Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Grants application process is now open
Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Grants application process is now open
Update on Round 18
The outcomes of CRC-Round 18 have been announced, with $66 million in grant funding spread across 27 projects. These projects will support partnerships that bring together science, research, and commercialisation to improve the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of Australian industries, with a focus on robotics and automation projects and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.
The Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Grants program is now accepting applications for Round 19. This program provides funding for short-term, industry-led research collaborations aimed at developing new technologies, products, or services that address industry challenges, particularly those in the National Science and Research Priorities and National Reconstruction Fund priority areas.
Round 19 includes $20 million in funding for projects that develop or enhance artificial intelligence systems and technologies.
The grant will match funding of between $100,000 and $3 million for up to three years.
Program objectives
The CRC-P Grants program supports projects that:
- Improve competitiveness, productivity and sustainability, particularly in the National Science and Research Priorities
- Foster collaboration between industry and research organisations to solve industry-identified problems via high quality research.
The funding can be used for:
- New research
- Proof of concept activities
- Pre-commercialisation of research outcomes
- Industry-focused education and training activities
- Conferences, workshops, symposia related to the joint research
- Information sharing and communications related to the research.
Eligibility
What are the eligibility criteria?
To be eligible as a lead applicant you must:
- Be an SME (defined as less than 200 employees) that is registered for GST and has an Australian business number (ABN)
- Be incorporated in Australia and a trading corporation.
Your trading activities must be either:
- Enough to be called a trading corporation
- A major, not minor, part of your overall activity.
Project partners must include:
- Two Australian industry organisations (including at least one SME as the lead applicant)
- One Australian research organisation.
The lead SME organisation must submit the application form.
If the group is awarded the grant, the lead organisation:
- Signs the grant agreement
- Enters into a partner agreement with the partners which agrees their roles and obligations.
Assessment Criteria
- Alignment with program objectives (25 points)
- Quality of the project (25 points)
- Capacity, capability and resources to deliver the project (25 points)
- Impact of grant funding on the project (25 points, including four points for the impact the project will have on regional and remote Australia).
Applications must be submitted through the online grants portal by 12 May 2026, 5pm AEST.
How BDO can help
BDO has successfully secured grants for clients in previous CRC-P rounds. We can also help recipients understand the novel changes and assess which expenses are eligible under the program. If you have any questions regarding CRC-P or any other government grant programs, contact the R&D and government incentives team.
