Grants in Education & Training

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. The Standards Compliance Round is designed to support Western Australian SMEs with the costs of engaging external expertise to implement and certify national and international standards.

The JSF-ISP offers funding to Australian companies to develop or enhance capabilities that can improve their ability to win work in the production, sustainment, and modernisation phases of the Joint Strike Fighter Program.

The Australian Defence Industry Development Grants Program (DIDG) announced it will award grants as part of the Defence Industry Development Strategy, offering $153.6 million over four years from 2024-25 to 2027-28 to support businesses in areas critical to national defence. The Defence Industry Development Grants Program's Skilling Stream provides funding for training and upskilling for personnel to gain qualifications and experience in priority trade, technical, and professional areas, fostering a workforce that aligns with Defence requirements.

The Ignite Ideas Fund offers funding for commercialising highly innovative products or services, at or beyond the minimum viable product stage. This fund serves as a companion program to the Advance Queensland Ignite Spark Program, which supports projects in advancing highly innovative products or services from prototype development through testing and validation to market readiness.

NSW MVP Ventures Program is committed to supporting startups and innovative small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the product lifecycle, bridging the gap between early-stage research and mature investment opportunities. The program offers grants designed to accelerate the commercialisation of highly innovative products or processes. The Program aims to: support businesses in increasing the commercialisation of innovative products and processes in NSW, and attract and retain commercialisation activities within the state.

The Portland Diversification Fund Program offers professional financial assistance from the Victorian Government to businesses aiming to develop and/or expand operations that enhance the diversification of existing supply chains in Portland and the Glenelg Shire. The Portland Diversification Fund aims to diversify the economic base of the Glenelg Shire by attracting new investment and supporting businesses to improve their productivity and competitiveness. Consequently, the fund could be utilised to conduct feasibility studies and business cases, enabling the development of capital projects and facilitating access to capital works funding through alternative avenues.

Australia has committed to achieving the goal of zero road fatalities and severe injuries by 2050, commonly known as Vision Zero. The National Road Safety Strategy 2021-30 is dedicated to the Safe System approach, aiming to enhance all facets of our road transport system through advancements under three key themes: Safe Roads, Safe Vehicles, and Safe Road Use. The National Road Safety Action Grants Program (NRSAGP) plays a pivotal role in this endeavour. $37.6 million has been assigned for allocation to projects or activities through this Program. It provides non-infrastructure grants to facilitate the Australian Government's implementation of the National Road Safety Action Plan 2023-25 priorities across five key focus areas: 1. Community Education and Awareness, which encompasses workplace road safety 2. Vulnerable Road Users 3. First Nations road safety 4. Technology and Innovation 5. Research and Data

The Industry R&D Infrastructure Fund will encourage businesses in Victoria to invest in new or improved R&D infrastructure to support the expansion of Victoria’s R&D capability across important industry sectors and increase company R&D spending. The funding with grants up to 50% of project costs, ranging from $250,000 to $2 million can benefit a business, an industry, or both. However, it must demonstrate how the project will increase Victoria’s business expenditure on R&D in the medium to long term.

The program seeks to provide funding through a range of mechanisms that target startup sector specialists who can support Victorian startups in the form of professional development, incubators, education, mentoring, accelerators, events, and other programs.