Assembly

Manufacturing of clean energy technologies or components, including:
Solar PV cells and modules
Wind turbine blades, towers, and nacelles
Electric vehicle (EV) batteries and related parts
Inverters, cabling, switchgear and other grid components
Assembly of parts into final products for domestic or export markets.

3) Generation and Storage

Development and delivery of systems to harness or store renewable energy, including:
Solar and wind energy systems
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
Hydrogen production and related infrastructure

4) Logistics and Transportation

Efficient movement of materials, components, or finished products within the clean energy supply chain, including:
Transportation of oversized wind turbine components
Distribution of solar panels or battery packs
Supply chain optimisation and tracking solutions

5) Grid Integration and Infrastructure

Supporting infrastructure and technologies that enable clean energy to connect to the grid or be distributed, such as:
Transmission line components
Substation equipment
Smart grid technologies and services

6) End Use Applications

Technologies and services that help industries decarbonise or transition to clean energy, such as:
Hydrogen used in green steel or ammonia production
Electrification of industrial processes
EV infrastructure deployment

Sectors and Services That May Contribute to the Clean Energy Supply Chain

Eligible activities may fall within the following categories:

Manufacturing
Construction
Engineering
Trades (e.g., electrical, fabrication, installation)
Professional Services (e.g., environmental, legal, advisory)
Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Research and Development

What companies are eligible for funding?

To be eligible for funding, applicants must:

• Be an Aboriginal business (at least 50% owned by an Aboriginal interest);

•Be registered with either the Aboriginal Business Directory Western Australia or the Supply Nation’s Indigenous Business Direct;

• Be operating in a trade-exposed industry (or an industry that faces competition from other national or international SMEs);

• Be registered for GST for at least 12 months prior to application submission date;

• Have an Australian Business Number (ABN);

• Be a for-profit organisation or business, or an incorporated not-for-profit Aboriginal Corporation operating as a commercial enterprise;

• Have its principal place of business in Western Australia;

• Have been operating for at least 12 months in Western Australia at the time of submitting an application for funding; and

• Employ less than 200 people.

Previous LCF recipients may apply if:

• They have complied with all requirements of prior FAAs, including submitting all required reports (i.e., no overdue reports).

• They have received no more than $200,000 in LCF grant funding over the past five years (excluding funding from the $10 million COVID-19 LCF Rounds in 2020-21).

• All previously awarded funding has been claimed.

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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