2025 Grant Guide for Businesses

2025 Grant Guide for Businesses

Finding the right grant can feel overwhelming, so we’ve pulled together a quick guide to some of the main funding programs available this year. 

Growth Grants

Industry Growth Program

Supports small and medium businesses developing innovative products or services in priority sectors.

  • From $50,000 to $250,000 for early-stage commercialisation projects
  • From $100,000 to $5 million for commercialisation and business growth initiatives
  • Turnover under $20 million
  • ABN
  • Non-Income Tax Exempt
  • GST Registered
  • A company, a co-operative, or an incorporated trustee applying on behalf of a trust
  • Commercialisation and/or growth projects in one or more of the National Reconstruction Fund priority areas

Apply Here: Grants Portal

More Information: Industry Growth Program

Australian Business Growth Fund

Provides long-term capital and strategic support to businesses ready to scale.

$5-$15million of capital into your growth-ready business for a minority stake of up to 49%.

  • Headquartered in Australia
  • Annual revenue between $2 million and $100 million
  • At least 3 years of profitable operations
  • Clear plan for long-term scalability

Apply Here: Australian Business Growth Fund

More Information: abgf.com.au

Activate Capital

Funds local ventures with bold ideas and strong growth potential. Launching mid-2025.

To be confirmed. 

  • Must have a compelling business model
  • Strong team, IP, or product
  • Clear commercial potential
  •  

Apply Here: Activate Capital

 

CSIRO Kick-Start

Matched funding for R&D projects with CSIRO.

$10,000–$50,000 (matched)

  • Less than $10 million annual turnover or less than 3 years trading
  • Have an ACN/ICN and be registered for GST
  • Must be able to match the funding
  •  

Apply Here: Submit an Expression of Interest

More Information: CSIRO Kick-Start

Innovation Connect (ICON)*

Supports early-stage businesses in Canberra to turn ideas into market-ready solutions.

$10,000–$30,000 (matched)

  • Annual turnover under $2 million
  • Registered and operating in Canberra
  • Have an ABN
  • Agree to enter a funding agreement with Canberra Innovation Network
  •  

Apply Here: Submit an Expression of Interest

More Information: ICON Grant

*Note: Expressions of Interest for the current round close at 5pm on 10 April 2025. This is a bi-annual program, so future opportunities will be available.

ACT Prototyping Voucher Pilot

Supports eligible innovators and entrepreneurs in developing and improving their first working product using expert guidance and professional equipment.

Up to $10,000 in vouchers to use at professional prototyping facilities and makerspaces.

  • Based in ACT
  • Proposed project must involve developing an innovative prototype that requires specialised equipment, tools, and expertise available exclusively through the voucher program.

Apply Here: Submit an Expression of Interest

More Information: ACT Prototyping Voucher Pilot

Employment Grants

Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System

Provides government financial support to employers and apprentices, with a strong focus on priority occupations.

Primary Eligibility Criteria

  • The Apprentice should be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
  • Have appropriate employment and training arrangements in place.
  • Submit claim forms with all required supporting evidence within the specified timeframe.
  • Have commenced or recommenced an Australian Apprenticeship under a new Training Contract on or after 1 July 2022; or
  • Have recommenced an Australian Apprenticeship on or after 1 July 2022 following a break of:
    • More than 6 months, if the original commencement was before 1 July 2022; or
    • More than 12 months, if the original commencement was on or after 1 July 2022.

Incentives for hiring apprentices in high-demand occupations.

Funding: Up to $5,000 in the first year

Eligibility:

Reimburses some or all of the cost of Group Training Organisation (GTO) services for SMEs hosting an Australian Apprentice in a Priority List occupation.

Funding: $100/week (up to $5,200 annually)

Eligibility:

  • Business must not have hosted an apprentice via a GTO in the past 2 years.
  • Apprentice must be in a priority occupation

Wage assistance for businesses hiring apprentices with disability.

Funding: $104.30 per week

Eligibility:

  • Must employ an apprentice who meets disability support eligibility criteria

Payment to support apprentices in Priority List occupations and qualifications.

Funding: Up to $5,000 (over 4 installments)

Eligibility:

  • Must be an apprentice in an occupation and qualification on the Priority List

Supports apprentices in clean energy occupations.

Funding: Up to $10,000 (full-time) or $5,000 (part-time) over life of apprenticeship

Eligibility:

  • Must be undertaking a clean energy apprenticeship listed in the Priority Occupation List and receive meaningful clean energy experience

Income-contingent loans to support apprentices’ living costs during training

Funding: Up to $25,374 in 2024–25

Eligibility:

Allowance for apprentices who must move away from home to undertake an apprenticeship

Funding: 

  • $77.17/week (Year 1)
  • $38.59/week (Year 2)
  • $25.00/week (Year 3)

Eligibility:

  • Must be a full-time or part-time apprentice
  • Must live away from parental/guardian home for training or work

Apply Here: Through an Apprenticeship Support Network provider

More Information: Incentive Guidelines

Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System

Provides government financial support to employers and apprentices, with a strong focus on priority occupations.

