VICTORIAN INITIATIVES
Timber Innovation Grants Program
The program is designed to provide grants for innovation that supports businesses to transition from native timber to plantation fibre or investigate manufacturing opportunities.
Local Development Strategy grants program
The Local Development Strategy grants are designed to provide assistance to 11 towns or communities significantly impacted by the Victorian Forestry Plan to begin to plan for their future.
Digital Jobs Program
The demand for digital skills in Victorian businesses is growing rapidly. The Digital Jobs Program is building a new talent pool of great people with digital skills to help meet this demand. Over 3 years, 5000 experienced and highly-capable mid-career workers will be supported in their transition into digital careers. Businesses are invited to join the program to host these freshly trained candidates through subsidised 12-week internships.
Investment Fast-Track Fund
The Investment Fast-Track Fund (IFF) will support regional and rural projects to strengthen their investment evidence base by funding activities that support planning and preparation, thereby fast-track projects to investment ready stage. Funded activities must be completed by 30 June 2022.
The IFF is a contestable fund with applications received throughout the 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years, or unless the funds are exhausted prior. Please contact the RDV Gippsland office (details at the bottom of this email) for further discussion about a proposed project.
Regional Jobs Fund
The Regional Jobs Fund (RJF) supports projects which create employment opportunities across industry sectors where regional competitive advantage exists. The aim of RJF is to attract new investment, create new jobs, and in some cases retain existing jobs in regional Victoria and to support businesses to improve their productivity and competitiveness.
The RJF is a competitive fund with applications received throughout the 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years, or unless the funds are exhausted prior. Please contact the RDV Gippsland office (details at the bottom of this email) for further discussion about a proposed project. Otherwise, access this link, to read more about the Fund and access the guidelines.
Small Business Energy Saver Program
The Small Business Energy Saver Program provides a bonus for small businesses, discounting the cost to upgrade to more energy-efficient equipment which will lower their operational costs. On average each business could receive a discount of about $2000 for eligible equipment upgrades.
Closes: 31 May 2022
Solar for Business Program
The Solar for Business Program is a new initiative designed to support Victorian small businesses to reduce their energy costs by accessing the benefits of renewable energy. From May 2021, rebates will cover 50% of the net cost of a rooftop solar system up to a rebate value of $3,500. Rebates will remain at $3,500 until all 5000 forecasted rebates for 2020-21 have been fully allocated, and will be up to $1,750 thereafter. Rebates remaining for this release are 1654.
FEDERAL INITIATIVES
On-farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme
Eligible farmers can claim up to 25% (of which at least 50% of the rebate will be provide by the relevant state or territory government) of expenses for on-farm water infrastructure up to a maximum total rebate of $25,000.
The scheme closes 30 June 2022, or when funds are exhausted.
Advanced Manufacturing Commercialisation Fund
The AMGC Commercialisation Fund will support project collaborations between industry and research partners to commercialise new manufacturing products and processes. Projects will be supported within Government’s six National Manufacturing Priorities: Medical Products, Food & Beverage, Resources Technology& Critical Minerals Processing, Recycling & Clean Energy, Defence and Space. Grants between $100,000 and $1 million are available and must be matched by industry.
Applications close 30 June 2022.
Local Jobs Program
The Local Jobs Program brings together expertise, resources and access to funding at the local level to support job seekers and their communities in each region. The program has a particular focus on re-skilling, up-skilling and employment pathways and is part of supporting Australia’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program will run to 30 June 2025.
Accelerating Commercialisation
Accelerating Commercialisation provides small and medium businesses, entrepreneurs and researchers with access to expert advice and funding to help get a novel product, process or service to market.
Defence Industry Grants
Skilling Australia’s Defence Industry grants provide businesses servicing the defence sector with upskilling and training opportunities to build skills capacity and capability to meet current or future Defence needs. Grants are available between $5,000 and $500,000 to undertake various defence skills training activities.
Research & Development Tax Incentive
The Research and Development Tax Incentive helps companies innovate and grow by offsetting some of the costs of eligible research and development.
COVID-19 Programs
Business Support
COVIDSafe Deep Cleaning Rebate
Rebates to help businesses cover the cost of cleaning after closing a worksite due to a suspected or confirmed coronavirus (COVID‑19) case.
For Employers
Jobs Victoria Fund
A wage-subsidy program is currently open to applications from employers to hire people whose employment has been most affected by the pandemic. Up to $20,000 per eligible employee will be provided to employers to meet the costs of taking on new workers for the first 12 months of their employment.
Boosting Jobs for Women in Logistics
Women in Warehousing is supported by the $250 million Jobs Victoria Fund, which is creating 10,000 steady and secure jobs for those most affected by the pandemic. Jobs Victoria works with employers in sectors with workforce demand and supports people who are looking for work to secure and train for new roles. More information about the program is available at jobs.vic.gov.au.
‘Working for Victoria’ Program
A program designed to connect employers who require workers with job seekers.