Grants to support export hubs in growth industry sectors

This grant assists with the set up and/or running of SME export hubs in the following 6 growth sectors:

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Cyber Security
• Food and Agribusiness
• Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals
• Mining Equipment, Technology and Services
• Oil, Gas and Energy Resources

It also supports SME development by:

• assisting with export opportunities
• working with the Growth Centres

The available grant amount is between $150,000 and $1.5 million. It can cover up to 50% of eligible project costs.

The maximum grant period is 2 years 5 months and projects have to be completed by 30 June 2022.

This grant opportunity complements existing initiatives, such as those delivered through the:

• Export Finance Australia (former Efic)
• Australian Trade and Investment Commission - Austrade
• Entrepreneurs’ Programme
• Industry Growth Centres Initiative

To be eligible you must:

• have an Australian business number (ABN)

You must also be an incorporated not-for-profit organisation such as:

• an incorporated association
• a company limited by guarantee
• a non-distributing co-operative
• an Indigenous not-for-profit corporation
• a not-for-profit incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
• an Australian local government agency or body
• an Australian state/territory government agency or body
• Regional Development Australia (RDA) committee

If you're applying as a not-for-profit organisation you must show your not-for-profit status through one of the following:

• current Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission’s (ACNC) registration
• state or territory incorporated association status
• constitutional documents and/or Articles of Association that demonstrate the not-for-profit character of your organisation

To be eligible your project must

• include eligible activities and eligible expenditure
• have at least $300,000 in eligible expenditure
• support the establishment and/or operation of a new or existing export hub
• support participating SMEs to improve their capability to increase exports, and create jobs

You must also develop and implement an export strategy that:

• is focused on current or future global opportunities
• builds on identified competitive strengths and innovation potential of participating SMEs

Refer to grant opportunity guidelines for further information on eligibility criteria.

Applications for the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Round 2 has closed.

A webinar was held on Tuesday 3 September 2019 providing information on the program, the application process and the Growth Centres and their priorities. You can view a recording of the webinar.

The slide deck from the webinar is available: SME Export Hubs webinar