Regional Job Creation Fund Round 3
The NSW Regional Job Creation Fund supports existing regional businesses or those businesses interested in relocating to regional NSW. The aim of the funding is to drive regional economic growth by creating and maintaining regional jobs, diversifying regional economies, and providing skills and training opportunities.
Under round 3, matched grants will range from $100,000 to $10,000,000.
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for funding, your business must:
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN) registered for GST. This includes sole traders, partnerships and includes businesses both in other states of Australia and overseas.
- be financially viable and able to demonstrate that they are likely to remain so over the duration of the project
- have at least $20 million public liability insurance
Also you can’t have your primary operation in: hospitality*; retail; healthcare, childcare, and social services; residential housing construction; waste services*; abattoirs*; administrative services that serve only the local or regional community.
* except in limited circumstances
Eligible Projects
To be eligible your project must:
- be in regional NSW which does not include Greater Sydney (including the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Wollondilly), Newcastle or Wollongong LGAs
- create or retain direct Full Time Equivalent (FTE) jobs in regional NSW that are sustainable without additional NSW Government investment beyond the grant
- demonstrate the project would not occur in regional NSW at all, or in the same timeframe, without government investment
- be completed by 30 May 2025.
Eligible Costs
Grants may be used for capital and other expenses directly related to the delivery of eligible projects that support job creation and/or retention. This may include:
- purchasing, constructing, installing and/or commissioning new plant, equipment and/or machinery
- purchasing, constructing, establishing and/or fitting out new facilities, buildings or hubs
- purchasing technology and/or intellectual property (IP) required to undertake the project
- purchase of land (if necessary for the project and suitable alternatives to rent do not exist)
- upgrading existing facilities, buildings, plant, equipment, machinery and/or technology where necessary to deliver the project and achieve its outcomes
- cost of contractors to construct new buildings and facilities
- costs relating to activities that directly contribute to, or enable knowledge sharing (i.e. reports, database development)
- project management and administration costs
Assessment
The NSW Regional Job Creation Fund is a competitive grant and your application will be assessed against the criteria of:
- alignment with relevant NSW Government policies or strategies;
- the number and cost-effectiveness of jobs (FTE) created or retained directly;
- expected return on government investment and economic benefits;
- deliverability
- affordability
- outcomes for young people, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander individuals and people with disability
Application Process
The application process for the NSW Regional Job Creation Fund is a 2 stage. Stage 1 is an Expression of Interest. A selected number of applicants will then be asked to lodge a detailed application.
Learn More
To learn more and apply click here
Note Expression of Interest close 5pm (AEDT) 6 March 2023