Ongoing GrantsCurrent Grant Opportunities; Export Trade Finance - Minister for Trade Simon Crean recently welcomed the launch of a new website that will help Australian small and medium businesses find a way to finance their expansion offshore. Export Finance Navigator www.exportfinance.gov.au is a brand new independent and comprehensive source of information on export finance. The launch of the Export Finance Navigator website will be followed by a serios of workshops for exporters run by EFIC and Austrade. The workshops will focus on the export finance solutions at each stage of an exporters journey. For further information contact www.exportfinance.gov.au Enterprise Connect - To help Australian small and medium sized enterprises become more innovative, efficient and competitive. Eligible businesses are able to request a comprehensive, confidential and independent Business Review at no cost. For further information contact enterpriseconnect@innovation.gov.au or telephone 131791. (ongoing) Early Stage Commercialisation Grant - Repayable grants will fund activities associated with the systematic work necessary for installing and establishing processes, systems and services that enable a new product, process or service to be effectively brought to market. Funding available between $250,000 and $2 million over two years. Applicants need to match funding on a 50:50 basis. For further information contact Commercialisation Australia on 132256 (ongoing) Building Contractor Advisory Service, NSW - To provide business advice, including insolvency information to licensed building contractors who operate in NSW. The objectives of this grant are to provide a free call confidential telephone advisory service to NSW licensed building contractors, a service designed to assist traders with the making of business decisions, referrals of licensed building contractors to relevant services providers, assistance with industry education activities. Expressions of interest can be made my approrpriate skilled and experienced individuals or organisations that have a track record in the provision of business management and insolvency advice to the building sector. (Closes 30 April 2010). For further information contact grants@oft.commerce.nsw.gov.au or telephone 02 96198798 $80,000 available. Women in Business Mentor Program - To help up and coming women business owners expand their business. A 6 month agenca that helps female business owners grow their business by linking them with experienced business owners and working through a combination of mentoring, practical business workshops and networks events. For further information contact narelle@businesscentre.com.au or telephone Narelle on 02 49257700 (Closes 30 April 2010). Employer Support Payment Scheme - The purpose of this grant is to provide financial assistance to eligible employers to help offset the cost of releasing employees for most categories of Australian Defence Force service. For further information contact esp@defence.gov.au or telephone the Defence Reserves Support Council on 1800 803 485 (ongoing). Australian Dental Research Foundation Grant - The purpose of this grant is to provide funding for dental research. The ADRF invites applications for grants from clinicians and trained researchers interested in undertaking a dental research project. Grants are to provide for materials, specified equipment, specified contract services, other expenses related to the project. For further information contact adrf@ada.org.au or telephone 02 99064412 (ongoing). New Market Expansion for Regional Enterprise - This program assists regional firms to develop the confidence and skills to pursue and take up new markets and break the cycle of dependence on traditional markets/and or economies. (ongoing) Aboriginal Business Development - The NSW Government helps Aboriginal people to develop business skills, establish networks and grow markets. Assistance is available for eligible business activities including participation in domestic trade fairs, industry specific marketing and engaging expert assistance for growth projects, business reviews and mentoring. Support is delivered through an experienced Aboriginal Business Development Manager and regional staff. Information on all the Departments initiatives for Aboriginal people can be found at www.aboriginalbiz.nsw.gov.au (ongoing) Regional Business Development Scheme - The Regional Business Development Scheme offers financial and other assistance to business expanding in or relocating to, regional NSW. The Department of Industry and Investment NSW Business Development Managers are available to help potential investors identify and develop commercial opportunities in regional NSW, assist businesses wanting to relocate into the State's regions, assist regional firms to expand and find new markets, help firms to diversify and add value to the products. (ongoing) For more information contact jillian.fryer@business.nsw.gov.au at Industry & Invesment NSW or you can call Jillian direct on 02 9338 6916. Hunter Advantage Fund - The Hunter Advantage Fund is a NSW Government Initiative to create additional sustainable employment in the Hunter Region. The aim of the Hunter Advantage Fund is to stimulate investment that will generate new jobs in the local government areas of Newcastle. Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock and Port Stephens. The Department of Industry and Investment will provide assistance towards costs in establishing new job generating investment, infrastructure costs, payroll tax, land tax and stamp duty relief. (ongoing). Proof of Concepts Grant - Commercialisation Australia provides proof of concept grants to assist researchers, entrepreneurs and innovative companies establish the commercial viability of a new product, process or service. Grants are between $50,000 and $250,000 over a 12 month period to fund eligible activities within the Commercialisation Australia Project. Applicants are required to match funding on a 50:50 basis. (ongoing) Business Cluster Program - The Business Cluster Program aims to provide tailored non-financial and financial support to established small and medium enterprises to maximise business potential. The Business Cluster Program assists concentrations of inter-connected firms working in a particular industry or geographic area. The enterprises should share common business objectives and outcomes. Clusters encompass linked industries