The majority of Australian government grants explicitly target small and medium-sized enterprises. With 800+ programs available, SMEs are the best-served sector — with funding for growth, innovation, export, sustainability and skills available at both state and federal levels. If you run a business with fewer than 200 employees, most programs are accessible to you.
What these grants can fund
- Business expansion and capital investment
- Technology adoption and digital transformation
- Export market development
- Workforce training and skills investment
- Energy efficiency and sustainability upgrades
- R&D and product innovation
Common eligibility requirements
- Typically fewer than 200 employees (some programs cap at 20 or 50)
- Registered Australian business entity with a valid ABN
- Some programs have a turnover cap (commonly under $10M or $50M)
- Minimum trading period often required (12–24 months)
- Must be operating for profit in most grant programs
Eligibility varies by program. Always check the official source before applying.
Open programs
Showing 12 of 1885Funding under Phase 4 of the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program is available from 1 July 2023 to support Eligible Funding Recipients to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across Australia. LRCI Phase 4 continues the objective of the program to provide temporary, targeted support for creating and maintaining local jobs through road infrastructure and construction activities in communities across Australia. The intended outcomes of the program are to: deliver benefits to communities, such as improved road safety, accessibility and visual amenity; and create local short-term employment opportunities through funding construction projects Eligibility: Eligible Funding Recipients for Phase 4 are the same as for Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the LRCI Program. Grant Activity Timeframe: Phase 4 project construction can only begin once funding recipients have in place an executed Grant Agreement and Approved Work Schedule. Total Amount Availa
The objective of the Ideas Grant scheme is to support innovative research projects addressing specific question(s). The expected outcomes are: • innovative and creative research • funding of researchers at all career stages • funding any area of health and medical research from discovery to implementation. It is expected that the CIA will have the capability to lead the team in achieving the project aims. Only applications that address the intended objective and outcomes will be competitive for funding. The Ideas Grant scheme is not intended to support research where a clinical trial or cohort study is the primary objective, and applications meeting that description should be submitted to the Clinical Trial and Cohort Studies Grant scheme. Where applications have elements consistent with both the Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grant scheme and the Ideas Grant scheme, applicants should decide where the project is predominantly suited, based on the objectives and intended outcomes of
The ESVCLP program supports fund managers and investors in stimulating early stage venture capital investments in Australia. Fund managers can raise venture capital funds between $10 million and $200 million to invest in innovative early stage businesses, while both fund managers and investors receive tax benefits including exemptions on income and gains from eligible investments.
A venture capital investment program that provides capital and professional expertise to innovative Australian early-stage companies and high-growth startups. The program offers increased fund sizes up to $200 million, a 10% tax offset on capital deployed into start-up companies, and a tax-exempt environment for investment returns.
A program that provides capital for early-stage venture capital limited partnerships to invest in innovative Australian businesses. The program attracts venture capital investors to high-potential sectors including agricultural technology, enabling funding for companies like SwarmFarm Robotics to develop and scale cutting-edge solutions.
Grant information is sourced from official government websites and updated regularly. Program details, eligibility and closing dates change — always verify with the official source before applying. Last data update: February 2026.