Australian Government Grant Awareness Important for Directors

Hello, I’m Peter Towers, Managing Director of ESS Small Business and ESS BIZTOOLS.  Welcome to Empowering SMEs.

There are hundreds of government grants for small business provided by the Australian, State and Territory governments.  Company directors and officers need an awareness of the availability of these grants to assist small business – companies, trusts, individuals and partnerships.

Australian Government Grants include:

METS Ignited

This grant is targeted at the mining equipment, technology and services industries and provides grants from $100,000-$3,000,000 to support, encourage and fund mining sector wide collaboration.  Grant applications close on 31 August 2018.

Business Growth Grant

The Entrepreneur’s Program is offering the Business Growth Grant to eligible Australian small/ medium size companies and incorporated trustees acting as trustees of a trust, to assist them to transform their business and reach their full potential.

Companies are eligible to apply if they work in one of the following growth sectors:

1. Advanced Manufacturing
2. Food and Agribusiness
3. Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals
4. Mining Equipment, Technology and Services
5. Oil, Gas and Energy Resources
6. Tourist Industry – in Northern Australia only (north of the Tropic of Capricorn in Queensland and Western Australia and the whole of the Northern Territory)

Businesses that provide enabling or supporting technologies, inputs or services to drive business growth or improve business competitiveness in one or more of the growth centres include:

1. Infrastructure Related Construction and Services
2. Information and Communications Technologies
3. Digital Technologies
4. Professional Services – Primarily Scientific Related Services
5. Freight and Logistics

Applicants must have been in business for more than three years and have a turnover of, at least, $1.5 million ($750,000 in Northern Australia).

Grants of up to $20,000 are available on a 50% funding basis.  Applications can be lodged at any time.

Accelerating Commercialisation Grant

This grant assists entrepreneurs, researchers, inventors, start-ups and small/medium enterprises address the challenges associated with commercialising novel intellectual property in the form of new products, processes and services.

The applicant’s turnover can range from nil to $20,000,000.

Grants of up to $1,000,000 are available on a 50% funding basis.  Applications can be lodged at any time.