Primary Eligibility Criteria

  • The Apprentice should be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
  • Have appropriate employment and training arrangements in place.
  • Submit claim forms with all required supporting evidence within the specified timeframe.
  • Have commenced or recommenced an Australian Apprenticeship under a new Training Contract on or after 1 July 2022; or
  • Have recommenced an Australian Apprenticeship on or after 1 July 2022 following a break of:
    • More than 6 months, if the original commencement was before 1 July 2022; or
    • More than 12 months, if the original commencement was on or after 1 July 2022.

Incentives for hiring apprentices in high-demand occupations.

Funding: Up to $5,000 in the first year

Eligibility:

Reimburses some or all of the cost of Group Training Organisation (GTO) services for SMEs hosting an Australian Apprentice in a Priority List occupation.

Funding: $100/week (up to $5,200 annually)

Eligibility:

  • Business must not have hosted an apprentice via a GTO in the past 2 years.
  • Apprentice must be in a priority occupation

Wage assistance for businesses hiring apprentices with disability.

Funding: $104.30 per week

Eligibility:

  • Must employ an apprentice who meets disability support eligibility criteria

Payment to support apprentices in Priority List occupations and qualifications.

Funding: Up to $5,000 (over 4 installments)

Eligibility:

  • Must be an apprentice in an occupation and qualification on the Priority List

Supports apprentices in clean energy occupations.

Funding: Up to $10,000 (full-time) or $5,000 (part-time) over life of apprenticeship

Eligibility:

  • Must be undertaking a clean energy apprenticeship listed in the Priority Occupation List and receive meaningful clean energy experience

Income-contingent loans to support apprentices’ living costs during training

Funding: Up to $25,374 in 2024–25

Eligibility:

Allowance for apprentices who must move away from home to undertake an apprenticeship

Funding: 

  • $77.17/week (Year 1)
  • $38.59/week (Year 2)
  • $25.00/week (Year 3)

Eligibility:

  • Must be a full-time or part-time apprentice
  • Must live away from parental/guardian home for training or work

Apply Here: Through an Apprenticeship Support Network provider

More Information: Incentive Guidelines

Energy Grants

Driving the Nation Program

To support demonstration and deployment of heavy vehicles, charging solutions and other innovation supporting uptake of BEVs.

Minimum $500,000

  • Must have an ABN
  • Must be an Australian entity, state-owned corporation or subsidiary, or local government/council
  • Use renewable energy technology
  • Use green energy, biofuels, or renewable hydrogen for ZEVs
  • Include technology demonstration or deployment
  • Take place in Australia
  • Meet guidelines on IP, gender equality, modern slavery, and knowledge sharing

Apply Here:  ARENA

More Information: Driving the Nation

Energy Innovation Fund 

The Fund provides up to $17 million over five years in flexible, early-stage grants for energy innovation projects.

Primary Eligibility Criteria

  • ABN required
  • Required insurances in place
  • ACT-based or majority of funded activities in the ACT
  • No outstanding obligations from previous Energy Innovation Fund support
  • GST-registered if turnover is over $150,000
  • Demonstrate a contribution towards the ACT’s target of net zero emissions by 2045
  • Project does not duplicate work already being undertaken by the ACT Government

Support energy innovation projects, through technology research, development and demonstrations, contributing to the ACT’s energy transformation as well as potential for export.

Funding: $50,000 to $1 million (excl. GST)

Requirements:

  • Able to complete all project milestones within three years of commencement
  • Minimum 1:1 matched co-contribution (cash contributions viewed favourably)


Apply: SmartyGrants (Open all year)

Funds innovative solutions to key policy challenges the ACT faces in accelerating the energy transition.

Funding: $20,000–$500,000 per project (excl. GST)

Eligibility:

  • Businesses must demonstrate experience with energy transition or regulatory change
  • Universities, think tanks and other research and trade institutions with expertise in the energy transition. Partnership with businesses is particularly encouraged.

Apply: SmartyGrants (Based on annual themes)

  • Innovation Clusters: Support networking opportunities, industry capacity building activities.
  • Business Accelerator: Support for commercialisation solutions for energy innovation products and services.


Funding: $30,000–$300,000 (excl. GST)

Eligibility:

  • Innovation Clusters: Businesses, and industry building not-for-profit organisations are encouraged to apply.
  • Business Accelerator: This funding is available to ACT-based businesses only


Apply: SmartyGrants (Open all year)

Source: Tailored Accounts

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