Grants are one of the few sources of non-dilutive funding available to Australian small businesses. Unlike loans, you do not pay them back. Unlike equity, you do not give up ownership. The catch is that they are competitive, often matched, and require a strong application that aligns with specific government priorities.
As of 2026, there are over 597 grant programs listed on the business.gov.au grants finder, spanning federal, state, and local government initiatives. The current policy emphasis sits heavily on innovation, decarbonisation, sovereign manufacturing, and export development under the "Future Made in Australia" agenda.
This guide covers the major federal programs available nationwide, then breaks down what is available in each state and territory.
These programs are open to eligible businesses regardless of location.
The EMDG is Australia's flagship export assistance program, administered by Austrade. It reimburses up to 50% of eligible export marketing costs on a matched basis.
Funding tiers for 2025-26 and 2026-27:
The program has a total annual allocation of up to $104.5 million with a lifetime cap of approximately $770,000 per recipient. You must spend at least $20,000 of your own funds on eligible export marketing activities to qualify.
Aligned with National Reconstruction Fund priorities including manufacturing, clean energy, medical science, and critical technologies. Two streams are available:
While technically a tax offset rather than a direct grant, the R&D Tax Incentive provides a refundable offset for eligible SMEs (under $20 million aggregated turnover) conducting research and development activities in Australia. This is administered through AusIndustry.
For SMEs building sovereign capability, grants range from $5,000 to $1,000,000 covering up to 50% of eligible costs across four streams: Sovereign Industrial Priorities, Exports, Security, and Skilling.
Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) offers loans of up to $500,000 at a fixed rate of 5.5% for five years for businesses with 50% or more Indigenous ownership. This is substantially below standard market rates. Additional targeted streams exist through Supply Nation procurement programs and Screen Australia documentary funding (up to $45,000).
Each state and territory runs its own grant programs aligned with local economic priorities. Programs open and close regularly, so always check the relevant state government website or business.gov.au for current availability.
NSW tends to focus its grant programs on innovation, tech commercialisation, and the net zero transition.
Victoria has one of the broadest grant portfolios, with particular strength in creative industries, advanced manufacturing, and sustainability.
Queensland's 2026 procurement policy also includes dedicated support and contracting opportunities for small businesses.
WA's grant focus reflects its resource economy, with strong support for energy transition and regional development.
Tasmania's programs tend to be smaller in individual grant size but more accessible for micro and small businesses.
The NT focuses primarily on trade facilitation and regional economic development.
The ACT's grant programs lean heavily toward sustainability and energy innovation.
Beyond state-based programs, several industry-specific funding pathways exist:
Grant applications are competitive. Federal grants typically require applications to score at least 65% against all assessment criteria to be considered meritorious. Here is what strengthens your odds:
One of the most effective uses of grant funding is as a leverage component within a broader finance strategy. Structure your funding mix so that the grant reduces your debt requirement or de-risks your investment, rather than treating it as the sole funding source.
For example, a $100,000 matched grant effectively converts a $200,000 growth project into one where you only need to fund $100,000 from cash flow or debt. This makes both the grant application and any accompanying loan application stronger.
Scale Suite provides embedded finance teams for Australian SMEs. Our services include bookkeeping and BAS lodgement, cash flow forecasting, budgeting and financial modelling, and fractional CFO advisory. For grant applications, we ensure your financial statements, projections, and compliance records meet the standard that assessors expect.
As a registered BAS agent and Chartered Accountant practice based in Sydney, Scale Suite provides the financial rigour that strengthens both grant and loan applications for growing Australian businesses.
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Learn more at www.scalesuite.com.au
There are over 597 grant programs listed on the business.gov.au grants finder as of 2026, spanning federal, state, and local government initiatives. These cover a wide range of industries, business stages, and activities including export, innovation, manufacturing, clean energy, and regional development.
At the federal level, the Industry Growth Program offers growth grants of up to $5 million on a matched basis. The Battery Breakthrough Initiative provides between $2 million and $200 million for qualifying projects. At the state level, WA's Battery Manufacturing Scale-Up offers up to $5 million. Most small business grants range from $5,000 to $500,000.
The EMDG is Australia's primary export assistance grant, administered by Austrade. It reimburses up to 50% of eligible export marketing costs with grants ranging from $20,000 to $80,000 per year depending on your export stage. The program has a lifetime cap of approximately $770,000 and requires a minimum spend of $20,000 on eligible activities.
Yes. Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) offers loans of up to $500,000 at a fixed rate of 5.5% for five years for businesses with 50% or more Indigenous ownership. Additional programs exist through Supply Nation, Screen Australia, and various state-level co-investment funds that prioritise First Nations participation.
The most comprehensive starting point is the business.gov.au grants finder at business.gov.au/grants-and-programs, which allows you to filter by state, industry, and business stage. Each state government also maintains its own grants portal with current open programs.
Most grant programs require an active ABN, evidence of SME status (typically under $100 million turnover), a detailed project plan with budget, financial statements demonstrating business viability, and alignment with the specific program's objectives. Many grants are matched, meaning you need to co-fund a portion of the project from your own resources.
The most common reasons are misalignment with program priorities, incomplete documentation, ineligible expenses, generic applications that do not address assessment criteria specifically, and unrealistic budgets. Federal grants require a minimum score of 65% against all criteria to be considered meritorious.
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