Grants of up to $20,000 are available to help small and medium businesses become ‘defence ready’ through the State Government’s Defence Ready Initiative.

The funding will support businesses with up to 50% of their total costs, to a maximum of $20,000, for planning and business advice to improve internal organisation structure and systems, train employees, or buy and upgrade equipment.

It can also be used to cover expenses associated with meeting essential pre-qualification requirements for supply chain entry, including those related to meet defence security standards.

The program has a total investment of $200,000.

Applications close at 3pm on February 23, 2024.

Defence Industry Minister Paul Papalia says the grants support local businesses to take advantage of opportunities as part of the AUKUS agreement and Defence Strategic Review.

“There’s never been a better time to be involved in Western Australia’s defence industry with the announcement of the AUKUS agreement and Defence Strategic Review,” he says.

“The previous round in 2020 resulted in 22 successful companies receiving funds, including those involved in ship maintenance and security services.”

Previous recipients include a Perth-based satellite communications antenna firm, which, after receiving a grant, was able to obtain defence security accreditation and enter the supply chain for Australian defence contracts.

The Government says the program aligns with its vision for the defence industry to become a pillar of the State’s economy and support local businesses to be more competitive in bids for defence work.

CCIWA’s Grant Finder can help you identify which local, state or federal government grants best suit your business needs.