Grants up to $30 million to support the development of Australia’s critical minerals sector, downstream processing, job creation and global efforts to achieve net-zero commitments.
Current status of program
CLOSED
To register your interest in future rounds or discuss alternative grant opportunities please contact us here.
On this page you will find
What is the Critical Minerals Development Program (CMDP)?
The Critical Minerals Development Program (CMDP) aims to support projects that will strengthen Australia’s sovereign capabilities in critical minerals, which are essential for low-emissions technologies such as electric vehicles, batteries and solar panels, as well as aerospace and defence applications.
The CMDP will accelerate the development of Australia’s critical minerals sector and help both Australia and the world to achieve net-zero commitments.
The Critical Minerals Development Program (the program) will run over 3 years from 2022-23 to 2024-25.
CMDP level of support
Grants available
- Grant amount up to 50 per cent of eligible project expenditure
- Minimum grant – $1 million
- Maximum grant – $30 million
Cash contributions
- Can come from the applicant, State, Territory and local government grants and project partners
In-Kind contributions
- Maximum of 10% of the contribution (non–grant eligible project expenditure)
- Can come from the lead applicant or project partners (not including State, Territory and local governments)
CMDP important dates
- This program is currently closed
- Register your interest here with Granthelper
CMDP important details that you will need to know
CMDP objectives and outcomes
The CMDP’s objectives are to:
- support and lower the risk associated with critical development activities to help companies progress towards financing to proceed to production
- support the global transition to net-zero emissions by 2050 through the development of Australia’s critical mineral resources
- support economic development and jobs in regional communities
- support workplace gender equality, opportunities for First Nations people and economic development and jobs in regional communities
Organisations eligible for CMDP support
To be eligible for CMPDP support, you must:
- have an ACN
- be non-income-tax-exempt
- be registered for GST
and be one of the following entities:
- an entity incorporated in Australia and a trading corporation
- an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
or
- have an ABN
and be
- An Australian State/Territory Government agency or body.
Joint applications are acceptable, provided you have a lead organisation who is the main driver of the project and is eligible to apply.
See the funding guidelines for full details of eligible applicants.
Projects eligible for CMDP support
The program only accepts applications:
- for projects producing or planning to produce critical mineral(s) as listed in Australia’s Critical Minerals Strategy that are in the early to mid-stages of development, including those activities undertaken post-exploration and before final investment decision
- where project activities are substantially undertaken in Australia
- where you provide evidence from your board (or chief executive officer or equivalent if there is no board) that the project is supported, and that you can complete the project and meet the costs of the project not covered by grant funding
- where you provide evidence of your capability to provide your share of project costs (such as a funding plan that details where and how you will source funding, balance sheets, evidence of past successful capital raising, evidence of engaging credible commercial advisors)
- where all mandatory attachments are provided
You are not eligible to apply if:
- your project has already received grant support from the Commonwealth Government for the project activity
- your organisation, or your project partner, is an organisation included on the National Redress Scheme’s website on the list of ‘Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme’
- you are an employer of 100 or more employees that has not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012).
See the guidelines for full details of eligible projects.
Activities eligible for CMDP support
To be eligible for the CMDP, your activities must:
- relate directly to the project
- be between the post-exploration and final investment decision stages
- accelerate development and / or processing of your critical minerals resource
- be appropriate to the stage of your project
- have at least $2 million in eligible expenditure
Eligible activities may include:
- business cases, feasibility studies, technical assessments, flowsheet design, engineering, and technical work for early stage projects
- pilot and/or demonstration projects and FEED studies for mid-stage projects
- commercialisation of technology and IP that benefits the sector
- integrating critical mineral processing technologies that support net-zero emissions by 2050
- development of downstream manufacturing capability.
See the guidelines for full details of eligible activities.
Expenditure eligible for CMDP support
Expenditure must:
- be a direct cost of the project
- be incurred by the applicant for required project audit activities.
Eligible expenditure includes:
- costs incurred by the applicant within the project period
- activities that are a direct cost of the project
- costs incurred by the applicant to undertake required project audit activities
- costs that meet the eligible expenditure guidelines.
Ineligible expenditure includes:
- research not directly supporting eligible activities
- activities, equipment or supplies that are already being supported through other sources
- costs incurred prior to us notifying you that the application is eligible and complete
- any in-kind contributions that exceed 10 per cent as detailed in item 3.2.
- financing costs, including interest
- capital expenditure for the purchase of assets such as office furniture and equipment, motor vehicles, computers, printers or photocopiers and the construction, renovation or extension of facilities such as buildings and laboratories, except where required for the development of new pilot/demonstration facilities
- costs involved in the purchase or upgrade/hire of software (including user licences) and ICT hardware (unless it directly relates to the project)
- costs such as rental, renovations and utilities
- non-project-related staff training and development costs
- insurance costs (the participants must effect and maintain adequate insurance or similar coverage for any liability arising as a result of its participation in funded activities)
- debt financing
- costs related to obtaining resources used on the project, including interest on loans, job advertising and recruiting, and contract negotiations
- depreciation of plant and equipment beyond the life of the project
- maintenance costs
- costs of purchasing, leasing, depreciation of, or development of land
- infrastructure development costs, including development of road, rail, port or fuel delivery networks beyond the manufacturing site
- site preparation activities which are not directly related to, or for, the main purpose of the project
- opportunity costs relating to any production losses due to allocating resources to the agreed grant project
- costs of production inputs not relating to commissioning new equipment or pilot facilities
- routine operational expenses, including communications, accommodation, office computing facilities, printing and stationery, postage, legal and accounting fees and bank charges
- costs related to preparing the grant application, preparing any project reports (except costs of independent audit reports we require) and preparing any project variation requests
- travel or overseas costs that exceed 10 per cent of total project costs except where otherwise approved by the Program Delegate.