and other entities important to competition. They include suppliers, transport and logistics organisations, business service providers as well as business owners. Eligible projects may qualify for one off, 75% subsidy of up to $10,000 during early stages of development and a matched 50% subsidy up to $10,000 for a two year period as the cluster progresses. (ongoing) Certain Inputs to Manufacture Scheme - To improve competitiveness of Australian Industries by providing import duty concessions on certain imported raw materials and intermediate goods such as chemical, plastics or paper goods. The Certain Inputs to Manufacture Scheme reduces input replacement and export enhancement. Applications can be made, or on behalf of, and end user of the material or goods. (ongoing) Developing Regional Resources - To provide funding to help regional organisations, industry associations or alliance of regional firms investigate and pursue new economic / business development programs. The aim of the program is to strengthen regional economies through initiatives that add value to local resources or diversify from the traditional economic base. Funding partners are sought from other government agencies and increasingly, from the private sector. Who can apply: Regional development agencies including Regional Development Boards, Development Corporations, local Councils, Business Enterprise Centre, Industry Associations and Alliances of Regional Firms can apply. (ongoing) Energy Efficiency for Small Business - A program to help reduce business power bills and carbon pollution. The Small Business Program offers: Fast Track Apprenticeships - The purpose of fast-track apprenticeships is to encourage greater participation in apprenticeships by removing time based restrictions on qualifications and by enabling students to achieve their qualifications. Grant funding of up to $50,000 will be available to Registered Training Organisations to work with industry and local employers to develop and implement apprenticeship pathways that reduce the amount of time taken to complete entire apprenticeships in ways that ensure quality and meet the needs of industry, employers and apprentices. Film and Television - Development Assistance and Finance - The purpose of the funding is to assist in creating compelling screen experiences across all platforms. The four main programs of support are: Film and Television - Production Assistance & Finance - The purpose of this grant funding is to invest in a number of productions each year to encourage a high level of quality productions in NSW to ensure employment for NSW creative teams and crews. The three main programs of support of the production assistance and finance grant are: Green Car Innovation Fund - The purpose of this grant is to fund projects that enhance the research and development and commercialisation of Australian technologies that significantly reduce fuel consumption and/or greenhouse gas emissions of passenger motor vehicles. The Green Car Innovation Fund is a key element of the New Car Plan for Greener Future initiative. The fund offers grants from $100,000 for projects that significantly reduce fuel consumption and/or greenhouse gas emissions of passenger motor vehicles. Grants are provided at a ratio of $1 of government funding for every $3 of eligible expenditure contributed by the grantee. Eligible activities include research and development, proof of concept, early stage commercialisation and pre-production development. The activities must be carried out in Australia and are aimed at achieving significant reductions. Safety Solutions Rebate Program - This rebate offers small business owners and sole traders up to $500 (excluding GST) for identifying and implementing safety solutions in the workplace. To qualify for the Safety Solutions Rebate you must be a sole trader or small business owner employing up to 20 full-time workers, attend a work cover safety workshop or have an assistance visit from a work cover business advisory officer, claim for solutions implemented from March 2007 onwards, submit an application form and copies of your relevant tax invoices. The rebate is provided after the purchase or implementation of an eligible improvement. You can claim the rebatee for a range of safety solutions including safety technologies, safety equipment, workplace safety modifications. (ongoing) TechFast Grant (All States and Territories) - Grant to assist small to medium enterprises to remain competitive through obtaining "that market edge". TechFast assists small to medium enterprises by identifying and linking businesses with the right people and organisations to: Textiles, Clothing and Footware Product Diversification - This is a Scheme to assist eligible clothing and finished textile manufactures located in Australia internationalise their sourcing arrangements and complement their existing product range. It will do this by providing non-tradable duty credit that an eligible clothing or finished textile entityy can use to offset the duty payable on qualifying finished clothing and finished textile articles it imports into Australia. (ongoing) Textile, Clothing and Footware Expanded Overseas Assembly Provisions - The EOAP is there to help the ongoing development of Australian textile, clothing, footware and leather firms and increase net benefits to the Australian economy. The EOAP enables participants to assemble certain goods overseas from predominantly Australian fabric and leather. The assembled goods can then be imported for local consumption, with duty payable only on the cost of overseas processing and content. Any Australian textile, clothing, footware or leather manufacturing and/or design firm may apply to participate in the scheme. (ongoing) TRADEX Scheme - This scheme provides an up front exemption from customs duty and GST for eligible imported goods that are subsequently to be exported. The kinds of imported goods covered by TRADEX include those that are; exported without mixing with other goods, mixed with other goods and subjected to a process treatment after importation then exported, incorporated in other goods after importation then exported, otherwise mixed with other goods then exported. (ongoing) Women in Export - A program to encourage, support and advance the involvement of women achieving international business success. The Women in Export program aims to:
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