Agrifood and Beverage Voucher Program

The program has been established to support eligible small businesses operating in Western Australia (WA) who are seeking to grow their business to:

• Increase direct and indirect jobs;
• Improve international competitiveness;
• Facilitate growth, diversification and expansion domestically and internationally through the provision of expert advice;
• Research technological solutions to improve efficiency and resolve digital problems;
• Encourage sustainable and socially responsible business practices and improved environmental outcomes; and
• Lower carbon and greenhouse gas emissions

To be eligible to apply for Vouchers applicants must:

• Be a food or beverage manufacturer for all voucher categories, or a food producer intending to transition to food or beverage manufacturing for the Manufacturing for Business Growth category. (note: manufacturer converts raw agricultural materials into new products);
• Have annual sales turnover between $100k and $50m;
• Have a current Australian Business Number (ABN) and be located in Western Australia;
• Be a going concern – i.e. will continue to trade into the foreseeable future and there are no plans, events and/or circumstances known to the Applicant which would result in their business ceasing to trade;
• Have operated for a minimum of 18 months and incorporated in Australia with nontax-exempt status;
• Be able to provide evidence of a business plan. Applicants that are unable to provide evidence are only eligible to apply for a voucher for professional services related to Category 1 – Business Planning;
• Be able to demonstrate through the citing of independent market research (sourced internally or externally) that they have products and markets with the potential for growth, or are facing a known sustainability issue;
• Agree to participate in future program evaluation activity such as a survey or interview within 24 months of the Service Completion Form being completed;
• Agree and be able to meet the cash co-contribution requirement of minimum of a minimum of 50 percent of the total cost of professional services;
• Apply for new projects and in different voucher categories if they have received vouchers in previous rounds;
• Meet all industrial relations obligations as an employer in accordance with the National Employment Standards; and
• Meet all building, development, waste management and safety compliance requirements, or be specifically using the voucher to work towards resolving a compliance issue to overcome a barrier to business growth.

Applicants will not be eligible for a voucher if their business (SME) is:

• A majority foreign owned or is a subsidiary of larger conglomerates (umbrella companies) with an annual sales turnover of $50 million or more;
• Simply packaging or boxing raw ingredients sourced from other producers and selling direct to consumers or the food service sector;
• A food service businesses (e.g. restaurants, cafes) producing meals;
• An individual;
• A commonwealth, state and local government agency or body;
• A publicly funded research institution;
• An industry association;
• A not-for-profit organisation; or
• A community-based organisation

See the guidelines for full details of organisations eligible for AFBV support.

Eligible activities include, but are not limited to:

• Business planning: Business evaluation/plan.
• Manufacturing for business growth: Primary producers transitioning to manufacturing, quality assurance, QA certification, HACCP plans, digital and technology, and compatibility/integration planning of automation opportunities.
• Sales and marketing: E-commerce strategy development, online marketing plan and analytics, marketing planning, competitor analysis, customer insights, branding, packaging design, and preparing for export.
• Financial health: Structure for capital raising, financial projections, investment memoranda, pitch decks, and succession planning.
• Environmental sustainability and social responsibility: Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) strategy development, planning improved outcomes for environment and/or communities with measurable business co-benefits, sustainable packaging, waste stream repurposing, energy efficiency and carbon assessment, etc.

Eligible project expenditure for voucher funded activities includes project-related non-capital expenditure required to deliver the project and project-related costs of the professional service provider as agreed by DPIRD upon issue of the voucher.

The following activities and expenditure cannot be funded:

• Capital expenditure
• Non-strategic or non-planning activities
• Internal costs, salaries or resources of the applicant
• Software and hardware purchases
• Interpreting and translation (with the exception of branding or promotional translating associated with broader promotional campaigns or for product labelling and packaging under the Export Capability Development stream)
• Costs associated with minor or non-technical alterations of a physical product to suit a specific market
• Costs associated with applying for government grants and public funding programs
• Basic professional services such as ongoing, routine accounting, tax and legal business
• Routine maintenance requirements, licensing, costs associated with export documentation, legal/intellectual property costs and financing fees
• Routine training courses undertaken as a normal part of operating a business (e.g., a spreadsheet or word processing course) and higher education degrees (e.g. an MBA). Short professional development activities that are shown to DIRECTLY contribute to solving an issue or capturing an opportunity may be considered;
• Services relating to import activities
• Projects where the primary purpose relates to offshore manufacturing
• Intellectual property fees and charges associated with registering domestic or international patents or other intellectual property enforcement expenses
• Any administrative fees or surcharges for administering the expenditures listed above
• Any other expenditure as determined by the Department that does not meet program conditions

See the guidelines for full details of activities and expenditure eligible for AFBV support.

The main assessment criteria include:

1. Evidence that the proposed activity will contribute to business growth and/or increased sustainability credentials. (25%)
2. Evidence the activity will deliver competitive advantage to the business (new products, new markets, new processes, new systems and/or improved sustainability/environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices). (25%)
3. Relevant experience and track record of the Professional Service Provider, and the ‘value for money’, and methodology presented in the written quotation. (25%)
4. Demonstrated supply chain relationships and strategic relationships to understand market and product development opportunities and challenges or evidence of actions taken to identify and understand market access restrictions or other sustainability/environmental management related risks. (15%)
5. Evidence of existing business planning already undertaken, and how this has identified the need for the proposed activity. (10%)

See the guidelines for full details of the assessment criteria.

You should read and understand the guidelines.

You need to ensure you are eligible for the funding. Applicants that do not meet all the eligibility criteria outlined above will not be considered.

In addition to the eligibility criteria, applicants must meet the following compliance criteria to be eligible for assistance under the program depending on the nature of their commercial structure:

• An Incorporated Trustee can apply on behalf of a Trust provided that the Trustee has the power to enter into an agreement and will remain sufficiently liable for the performance of that agreement; and
• Individual Partners may apply on behalf of a Partnership provided that the Partners will remain sufficiently liable for the performance of any agreement they sign.

Applicants must supply the following information:

• If a trustee of a trust, a copy of the trust deed that outlines that the trustee has the authority to make application on behalf of the trust;
• Bank account details;
• Physical and postal addresses; and
• Contact details.

Applicants who meet eligibility requirements will also be requested to upload two electronic files:

1. Evidence of a business plan for all voucher categories other than Category 1 – Business Planning. Applicants without a business plan are encouraged to apply for a voucher to support development of a business plan. Applications for categories other than Category 1 (or with quotations for activities not deemed business planning) that do not include an uploaded plan or part thereof, will be considered ineligible; and
2. A detailed written quotation from your proposed Professional Service Provider.

See the guidelines for full details of information requirements.

Applicants must submit an application online via the SmartyGrants portal.

Register your interest here with GrantHelper to explore your alignment with this program and how we can assist you to increase your chances of success.