Competitive Business Fund - July 2010

The new Competitive Business Fund is a key component of Transition to a Global Future, a Victorian Government initiative to assist businesses to take maximum advantage of new opportunities that are emerging in the global economy.

Funding in the order of $3.3 million is available in the first round of grants for projects that strengthen the competitiveness of strategic Victorian industries by encouraging productivity enhancing investments and projects within enterprises and supply chains.

Funding is available on a competitive basis for projects that support the development of new products, markets, technology, skills and capabilities by lowering barriers to business growth and strengthening supply chains.

The Fund will operate until June 2012. The fund opens on Monday 5th July and applications close Friday 6th August 2010 for round 1.

Nature & level of Assistance
The Fund provides two streams of financial assistance on a co-contribution basis:

Enterprise - up to $250,000 for a project involving one company, to be matched by a minimum of $3 for every $1 granted; and
Supply Chain – up to $500,000 for a collaborative project involving multiple companies, to be matched by a minimum of $2 for every $1 granted.
Where a project involves multiple organisations, the lead organisation submits the application and is subject to the financial risk assessment. All participating organisations will be subject to probity checks.

Funding can be used for:

Investments that increase a company’s or supply chain’s productivity and competitiveness including, for example:

purchase/upgrades of plant and equipment or technology;
upgrades to existing infrastructure;
improvement/enhancement of capabilities or skills;
adoption of new processes;
development of an innovative product, process or market that will generate broader benefits to the community;
mergers and acquisitions that will create sustainable growth-oriented entities;
Collaborative projects among multiple businesses that facilitate greater business growth
Demonstration projects where knowledge is shared across industry which leads to significant productivity improvement.
Assistance will not be provided for normal "business as usual" operations such as meeting payroll commitments or for payment of redundancies or for organic growth.

Eligibility Criteria
Applicants meeting the following criteria will be eligible for consideration:

Possess an Australian Company Number (ACN)
Are based in Victoria
Have more than 20 Full Time Equivalent employees
Achieve a satisfactory financial risk assessment based on financial reports for the past three financial years
Agree to comply with DIIRD’s performance monitoring and evaluation regime
Meet the co-contribution requirement of the funding principles, and have investigated and/or sought funding from appropriate Commonwealth Government programs and other State Government programs where appropriate before applying to the Fund (funding from such Government programs cannot form part of the minimum co-contribution commitment)

Where a project involves multiple organisations, the lead organisation should submit the application. All participating organisations will be subject to probity checks.