See the guidelines for full details of eligible and ineligible expenditure.
CMDP assessment criteria
| Criterion 1 | Alignment of your project with program objectives | 50 points |
| a) | how the project underpins a new supply chain of strategic relevance to Australia, that is: – material from the project feeds into a critically important supply chain (i.e. supports one or more crucial and strategically important technologies, such as lithium-ion batteries, rare earth element magnets, semiconductors, high end communication technology, defence applications, biomedical products) – the project’s output is significant relative to global demand – the existing supply chain is concentrated and at risk of disruption, and/or – the project is likely to be of interest to Australia’s international partners, including the US, Japan, South Korea, India, the UK and EU member states, and their private industries |
|
| b) | the contribution to new or strengthened sovereign capability within Australia, this may include how the project will catalyse broader growth in the sector or contribute to downstream processing in Australia | |
| c) | how the project will contribute to the global transition to net-zero emissions by 2050, and help the international economy decarbonise | |
| d) | how the project will create jobs and investment, including in regional Australia, indicating the number, type and location of the Australian jobs that will be created as part of the project | |
| e) | how you can demonstrate the credibility of the company (with supporting evidence) and how the project has comparative advantages which position it to be commercially competitive (i.e. lower costs of production, higher grade ore) | |
| f) | how the project is actively being advanced, i.e. not in care and maintenance. |
| Criterion 2 | Capacity, capability and resource to deliver the project | 30 points |
| a) | your track record and experience in managing similar projects and your plan specific to this project to utilise and manage personnel with the right skills and experience, including strong governance, management and technical expertise | |
| b) | the expertise and capacity of the project management team and partner organisations to deliver the project, including the level of full-time resources allocated to key responsibilities | |
| c) | your plan to access any finance, infrastructure, capital equipment, technology, intellectual property required to deliver the project | |
| d) | a project plan that includes, but is not limited to, scope, implementation methodology, project timeframes, a project risk assessment and risk management plan | |
| e) | your plan to achieve regulatory approvals, including, but not limited to, planning, development and environmental approvals. You may wish to include details of all completed due diligence including, technical, legal, market, tax, and financial for your project regarding to your project’s stage of development | |
| f) | your strategy to support workplace gender equality – this should document specific numerical targets, indicators, progress and actions to be undertaken during the grant activities |
|
| g) | your strategy to support First Nations engagement – this should set out objectives for First Nations participation, procurement and employment. |
| Criterion 3 | Impact of grant funding on your project | 20 points |
| a) | how the grant will benefit the project in terms of scale and timing | |
| b) | how the grant will assist the project to secure or enhance the strategic outcomes of the project and accelerate the project to its next phase of development | |
| c) | details of your and/or your investors cash contribution/s and the impact of that contribution with respect to the size of the project and percentage of development costs | |
| d) | how Government investment in the project would be unlikely to crowd out private sector financing where a project is seeking to achieve outcomes aligned with the Critical Minerals Strategy | |
| e) | how the project will progress if grant funding is not awarded to it. |
See the guidelines for full details of the assessment.
How do I get the CMDP?
You should read and understand the guidelines.
Applicants that do not meet all the eligibility criteria outlined above will not be considered.
The committee considers application on its merits, based on:
- how well it meets the criteria
- how it compares to other applications
- whether it provides value with relevant money.
When assessing whether the application represents value with relevant money, the committee will have regard to:
- the overall objectives of the grant opportunity
- the evidence provided to demonstrate how your project contributes to meeting those objectives
- the relative value of the grant sought.
Information to prepare for the CMDP application
Applicants are required to provide the following attachments within their application:
- a project plan
- a project budget
- evidence of financial viability including your strategy and any supporting evidence that demonstrates your ability to co-fund the project e.g. financial statements, loan agreements, cash flow documents
- evidence of support from the board, CEO or equivalent (template provided on business.gov.au and GrantConnect). Where the CEO or equivalent submits the application, we will accept this as evidence of support
- any additional due diligence reports such as feasibility studies (for projects in the planning, design and construction phase), pre-feasibility studies (for projects in the feasibility stage) market or asset modelling, technical or legal reports, key project agreements (where applicable)
- gender equality and First Nations recruitment, procurement and engagement plans (you may wish to refer to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency and the National Indigenous Australians Agency for support)
- a register of shareholders with over 5 per cent ownership in the company
- trust deed (where applicable)
- evidence of your track record and experience in managing similar projects, those of the project management team and (where appropriate) partner organisations.
See the guidelines for full details of information requirements.
Applying for CMDP
Applications are submitted online via the SmartyGrants portal.
To apply for the CMDP, you must:
- complete and submit your application through the online portal
- provide all the information requested
- address all eligibility and assessment criteria
- include all necessary attachments
In circumstances that an organisation may want to join together as a group to deliver the project, there must be an appointed lead organisation. Only the lead organisation can submit the application form and enter into the grant agreement with the Commonwealth.
The application should identify all members of the proposed group and include a letter of support from each of the project partners.
See the guidelines for full details of the letter of support.
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CMDP resources
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