New Industry Development Grants

The objectives of the NIDG are to:

• support new industry and business expansion in Native Forestry Timber Regions
• accelerate business development, future-proof economies, create new industries

Eligible Applicants:

• must have an ACN or ABN
• be a legal and solvent entity capable of entering into a funding agreement with the Government of Western Australia
• must be a solvent Australian-based business or organisation
• need to propose a project within the Native Forestry Timber Regions
• must submit a comprehensive application via Smarty Grants

Ineligible Organisations:

• local, State, or Federal Government Authorities/Agencies
• Government Trading Enterprises (GTEs)
• individuals without an ABN
• businesses that have received payments from certain Business Transition Programs or Industry and Community Development Programs

Ineligible Projects:

• project activities outside of Western Australia

Ineligible Expenditure:

• retrospective, contingency, or ongoing operational costs
• ongoing salaries/employment of new or existing staff
• core business expenses (e.g., off-the-shelf software, recruitment activities, design and printing of sales promotion materials, advertising, and general legal advice)
• GST payments (applies to GST registered organisations only)

1. Demonstrated Alignment with Program Objectives (30%)

• future-proof regional economies
• foster innovation in the regions
• generate jobs for displaced timber workers
• support sustainable projects
• emphasise uniqueness and competitive neutrality

2. Jobs in the Native Forestry Timber Regions (30%)

• create new jobs, including apprenticeships
• protect and develop existing jobs
• enhance skills and capabilities
• explore trade and import substitution opportunities

3. Organisational Capacity (20%)

• demonstrate financial capability
• maintain a robust governance structure
• have key personnel with relevant expertise
• showcase demonstrated experience

4. Project Preparedness (20%)

• projects likely to deliver tangible outcomes in the region within two years

You should check eligibility.

You should address on one or more objectives: Future-proofing regional economies, bringing innovation to the regions, creating jobs for displaced timber workers, and implementing sustainable projects.

Successful applicants will demonstrate:

• innovation: explain the project’s unique features and why it’s innovative
• job creation: provide job details, including titles, numbers, and employment status
• sustainability: show how the project improves Western Australian sustainability, with evidence
• competitive neutrality: explain how the project won’t harm other local businesses and identify competitors
• trade opportunities: present potential interstate, overseas, or import replacement trade possibilities
• organisational capacity: provide evidence of financial solvency, governance structure, and key personnel
• project preparedness: showcase readiness within two years with outcomes, timeline, budget, approvals, risks, engagement plan, and evaluation

Information requirements may include:

Business Details

• description: date of establishment, brief history, structure, business goals, and products/services.
• employment structure: number of Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) employed.
• existing markets: Overview of current trading locations, including local (WA), interstate, and international.

Proposed Project:

• project description: explanation of the proposed project and its purpose
• funding amount: requested funding, noting the maximum grant award of $2 million, which requires matching funds
• spending plan: description of how the grant funds will be utilised, listing key tasks and activities
• grant necessity: justification for grant funding to support the project’s implementation
• funding balance: explanation of how the remaining project balance will be funded (matching funds)
• innovation: explanation of why the project is considered innovative
• competitive neutrality: demonstration that the project will not harm local businesses economically
• trade opportunities: details of new trade opportunities created by the project (interstate, overseas, import replacement)
• sustainability contribution: outline of how the project will enhance the overall sustainability of the Western Australian environment

Applications are submitted online via the Native Forest Transition portal.

Book a no obligation discovery session with GrantHelper to explore your alignment with this grant and how we can assist you to increase your chances of success.