Search

Funding Assistance

The FoodTech Pilot program was successfully completed and ceased operations on 30 June 2008.
For SME enquiries, or enquiries about the FoodTech program, please contact Lloyd Higginbotham - 03 9731 3341 or lloyd.higginbotham@csiro.au.

Funding Assistance for Innovation in the Food Industry

  • The FoodTech Program helps clients to find sources of funding assistance or grants to offset the cost of technology uptake. A number of options are available.
  • This document provides information on some of the funding sources that may be most appropriate. The list is not exhaustive and specific programs may be available depending on the nature of the innovation.
  • Funding is available from Federal and State government agencies, semi-government organisations and industry bodies. In most cases funding is competitive, requires applications or registration in advance and involves matching or other contributions from the company requesting the grant. Generally, strict eligibility criteria apply and there is a competitive assessment process against advertised guidelines. The application and assessment process can be time consuming and there is no guarantee of success. Applications which do not meet specific eligibility criteria are generally not funded regardless of merit.
  • A brief summary of each source of funding follows, together with a link to more detailed information and application processes where available.

Federal Government R&D Funding Sources

Ausindustry www.ausindustry.gov.au

  • R&D Tax Concession. A broad-based, market driven tax concession which allows companies to deduct up to 125% of qualifying expenditure. A 175% Incremental (Premium) Tax Concession and R&D Tax Offset are also available in certain circumstances.
  • Commercialising Emerging Technologies. A competitive, merit based grants program delivered by private sector Consultant Business Advisers.
  • Commercial Ready. A competitive merit-based grant program supporting innovation and its commercialisation. It aims to stimulate greater innovation and productivity growth in the private sector by providing around $200 million per year in competitive grants to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) between 2004-05 and 2010-11. It offers industry a single entry point to competitive grants for early-stage commercialisation activities, research and development (R&D) with high commercial potential and proof-of-concept activities.

Australian Research Council (ARC)

www.arc.gov.au

  • ARC Linkage Grants. Support collaborative research projects between higher education researchers and industry and identifies an allocation to projects of benefit to regional and rural communities. Proposals must contain an industry contribution.

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)

www.daff.gov.au

  • Food Processing in Regional Australia Program (FPRAP). A competitive grants program that offers matched funding of up to $200,000 to help SMEs operating in rural and regional Australia to add value to food-related produce or commodities.
  • New Industries Development Program (NIDP). NIDP helps people in the agricultural, processed food, fisheries and forestry industries turn innovative business ideas into competitive, profitable and sustainable commercial ventures through competitive based grants, scholarships and learning tools.

National Food Innovation Strategy (NFIS)

www.nfis.com.au

  • Food Innovation Grants (FIG). Range in value from $25,000 to $1.5 million. The focus is on addressing science and technical issues that will lead to a commercial benefit to your business and to Australia.
  • (Program now closed but may reopen after July 2007).

All Government Funding Assistance in Australia

  • Government Grants Guide GrantsLINK. Learn how GrantsLINK works and the types of grants the Australian Government provides: www.grantslink.gov.au.
  • Government Support Programs (2003). An exhaustive list of Commonwealth and State Government grant programs in Australia: www.innovation.gov.au.
  • Grants and Programs Wizard. Find out which awards, grants and programs apply to you and your business from a comprehensive range of State, Commonwealth and local Government programs: www.business.vic.gov.au.

Help us to help you

  • If you are aware of additional useful funding sources, please let us know about them so they can be added to this listing.
  • If, by using this in information, you become aware of errors or inaccuracies, please contact us and we will update and correct the information.