Defence grant funding up to $1 million
Originally announced to be open from April 12, 2022 it appears that this program opening has been delayed.
Once the program does open for application, Australian SME’s can apply for up to $1 million, on a 50:50 co-contribution basis, to support eligible projects which help to build industrial capabilities that fit with the Australian Defence sovereign industrial capability priorities.
Defence’s Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities are:
Combat clothing survivability and signature reduction technologies
Munitions and small arms research, design, development, and manufacture
Aerospace platform deeper maintenance and structural integrity
Collins class submarine maintenance and technology upgrade
Continuous shipbuilding program (including rolling submarine acquisition)
Enhanced active phased array and passive radar capability
Advanced signal processing capabilty
Surveillance and intelligence
Test, evaluation, certification and systems assurance
Robotics, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence
Precision guided munitions, hypersonic weapons, and integrated air and missile defence systems
Space
Information warfare and cyber capabilities
More information on the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities can be found here.
Eligible applicants must:
have less than 200 employees
have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
be a company incorporated in Australia or be an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
Applicants must also:
provide evidence from the company Board (or CEO of equivalent in the absence of a Board) that the project is supported and that the project can be completed and the costs not covered by grant funding can be met
provide an external accountant declaration confirming the applicant can fund its share of the project costs
Project activities can include:
buying, leasing, constructing, installing or commissioning capital equipment including specialist software to enhance cyber security
design, engineering and commissioning acitviites
workforce training and accreditations as they relate to the project activities
The program will open on an ongoing basis.
For more information on the program here.