Energy Efficiency Grants for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises — Round 1

Funding to purchase energy-efficient equipment upgrades for small and medium businesses now available.

The Energy Efficiency Grants for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Round 1 will support businesses to upgrade or replace inefficient equipment to improve their energy efficiency. These upgrades will enable industries to reduce their energy use and manage energy cost volatility in the long term. This will contribute to Australia’s target of a 43% reduction on 2005 emission levels by 2030. 

Key points:

• This grant opportunity is for small and medium-sized businesses with an employee headcount of 1 to 199 employees
• The grant provides small and medium businesses up to $25,000 to replace or upgrade existing equipment to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs
• Grant funding will be distributed between states and territories based on the distribution of small and medium-sized businesses nationally
• Grants will be awarded to eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until the funding is exhausted in each jurisdiction
• Applications will be checked to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria in order of application receipt.

When the online form is available, you must submit your application through the online portal here. You’ll need to set up an account when you first log into the portal. The portal allows you to apply for and manage a grant or service in a secure online environment.

Grant objectives

• improve energy efficiency practices and increase the uptake of energy-efficient technologies
• assist small and medium businesses to manage their energy usage and costs
• reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The intended outcomes of the program are:

• increased awareness of energy efficiency opportunities and help businesses to save energy
• reduced power bills for small and medium businesses
• emissions abatement to contribute to Australia reducing its emissions to 43% below 2005 levels by 2030.

Check if you can apply

You can apply if you meet the eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria are a set of rules that describe who can be considered for this grant. You can apply if you:

• are an eligible entity
• have an eligible project
• have eligible expenditure.

The rules are in the grant opportunity guidelines. If you enter a grant agreement under the Energy Efficiency Grants for Small and Medium Enterprises program you cannot receive other funding for the same activities from other Commonwealth, state or territory programs. Funding includes, but is not limited to, grants, rebates, contributions, certifications and certificates that have a value and any other form of financial assistance.

Check if you’re ready to apply for a grant

Finding a suitable grant opportunity is just the start of the process to get funding. The application process can take time and effort. Understanding the entire process will help you be grant ready and may improve your chances of getting funding.

Use this checklist to find out what it takes to apply for a grant.

Source: Australian Govt