Industry grants

Defence provides a range of grants to support industry. These grants assist Australian small and medium enterprises in expanding to meet Defence capability needs and join global defence industry supply chains.

Grant programs

The table provides information on the available grant programs, including the link to the application.

Defence Industry Development Grant program during the Caretaker period

The Defence Industry Development (DIDG) Program is continuing to receive and assess grant applications during the Caretaker period. The DIDG program will continue to select and award grants throughout the election period and will not be affected by Caretaker provisions which can cause other government programs to pause.

Grant program Details Closing dates
Defence Industry Development Grant Program
  • Between $5,000 and $1 million for eligible businesses
  • Up to 50% of the project cost
  • Dedicated streams provide support for the:
    • acquisition and commissioning of new capabilities for defence domestic or export projects
    • achievement of international accreditations and certifications
    • technical and trade skill development
    • implementation and maintenance of security posture required for suppliers in the defence sector.

Fact Sheet: Defence Industry Development Grant (PDF, 498.48 KB)

 

  • Security stream: Wednesday 30 April 2025, 11:59pm (AEST)
  • Sovereign Industrial Priorities stream: Saturday 31 May 2025, 11:59pm (AEST)
  • Skilling stream: Saturday 31 May 2025, 11:59 pm (AEST).
  • Export stream: Wednesday 30 April 2025, 11:59 pm (AEST)
Joint Strike Fighter Industry Support Program Sustainment Grants 
  • Phase 1 and 2 - up to $250,000 for Australian companies provided an assignment by the United States Government for maintenance and repair activities for existing components used in the Joint Strike Fighter Program
  • Phase 3 and 4 - funding to be determined by the Department of Defence under the amount outlined in your supporting business case
 Friday 30 June 2028 5:00 pm AEST
Joint Strike Fighter Industry Support Program - Production and Modernisation
  • Between $150,000 and $1.5 million available for eligible businesses
  • Up to 50% of the project cost
  • For the development of new or improved capabilities that will win work in the production and modernisation phases of the Joint Strike Fighter Program
 Closed

Defence Industry Development Grant Program guidance for applicants

The following guidance is provided to assist applicants before applying for a grant stream within the Defence Industry Development Grant Program (DIDG Program).

For an application to be considered, it must meet eligibility criteria and address the assessment criteria, including all sub-criteria, for the relevant grant program. 

Before submitting, applicants should read and understand the Grant Opportunity Guidelines available on the grant program information page. Particularly, applicants should review Section 5.1, Appendices A and B of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines to understand what grant activities and expenditure are eligible.

Grant applications to the DIDG Program are likely to be considered ineligible if they include activities and expenditure such as:

  • product development or prototyping 
  • undertaking research and development
  • manufacturing inputs such as non-recurring engineering
  • activities which are listed in Appendix B.

To be competitive under the DIDG Program, applications must:

  • address all criteria and sub-criteria contained in drop-down menus within the Defence Industry Development Grants Program online application
  • include all mandatory attachments (as described in the application form and Grant Opportunity Guidelines at Section 7.1) 
  • demonstrate a strong link to one or more of the Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities.

Requests for Letters of Support to accompany applications for the Nuclear-powered Submarines related opportunities can be sent to asa.industry@defence.gov.au and should contain information on:

  • What DIDG Program stream and closing date you are applying to
  • How your grant project aligns with, and contributes to, Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities (SDIP) 2. Include detail about any commercial opportunities you are engaged in related to Conventional Submarines and/or Nuclear-powered Submarines, including the maturity of customer-supplier relationships that you have established in those areas
  • The broader benefits of this grant project in relation to your business and the wider defence industry.

Contacts

industry.grants@defence.gov.au