Local Capability Fund – Standards Compliance Round

Helps local businesses improve risk management, business performance and efficiency.

This round opens at 9am (AWST) on Wednesday, 20 September 2023 and will remain open until funding is committed.

The Standards Compliance Round provides funding support to Western Australian small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to engaging external expertise to carry out the implementation and third-party certification of the following national and international standards:

• ISO 9001: Quality management standards to help work more efficiently and reduce product failures
• ISO 14001: Environmental management standard to help reduce environmental impacts, reduce waste and be more sustainable
• ISO 45001: Health and safety standards to help reduce accidents in the workplace
• ISO 27001: IT security standards to help keep sensitive information secure
• ISO 50001: Energy management standards to help reduce energy consumption
• AS/NZS 5131: Steel industry compliance standards to help improve the integrity of structural steelwork
• ISO 13485:2016: Medical devices – Quality management systems – requirements for regulatory purposes.

The level of funding support under the Standard Compliance Round is 75% of eligible activity costs (excluding GST) up to a maximum funding level of $20,000 per successful applicant. Find out more here.

Local Capability Fund – Supplying Key Projects Round

Provides funding support to Western Australian small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to enhance their business capability and capacity to supply to major Western Australian State or Local Government agencies, the Australian Government and the private sector.

The focus of this round will be on assisting SMEs supplying to projects in these priority sectors:

• Energy (oil and gas renewables)
• Mining
• Civil construction
• Defence
• Marine

To be eligible for funding, applicants must:

• Be a company or trustee incorporated in Australia
• Be a for-profit organisation or business (Not-for-profits and charities are ineligible)
• Have been operating for at least 3 years at the time of submitting an application for funding
• Have its principal place of business (operating facility) in Western Australia and continue to be based in Western Australia for at least the next 12 months following application submission date
• Employ less than 200 people.

The level of funding support under the Supplying Key Projects Round is 50% of eligible costs (excluding GST) up to a maximum funding level of $50,000 per successful applicant. Find out more here.

Local Capability Fund – Aboriginal Business Round

Provides state-wide Western Australian Aboriginal businesses with funding support to enhance their capacity, capability and competitiveness as suppliers of products, services and works to Western Australian State or Local Government agencies; the Australian Government and the private sector.

The objective of the LCF is to provide small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with funding support to enhance their capacity, capability and competitiveness to supply major projects and markets in Australia and overseas.

The objective of this targeted round is to increase Aboriginal business opportunity to participate competitively in public and private sector market opportunities.

To be eligible for funding, applicants must:

• Be a company or trustee incorporated in Australia
• Be an Aboriginal business (at least 50% owned by an Aboriginal interest)
• Be registered with either the Aboriginal Business Directory Western Australia or the Supply Nation’s Indigenous Business Direct
• Be a for-profit organisation or business (Not-for-profits and charities are ineligible)
• Have been operating for at least 12 months at the time of submitting an application for funding
• Have its principal place of business (operating facility) in Western Australia and continue to be based in Western Australia for at least the next 12 months following application submission date
• Employ less than 200 people.

Assistance provided under the LCF may include:

• Upgrading plant and equipment
• Staff training and upskilling
• Implementing improvements to internal business infrastructure
• Overcoming barriers and constraints impacting on business viability
• Seeking specialist advice on eligible activities such as business and market planning and improvements to internal business systems.

The level of funding support under the Aboriginal Business Round is 50% of eligible costs (excluding GST) up to a maximum funding level of $50,000 per successful applicant. More details here.