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WA Local Capability Fund Digital Transformation Round

WA Local Capability Fund – Digital Transformation Round

  • The Digital Transformation Round of the Local Capability Fund will cover 50% of eligible expenditure up to $25,000, requiring eligible costs of at least $50,000 if aiming to receive a total $25,000 in funding.
  • Applications are open until 13 September 2024

The Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation has released the Local Capability Fund, which provides grants to help small and medium enterprises to enhance their competitiveness and secure work on large-scale projects in Australia and overseas.

Key Requirements

The Digital Transformation Round of the Local Capability Fund opened on 26 July 2024 and will close on 13 September 2024. Building on the successful pilot in the 2023-24 financial year, this round has been refined while maintaining its core objectives. This round of funding aims to empower SMEs to embrace digital technology. The program encourages businesses to adopt digital and data solutions that boost productivity, competitiveness, resilience, safety, and sustainability. Successful applicants can leverage this funding to expand their market reach, supplying goods, services, and works to export markets as well as Federal and Western Australian government agencies and the private sector.

What is eligible for funding?

The activities that are eligible for funding are as follows:

  • Consultancy fees and business planning to guide digital transformation
  • Strengthening business protection through audits, countermeasures, and staff training
  • Implementing tools and platforms for effective data handling, insights and data management
  • Establishing an e-commerce presence and secure payment options
  • Integrating technologies, including artificial intelligence, to streamline operations
  • Incorporating drones, robots, sensors, or 3D printers to improve business functions
  • Funding short-term training to bridge digital capability gaps

What companies are eligible for funding?

In order to be eligible companies must:

  • Have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • Have operated in Western Australia for at least 3 years at the time of submission of application
  • Currently be registered for GST and have been for at least 12 months prior to application, with the intention to maintain registration for the next 12 months
  • Be a for-profit business or organisation
  • Be a Western Australian-based business with plans to remain in the state for at least the next 12 months
  • Have generated at least $500,000 in turnover in one of the past three financial years
  • Have a staff size exceeding one but less than 200 full-time equivalent positions

If the organisation has previously received funding for the LCF they may reapply provided they have:

  • Fulfilled all obligations under previous funding agreements of the Financial Assistance Agreement, including submitting all required reports on time
  • Received less than $200,000 in total LCF funding within the past five years (excluding COVID-19 LCF rounds)
  • Claimed all funds from previously awarded LCF grants

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.