Businesses conducting R&D activities can access Australia's R&D Tax Incentive (a tax offset, not a grant) as well as direct grant programs from the ARC, NHMRC and Cooperative Research Centres. Programs support basic research through to applied R&D and commercialisation.
What these grants can fund
- Basic and applied research activities
- Experimental development and prototyping
- Collaborative research with universities
- Commercialisation of research outcomes
- Research infrastructure and equipment
- International research collaboration
Common eligibility requirements
- Australian incorporated company or research institution
- Eligible R&D activities as defined by ATO/AusIndustry
- Minimum eligible R&D expenditure may apply
- Academic institutions need university ethics approval
- Industry partnerships often required for CRC programs
Eligibility varies by program. Always check the official source before applying.
Open programs
Showing 12 of 37This grant seeks to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal families and strengthen the Aboriginal Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) research workforce across NSW. It funds the formation of a new consortium to generate policy-relevant evidence, support prevention and early intervention strategies, and build Aboriginal research capacity in AOD.
A scheme that supports academic researchers in establishing careers in industry and industry-based researchers working in university settings. Provides salary contribution for up to 5 years and project costs to foster two-way mobility and skill-building in research collaboration, translation and commercialisation.
Provides funding for taxonomy and systematics research, training, and recruitment of taxonomists in Australia. Supports projects researching the taxonomy of Australian biota aligned with three priority areas: Biodiversity and Conservation, Public and Environmental Health, and Building Taxonomic Capacity. Seven grant streams available with funding up to $375,000 depending on the stream and career stage.
Supports research projects that initiate or develop long-term strategic research alliances between higher education organisations and research end-users (business, industry, community organisations, or publicly funded research agencies). Projects must apply advanced knowledge to problems, acquire new knowledge, and secure commercial or other benefits of research.
A scheme that supports academic researchers in establishing careers in industry and industry-based researchers working in university settings. Provides salary contribution for up to 4 years and project costs to strengthen industry collaboration skills, develop research with HDR students and early-career researchers, and deliver actionable outcomes for industry partners.
The DECRA scheme provides focused research support for early career researchers in both teaching and research, and research-only positions. It funds three-year research projects with salary and on-costs for the researcher, plus up to $50,000 per year in project costs. Funding supports personnel, equipment, field research, travel, and dissemination of research outputs.
A scheme that supports academic researchers in establishing careers in industry and industry-based researchers working in university settings. Provides salary contribution for up to 3 years and project costs up to $150,000, with the aim of increasing two-way mobility and skill-building in research collaboration, translation and commercialisation.
The MRFF Clinical Trials Activity Initiative provides grants to support medical research projects conducting clinical trials for rare cancers, rare diseases, and unmet health needs across four streams: feasibility pilots, targeted clinical trials, health technology assessment evidence trials, and prevention trials. The grant aims to improve evidence-based healthcare delivery and increase patient access to high-quality clinical trials in Australia.
This $25 million competitive funding round supports research and development activities in renewable hydrogen production, storage, and distribution technologies. The program aims to commercialize renewable hydrogen through innovative R&D across two streams: Hydrogen and Hydrogen Vector Production, or Hydrogen Storage and Distribution.
ARENA's $60 million funding round supports research and development to accelerate cost reductions in Australian solar PV technology, aiming to achieve a Levelised Cost of Electricity under $20 per MWh. The program funds projects across two streams: cells and modules (targeting over 30% module efficiency and costs below 30 cents per watt) and balance of systems/operations and maintenance (reducing deployment and operational costs through innovation including AI, robotics, and novel construction approaches).
ARENA's Research and Development program funds emerging renewable energy technologies, particularly solar solutions, that require investment not typically available in the commercial market. The program supports local companies and research institutions in developing world-leading renewable energy solutions through research, development, and demonstration projects.
This opportunity is closed and no longer accepting applications. It previously encompassed two programs: the Second Generation Biofuels Research and Development Program, which supported research, development and demonstration of new biofuel technologies and feedstocks for sustainable biofuels industry development in Australia; and the Solar Flagships Program, which supported construction and demonstration of large-scale, grid-connected solar power stations to enable solar power to play a significant role in Australia's electricity supply.
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.