Deadline: 19-Jul-23
A new round of the Local Capability Fund (LCF) grant program has been announced for businesses based in WA’s Goldfields-Esperance region.
The $100,000 grant round will provide funding to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enhance their capacity, capability and competitiveness to supply major projects and markets in Australia and overseas.
The Local Capability Fund (LCF) is a funding program under the Industry Facilitation Scheme (The Scheme). The Scheme is an approved guideline under section 10 of the Industry and Technology Development Act 1998.
Objectives of this round
- The objective of the Golfields/ Esperance Regional Round is to provide Western Australian businesses in the Golfields/ Esperance with funding support to enhance their capacity, capability and competitiveness to participate as suppliers of products, services and works to Western Australian State or Local Government agencies, the Australian Government and the private sector.
- Assistance provided under the LCF may include:
- upgrading plant and equipment;
- staff training and upskilling;
- implementing improvements to internal business infrastructure;
- overcoming barriers and constraints impacting on business viability; and
- engaging specialist advice on eligible activities (such as business and market planning and improvements to internal business systems).
Funding Information
- The $100,000 grant round will provide funding to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
- Funding of 75% of eligible costs (excluding GST) up to a maximum of $20,000 is available per successful applicant.
Eligible Activities
- External expertise for the purposes of:
- Planning and business advice, including, and not limited to:
- Strategic and business planning
- Development and implementation of marketing plans
- Supply chain facilitation
- Tender submission advice and preparation
- Preparation and submission of applications for other government and international grants Improvements to internal business infrastructure / systems, including, however not limited to:
- Production systems
- Transportation and distribution systems
- IT and communication systems including cyber security
- Implementation and certification of national and international standards and management systems
- Operational and other activities identified as necessary to meet the pre-qualification requirements of the target market Training, including, however not limited to:
- Up-skilling of employees which leads to improved operational processes
- Training that is part of the employer’s staff development program
- Travel and accommodation costs associated with training – where local options are not available
- Costs involved in bringing registered trainers to deliver local group training
- Planning and business advice, including, and not limited to:
- Plant and Equipment, including, however not limited to:
- Acquiring new equipment or machinery
- Acquiring second-hand equipment or machinery through a dealer
- Modifying existing equipment or machinery
- Upgrades or expansions to applicant owned business operating facilities
- Specialised motor vehicles. These are vehicles which perform specific and specialised functions and are used exclusively for business purposes (e.g. bobcats, forklifts, cherry pickers, back hoes, bucket trucks etc.)
- Specialised computer hardware and software (e.g. tender management software; project management software; on-line sales and marketing systems).
Eligibility Criteria
- To be eligible, your business must, at a minimum:
- Have an Australian Business Number (ABN);
- Be a for-profit organisation or business (not-for-profits and charities are ineligible);
- Have its principal place of business reside in one of the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the Goldfields-Esperance region
- Have been operating in the Goldfields-Esperance for at least 12 months
- Employ less than 200 people.
- Other eligibility requirements do apply, and interested businesses are encouraged to see the application form for a complete list.
For more information, visit LCF.