Grants Navigator

Find the grants you qualify for,
and actually get the money

Most businesses leave grant funding on the table — not because they don't qualify, but because they don't know what's available or how to apply compliantly. We identify what you're eligible for, prepare the financial schedules, and submit applications that hold up to scrutiny.

Grant Identification

Most business owners don't know what grant programs exist, and the ones they do know about have usually already closed. We conduct a structured assessment of your business — industry, stage, activity, location, and headcount — and map it against current federal and state programs to identify what you actually qualify for.

What's included

  • Business eligibility assessment across key criteria
  • Federal grant program mapping — DCCEEW, AusIndustry, ARENA, NISA and others
  • State and territory grant program review by jurisdiction
  • Industry-specific program identification — manufacturing, agribusiness, tech, health
  • Export market development grants (EMDG) eligibility review
  • Early-stage and startup-specific program identification
  • Grant calendar — upcoming rounds, deadlines and application windows
  • Prioritised shortlist of opportunities by value and likelihood of success

What most businesses miss

  • State government programs are often more accessible than federal — and less competitive
  • Many grants are activity-based, not industry-based — what you do matters more than what sector you're in
  • Co-investment requirements mean some grants only work if you're already spending
  • Deadlines are hard — a missed round can mean waiting 12 months for the next one

Expected outcomes

01
A clear picture of what's available and what you're genuinely eligible for
02
No time wasted chasing programs you don't qualify for
03
Grant calendar so you plan activity around application windows
04
A prioritised shortlist ranked by value, effort, and probability of success

Federal Grants

Federal grant programs typically offer the largest funding amounts — but come with detailed eligibility criteria, strict documentation requirements, and competitive assessment processes. We prepare federal grant applications that are compliant, well-evidenced, and commercially coherent.

What's included

  • Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) — preparation and lodgement
  • Entrepreneurs' Programme — eligibility assessment and application support
  • Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) and industry fund applications
  • ARENA and clean energy program applications
  • Regional and rural business program applications
  • Financial schedules — project budgets, co-investment evidence, acquittals
  • Application narrative aligned to assessment criteria
  • Post-award milestone reporting and compliance support

How federal assessment works

  • Applications are scored against published merit criteria — we write to the criteria, not around them
  • Financial schedules must be accurate, consistent with your accounts, and properly evidenced
  • Co-investment and additionality requirements are strictly interpreted
  • Post-award reporting obligations are binding — non-compliance affects future eligibility

Expected outcomes

01
A compliant federal application prepared to the assessment criteria
02
Financial schedules that tie to your accounts and withstand scrutiny
03
Co-investment evidence documented and structured correctly
04
Post-award reporting obligations understood and calendared

State Grants

State and territory grant programs are often overlooked in favour of federal programs — but they're frequently less competitive, faster to process, and better matched to where most SMEs actually operate. We track active programs across all Australian jurisdictions and manage applications end-to-end.

What's included

  • Business Victoria, Investment NSW, DITI Queensland and equivalents
  • Small business grants — digital transformation, energy efficiency, workforce
  • Industry development and capability building grants
  • Regional development and relocation incentive programs
  • Jobs and payroll tax incentive schemes
  • Co-investment and matched funding programs
  • Application preparation, financial schedules and lodgement
  • Acquittal documentation and compliance reporting

Why state grants are underused

  • Programs open and close frequently — awareness is the first barrier
  • Application processes vary significantly by state and program type
  • Many require matched funding or proof of expenditure already incurred
  • Acquittal requirements catch businesses off guard after the money lands

Expected outcomes

01
Active state programs identified across relevant jurisdictions
02
Applications prepared and lodged before closing dates
03
Matched funding requirements planned and evidenced correctly
04
Acquittal documentation prepared so funding isn't clawed back

R&D Tax Incentive

Australia's R&D Tax Incentive is one of the most valuable programs available to innovative businesses — a cash refund or tax offset of up to 43.5% on eligible R&D expenditure. But claiming it incorrectly creates significant ATO and AusIndustry risk. We manage the process from eligibility scoping through to lodgement.

What's included

  • Eligibility assessment — core and supporting activity identification
  • Experimental activities scoping against ATO and AusIndustry definitions
  • Contemporaneous documentation framework and record-keeping setup
  • R&D expenditure calculation — direct, notional and feedstock rules
  • AusIndustry registration — activity descriptions and technical narrative
  • ATO R&D schedule preparation and income tax return integration
  • Overseas finding applications where relevant
  • ATO review support and audit defence documentation

Where claims go wrong

  • Activities described commercially rather than in terms of experimental hypothesis
  • Contemporaneous records don't exist or weren't kept during the income year
  • Software development claimed without meeting the specific software conditions
  • Expenditure allocated to R&D that doesn't meet the nexus requirements

Expected outcomes

01
A defensible R&D claim backed by complete contemporaneous records
02
Maximum eligible expenditure identified and correctly allocated
03
AusIndustry registration prepared to withstand technical review
04
Ongoing claim structure that improves each year as your R&D program matures

Financial Schedules

Every grant application lives or dies on its financial schedules. Assessors check whether budgets are realistic, whether claimed expenditure ties to your accounts, and whether the numbers are internally consistent. We prepare financial schedules that are accurate, well-structured, and built to support — not undermine — your application.

What's included

  • Project budget preparation — labour, materials, contractors, overheads
  • Co-investment and matched funding calculations and evidence
  • Historical financial summary aligned to grant eligibility criteria
  • Expenditure acquittal schedules for milestone-based payments
  • Labour rate calculations — actual cost vs. award rate reconciliation
  • Overhead allocation methodology and supporting documentation
  • Financial statements preparation or extraction for application use
  • Consistency review across all financial components of the application

Why financials are often the weak point

  • Budget line items that don't match the project description trigger questions
  • Labour costs claimed at rates that can't be reconciled to payroll records
  • Co-investment evidence that doesn't satisfy the program's definition of eligible expenditure
  • Acquittal schedules prepared without understanding what the program actually requires

Expected outcomes

01
Financial schedules that are accurate, consistent, and assessor-ready
02
Co-investment evidence structured to satisfy program requirements
03
Labour and overhead calculations that reconcile to your underlying records
04
Acquittal documentation prepared correctly so milestone payments aren't delayed