Agriculture Industries Innovation and Growth Program Frequently Asked Questions

The intended recipients of this program are businesses, organisations and cooperatives operating in the agriculture sector located within regional NSW.

Applicants will need to provide an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be one of the following entity types to be eligible:

• a company incorporated in Australia
• an incorporated association or co-operative
• a legally binding partnership or trust
• an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation incorporated under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006.

Eligible applicants are strongly encouraged to demonstrate partnerships with growers and primary producers that will benefit from the project.

The program will fund projects that increase the uptake of new innovative technology and equipment to enable access to new export opportunities, improve supply chain resilience and productivity, and/or achieve lower emissions in the NSW agriculture sector.

A list of eligible projects examples is provided in the program guidelines.

Projects must be in one of the 95 regional NSW Local Government Areas (LGAs), the Unincorporated Far West region or on Lord Howe Island. Projects located in the Sydney metropolitan area are ineligible.

A list of the eligible project locations is provided within the program guidelines.

No, applicants may submit a maximum of one application.

Yes, applicants must make a financial contribution towards the project of at least 50% of the total project cost.

Exemptions from the mandatory contribution requirement will not be considered in any circumstances.

The merit-based assessment of eligible applications will consider if the applicant is making a financial contribution towards the project that is over the minimum required amount.

Examples of providing the minimum required contribution include:

• Total project cost is $3 million. The applicant is requesting grant funding of $1.5 million and contributing $1.5 million (50%)
• Total project cost is $1 million. The applicant is requesting $500,000 and contributing $500,000 (50%)

Examples of providing above the minimum required contribution include:

• Total project cost is $6 million. The applicant is requesting $1.5 million and contributing $4.5 million (75%)
• Total project cost is $5 million. The applicant is requesting $1 million and contributing $4 million (80%).

In-kind contributions may be included in addition to the minimum financial contribution, however they cannot be provided in place of or as part of the required financial contribution.

Projects must start within 6 months of the commencement date of the funding deed and be completed within 4 years from this date.

Project delivery timeframes are subject to the terms and conditions of an executed funding deed.

Successful applicants must not begin their project until both the applicant and the department have executed a funding deed.

Costs incurred prior to the execution of a funding deed are ineligible and will not be reimbursed.

This requirement does not stop an applicant from progressing project approvals such as development approval or similar regulatory requirements prior to being notified of the application outcome. Any costs incurred prior to the execution of a funding deed must either be incurred by the applicant, or if listed in the application as an eligible cost must be from the applicant’s co-contribution and evidenced as a cash payment.

Applicants can obtain technical support in preparing their applications, for example, assistance with online forms and practical guidance on how to complete an application.

Please contact the department’s program delivery team at regionaldevelopmenttrust@dpird.nsw.gov.au for support.