The Victorian Timber Innovation Grants Program provides native timber industry businesses funds to explore, invest and implement new opportunities.

The Forestry Transition Program is providing support for workers, businesses and communities who are impacted by the cessation of commercial native timber harvesting in Victorian State forests.

The Victorian Timber Innovation Grant Program aims to support impacted forestry businesses to explore, invest, and implement new business opportunities.

The Program will support Victorian forestry businesses to:

• explore, test or deliver new or innovative business models; or
• diversify and reorientate core business activities into alternative industry sectors.

Funding through Round 3 of the Program will be awarded based on an assessment of the application’s value for money and the capability of the applicant to complete the project.

Round 3 of the Program has an expression of interest stage and an application stage, and includes assistance for applicants to prepare their application.

Funding

The Victorian Timber Innovation Grants Program will provide grants up to $1 million.

In determining the amount provided by the Government, the following will be considered:

• Project alignment with the Program’s objectives, particularly the creation and the retention of jobs in Victorian communities impacted by the native timber transition.
• The co-contribution amount to be made by the applicant.
• Previous funding received by the applicant from the Forestry Transition Program, including earlier rounds of the Victorian Timber Innovation Fund, and the status of funded projects.
• The project will provide value for money by generating broader public good, particularly building local economies, and creating new or retaining existing employment opportunities.

Grants over $1 million may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

A cash co-contribution is not a requirement for projects with a total value of up to $250,000 where jobs will be retained or created.

For projects with a total value of over $250,000, a minimum 1:1 cash co-contribution will be required by the applicant for every dollar over $250,000. Sources of cash co-contribution must be disclosed in the application. The purchase of land will not be considered a co-contribution.

Who can apply?

Businesses that meet the following criteria can apply for a Victorian Timber Innovation Grant:

• have or had a Timber Sale Agreement, Forest Produce Licence or Forest Produce Agreement issued by VicForests that was current as of 1 January 2023
• have or had a timber harvest/haulage contract with VicForests that was current as of 1 January 2023
• are a haulage sub-contractor contracted since 1 July 2020 to a business with a current VicForests harvest and/or haulage contract, and derived at least 30% of annual revenue from that contract based on an average of the last 5 financial years
• are a road contractor who has had a contract since 1 July 2020 to a business with a harvest/ haulage contract with VicForests that was current at 1 July 2023, and had at least 30% of annual revenue derived from road construction or maintenance operations on the road network used for hardwood log haulage based on an average of the last 5 financial years
• are a road contractor who has had a contract with VicForests since 1 July 2020, and had at least 30% of annual revenue derived from road construction or maintenance operations on the road network used for hardwood log haulage based on an average of the last 5 financial years
• are a seed collector who has at least 30% of annual revenue from the VicForests contract, based on an average of the last 5 financial years
• are a business undertaking forest-based activities which has had at least 30% of annual revenue derived from a VicForests contract based on an average of the last 5 financial years.

They also must:

• have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• conduct business operations within Victoria
• meet all the industrial relations obligations as an employer under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) National Employment Standards.

• Phone: 1800 318 182
• Email: forestrytransition@deeca.vic.gov.au