Australia: Access Asia Business Grants (Round 6)

The Access Asia Business Grants program (AABG) is a key initiative under Western Australia’s Asian Engagement Strategy 2019-2030 – Our future with Asia. The Asian Engagement Strategy provides a framework for the State’s long-term engagement with key Asian markets and responds to its need to diversify the economy and create skilled jobs for Western Australians.

Through this competitive grant program, the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (the Department) supports Western Australian (WA) small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and organisations to advance their export and trade activities in new Asian markets, particularly China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Vietnam.

Priority Sectors

Projects must be in at least one of the following eight priority sectors outlined in the State’s economic development framework Diversify WA:

• Energy
• Tourism, events and creative industries
• International education
• Defence industries
• Mining and mining equipment, technology and services (METS)
• Space industries
• Health and medical life sciences
• Primary industries

Funding

• A maximum of $30,000 (excluding GST) per application is available. Recipients are required to provide a net cash co-contribution of at least 20:80 applicant to Western Australian State Government funding.
• For example, if the requested funding is the maximum $30,000, the applicant’s cash contribution must not be less than $7,500 (excluding GST), resulting in a total project cost of $37,500 (excluding GST). Both the Western Australian State Government funding and the applicant’s minimum cash contribution can only be used for eligible expenditure items.
• In cases where the total project cost exceeds $37,500, applicants are expected to commit to cover the difference beyond $37,500, thereby exceeding their minimum cash contribution requirement. The eligible expenditure requirement does not apply to any expenditure beyond the applicant’s minimum cash contribution.

Activities

• Grant recipients can utilise AABG funding to undertake the following activities:
  • Adopt new business models to expand market share.
  • Scope new supply or value chains.
  • Develop export plans.
  • Develop new partnerships through specialist in-market support and services.
  • Increase innovation in logistics and supply chain models.
  • Scope new e-commerce models and digital platforms.
  • Gather in-market intelligence to capture new opportunities.
  • Develop new marketing collateral for Asian markets.
• Activities can be both Western Australia-based and Asia-based.

Eligibility Criteria

• Your proposed project is targeting a new Asian market(s) for your export and trade activities.
• Your proposed project is introducing a new product or service into Asian market(s) where the business/organisation already has a market presence.
• Your proposed project is in at least one of the eight priority sectors outlined in the State’s economic development framework Diversify WA
• Your business/organisation is:
  • a SME that employs fewer than 200 people, or
  • a not-for-profit group/industry association/business council that employs fewer than 200 people and is a legally constituted not-for-profit organisation recognised by the Department,
  • a subsidiary that employs fewer than 200 people
• Any subsidiary applying will be required to provide information regarding its group structure and funding arrangements with its group members.
• The program requires that the recipient is the sole beneficiary of the grant funding and is the entity making the co-contribution towards the funded AABG project.
• Your business/organisation has been registered and headquartered in Western Australia for at least 24 months.
• Your business/organisation holds at least one of the following:
  • a current Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • a current Australian Company Number (ACN)
  • A valid Certificate of Incorporation.
• Your business/organisation has had operations in Western Australia for at least 24 months.
• Your business/organisation is a legally solvent entity.
• Your business/organisation is willing, and has the financial capacity, to contribute at least 20% of the project’s eligible funding costs.
• Your business/organisation confirms that its service provider(s) is an independent third party i.e. has no financial and direct ties with your business/organisation.
• Your business/organisation confirms that the proposed eligible expenditure is for services to be provided in the future.
• Your business/organisation has NOT previously received nor is likely to receive other Western Australian State Government funding for the same project/initiative.
• Your business/organisation has NOT previously received AABG funding for the same project/initiative.
• The proposed project/initiative has not been previously funded under the AABG program.
• Declare any funding received or likely to be received from Commonwealth or other State/Territory Government agencies for the same project/initiative.

Ineligible

The following are Not eligible to apply:

• Businesses with 200+ employees.
• Businesses headquartered overseas or in other Australian states and territories.
• Shareholders or directors who are not citizens of Australia or residents of Western Australia.
• Local governments and State Government or Commonwealth agencies and bodies.
• Sole traders.
• Employees of the Department and their immediate household.

For more information, visit Government of Western Australia.