Deadline: 1 July 2019
The Australian Government is accepting applications for its Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Grants to support industry-led collaborations between industry, researchers and the community.
The program is a proven model for linking researchers with industry to focus on research and development towards use and commercialisation.
Objectives
The objectives of the program are to:
- improve the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of Australian industries, especially where Australia has a competitive strength, and in line with government priorities
- foster high quality research to solve industry-identified problems through industry-led and outcome-focused collaborative research partnerships between industry entities and research
- organisations encourage and facilitate small and medium enterprise (SME) participation in collaborative research.
Elements
The program consists of two elements:
- Cooperative Research Centres Grants (CRCs) to support medium to long term, industry-led collaborations; and
- Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-Ps) to support short term, industry-led collaborative research.
Grant Information
There is no minimum and maximum grant amount. Grants to date have ranged between $7 million and $75 million, depending on the scope and complexity of the project.
Intended Outcomes
The intended outcomes of the program include:
- establishing industry-research sector collaborations
- SME participation in collaborative research
- collaborative research results
- research results relevant to government priorities
- increased research skills in industry and increased industry capability in research
- improved competitiveness and productivity for industry participating in CRCs and CRC-Ps
- industry, research and other users valuing the program.
Eligibility criteria
- Eligible Applicants:
- CRC grants are open to all industry sectors and research disciplines and funding is available to organisations from all industry, research and community sectors.
- Applicant must apply as a group of applicants who have agreed to collaborate.
- If applicants application is successful, applicant must establish their CRC as an incorporated company, limited by guarantee.
- Each CRC must include and maintain amongst its project partners at least:
- an Australian industry entity and
- an Australian research organisation.
- Partners from existing or former CRCs or CRC-Ps can be partners in other CRCs or CRC-Ps.
- Partners do not need to commit for the entire project period.
- All partners must contribute resources to the CRC. They treat partners’ proposed cash and in-kind contributions equally for the purposes of calculating the maximum grant amount.
- Eligible Activities:
- To be eligible applicants project must:
- be a medium to long term industry-led collaborative research project to solve industry-identified problems and improve the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of Australian
- industries;
- include an industry-focused education and training program. This must include, but is not limited to, a PhD program that complements the research program and that increases engagement, technology development, skilled employees and R&D capacity within industry entities;
- implement strategies that build the R&D capacity within SMEs; and
- deploy research outputs and encourage take-up by industry.
- Eligible activities must directly relate to the project and can include:
- new research
- proof of concept activities
- pre-commercialisation of research outcomes
- industry-focused education and training activities, such as internships and secondments between industry entities and research organisations
- conferences, workshops, symposia related to the joint research
- related information sharing and communication initiatives related to the joint research
- collaboration with international organisations and/or with companies with global supply chains and access to international markets, to provide national benefits to Australia.
- To be eligible applicants project must:
- Eligible expenditure: To be eligible, expenditure must:
- be a direct cost of the project
- be incurred by applicant for required project audit activities.
How to Apply
Applicants can apply online via given website.
For more information, please visit https://www.business.gov.au/assistance/cooperative-research-centres-programme/cooperative-research-centres-crcs-grants