The purpose of the Energy Innovation Fund is to drive the development of a vibrant, sustainable, export-oriented energy transition industry in the Territory to create jobs and grow and diversify the ACT economy.

The Policy Challenge Grant supports the advancement in ACT’s energy transition policy.

EPSDD will welcome applications from the business sector, regulatory experts, as well as think tanks and research institutions that focus on the stated policy challenge.

Successful applications will be supported with funding to test new ideas that respond to the policy challenge. The expected outcomes from funding stream 2 (Policy Challenge Grant) are: 

• Incentivising research-innovation-policy partnerships and collaborative proposals between research and industry. 
• Accelerating the ACT’s energy transition.

Funding stream 2 will open by announcement on the ACT’s Everyday Climate Choices website, once per year, with a deadline each quarter for proposals to be assessed.  Applications for the Policy Challenge Grant are also open year round, however the grant theme will change every year. Applications for the grant under the current theme close on 31 December 2024.

Funding

Up to $3.75 million is available to support solutions addressing the energy transformation policy challenges in the ACT.

Organisations can apply for funding between $20,000 and $500,000 (excluding GST) per grant. The same application can only be made once each year, unless invited to resubmit by the assessment panel.

Scope

Grants will provide support for proposals consistent with the funding scope provided at Appendix A in the guidelines. Further detail on the prescribed policy challenge will be made available on the ACT’s Everyday Climate Choices website.

The grants will support the development of projects including policy white papers, new business solutions, or new regulatory sandboxing trials tailored to address the ACT’s specific energy transition needs.

Eligibility

• Businesses with expertise in the energy transition, with an independent ABN. 
• Universities, think tanks and other research institutions with expertise in the energy transition. Partnership with businesses is particularly encouraged.

General eligibility criteria

A lead organisation seeking a grant under the Energy Innovation Fund must: 

• Have an Australian Business Number (ABN).
• Hold all insurances required by law, including $10 million public liability insurance and workers compensation, or be prepared to acquire these if successful in gaining an Energy Innovation Fund grant.
• Be an ACT based organisation, OR the majority of the proposed funded activities must occur within the ACT.
• Have demonstrated satisfactorily acquitted or meeting outstanding grant milestones, reporting requirements, and obligations, including financial acquittals for previous Energy Innovation Fund funding.
• Be able to demonstrate a contribution towards the ACT’s target of net zero emissions by 2045.
• Be registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) if applicable (if turnover is greater than $150,000 per annum).
• Businesses that support First Nations communities and people experiencing and people experiencing vulnerability will be regarded positively. Registered Indigenous businesses are particularly encouraged to apply.

Who is not eligible to apply?

The following are not eligible to receive funding under the Energy Innovation Fund:

• Organisations who are unsuccessful in securing a grant during the same calendar year, for the same project. 
• A Commonwealth, state or territory government agency.
• Universities and other research institutions are only eligible if they partner with a business, with an independent ABN, as the lead applicant. *Universities and other research institutions may not apply as the lead applicant, except under stream 2: Policy Challenge Grant.

Applicants must disclose any legal proceedings or investigation deemed relevant to the grant, including litigation, arbitration, mediation or conciliation that are taking place, pending or (to the best of the applicant’s knowledge, after having made proper enquiry) threatened against the applicant or a related body corporate (as defined in the Corporations Act).

Applicants are not eligible if:

• the Territory determines that any information provided by the applicant regarding legal proceedings or investigations materially impacts their suitability as a grant recipient 
• the organisation and individual shareholders of the organisation are subject to any insolvency event. 
• the applicant or organisation are named on the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade sanctions list

• Email: EPSDD.EnergyInnovationFund@act.gov.au