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Defence Industry Development Grants Program
Australian Government · Australia
The Defence Industry Development Grants Program provides matched funding to help Australian small to medium enterprises, and Defence Industry Associations for the Skilling stream, strengthen sovereign defence capability. It supports projects across four streams: Sovereign Industrial Priorities, Exports, Security and Skilling.
Funding
$5K – $1M
Deadline
Rolling / Ongoing
Duration
Projects must be completed by 2028-03-31
Location
Australia
Who Can Apply
• Have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Be registered for GST
• Have an account with an Australian financial institution
• Be non-income tax exempt
• Be a small to medium enterprise with fewer than 200 employees, or for the Skilling stream only, a Defence Industry Association
• Be an entity incorporated in Australia, a company limited by guarantee, or an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
• Undertake the project in Australia
• Include eligible activities and eligible expenditure
• Meet the minimum eligible expenditure for the chosen stream
• Have a clear link to the grant objectives and outcomes
• Complete the project by 2028-03-31
• For the Skilling stream, increase defence-related technical skills capacity or capability and use an eligible training delivery provider
• Must not be an individual, partnership, overseas organisation, unincorporated association, ineligible trust, or government body
• Must not be on the National Redress Scheme list of institutions that have not joined or signified intent to join
• Employers of 100 or more employees must comply with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012
Applicants must have an Australian Business Number, be registered for GST, have an account with an Australian financial institution, be non-income tax exempt, and be an eligible entity. Eligible entities are SMEs with fewer than 200 employees or, for the Skilling stream only, a Defence Industry Association. Applicants must be incorporated in Australia, a company limited by guarantee, or an incorporated trustee applying on behalf of a trust. Projects must be undertaken in Australia, include eligible activities, meet the minimum eligible expenditure for the chosen stream, have a clear link to the program objectives and outcomes, and be completed by 31 March 2028. Skilling stream projects must also increase defence-related technical skills capacity or capability and be delivered by an eligible training provider or qualified provider. Ineligible applicants include individuals, partnerships, overseas organisations, unincorporated associations, most trusts, government bodies, organisations on the National Redress Scheme non-joined list, and employers of 100 or more employees that have not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012.
What's Funded
Projects may include purchasing manufacturing plant and equipment for sovereign defence industrial priorities, upskilling and training the defence workforce, overcoming export barriers to build defence export capability, and improving or maintaining security controls in priority defence areas.Expected Outcomes
Expected outcomes include stronger sovereign defence industrial capability, improved global competitiveness, enhanced technical superiority and national security, increased workforce skills capacity, expanded defence export capability, and improved security compliance and controls.Key Information
Applicant Types
companytrustnon_profit
Stage
growthestablished
Funding Purposes
capital_expenditureexporttraininginnovationother
Keywords
defencemanufacturingexportssecurityskillingSMEsovereign capabilityplant and equipment
Frequently Asked Questions
1
What is the Defence Industry Development Grants Program?
The Defence Industry Development Grants Program is a business grant offered by Australian Government in Australia, providing $5K – $1M in funding. The Defence Industry Development Grants Program provides matched funding to help Australian small to medium enterprises, and Defence Industry Associations for the Skilling stream, strengthen sovereign defence capability. It supports projects across four streams: Sovereign Industrial Priorities, Exports, Security and Skilling.
2
How much funding does the Defence Industry Development Grants Program provide?
The Defence Industry Development Grants Program provides $5K – $1M in funding. The typical project duration is Projects must be completed by 2028-03-31.
3
Who is eligible for the Defence Industry Development Grants Program?
- Have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
- Be registered for GST
- Have an account with an Australian financial institution
- Be non-income tax exempt
- Be a small to medium enterprise with fewer than 200 employees, or for the Skilling stream only, a Defence Industry Association
- Be an entity incorporated in Australia, a company limited by guarantee, or an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
- Undertake the project in Australia
- Include eligible activities and eligible expenditure
- Meet the minimum eligible expenditure for the chosen stream
- Have a clear link to the grant objectives and outcomes
- Complete the project by 2028-03-31
- For the Skilling stream, increase defence-related technical skills capacity or capability and use an eligible training delivery provider
- Must not be an individual, partnership, overseas organisation, unincorporated association, ineligible trust, or government body
- Must not be on the National Redress Scheme list of institutions that have not joined or signified intent to join
- Employers of 100 or more employees must comply with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012
4
When does the Defence Industry Development Grants Program close?
Applications close on 31 May 2026. This is a rolling program — new rounds may open.
5
What activities are funded?
Projects may include purchasing manufacturing plant and equipment for sovereign defence industrial priorities, upskilling and training the defence workforce, overcoming export barriers to build defence export capability, and improving or maintaining security controls in priority defence areas.
6
How do I apply for the Defence Industry Development Grants Program?
Start by checking your eligibility using the free Beta Docs eligibility checker. If eligible, Beta Docs' AI-powered platform can help you draft, review, and refine your application to maximise your chances of success.
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