Potential funding

Grants of up to $200,000 are available to support Victorian organisations working with Jiangsu Province companies on cooperative R&D to produce a new technological product or process.

Eligibility

Organisations in Victoria working on collaborative R&D with firms in Jiangsu Province may be eligible for support. To be considered for funding, applicants must co-operate on market-driven development of a new technological product, or process. The project partners must include:

• at least one Victorian organisation with a trading history and ABN
• at least one Jiangsu Province company.

Am I eligible?

Collaborating companies take forward parallel applications in Victoria and Jiangsu Province.

The Victorian applicant must be a for-profit company or a recognised research organisation that:

• has its registered office and principal place of business located in Victoria
• meets the requirement of a cash co-contribution to the project of an amount that is at least equal in value to the grant amount awarded
• has not been awarded funding of more than A$200,000 (plus GST) through any program of the Victorian Government in relation to the proposed technology
• is not currently involved in litigation against the State Government of Victoria.

Jiangsu Province applicants must be R&D performing Jiangsu Province registered companies operating in Jiangsu Province.

Victorian and Jiangsu Province applicants cannot be related in any way.  That is, the applicants must be entirely separate legal entities, with no financial or other ties.

Therefore, applicants must not:

• be owned by the same parent company
• be related bodies corporate within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001 (Commonwealth of Australia)
• share governance
• have common directors, officers or senior managers.

Companies are required to make a co-contribution of an equal or greater value than the grant amount requested. The government funds can be used to leverage funding from other programs separate to the VIC-JS TECH program itself. However, the requirement remains for the partners to at least match the Victorian Government's contribution.

Grant funding can be applied flexibly to project related expenses – funding is not intended to cover 'business as usual' expenses.

Project costs and activities

Eligible project costs and activities may include:

• personnel costs dedicated to the project
• cost of purchasing, leasing or renting equipment or instrumentation
• cost of sub-contracting and consultancy services used exclusively for the project
• other operating expenses (e.g. cost of materials, consumables and other supplies)
• premarketing expenses
• outlays to meet regulatory requirements
• business planning
• knowledge transfer to industry and other end users
• necessary travel.

Corporate overheads as well as financial charges are not eligible.

Grant recipients must pass financial risk assessment by DJPR.

What do I get?

Financial support of approved projects is provided for organisations in both countries. Financial support of up to A$200,000 per project is available to Victorian-based organisations, provided by the Victorian Government as a grant. Financial support for approved companies in Jiangsu Province is provided according to the Jiangsu Science and Technology Department's (JSTD) usual processes.

How to apply

The Call for Proposals accepts applications in a two-step process.

Stage 1- Expression of interest including a Bilateral Cooperation Agreement

An expression of interest as a letter of intent and a bilateral cooperation form should be submitted to both jurisdictions at the same time.

Download the:

Bilateral cooperation form (DOC 307 KB)

VIC - JS TECH Application Guidelines (DOCX 105.8 KB)

Stage 2 – Invitation to submit a full application

Invited applicants will be sent an invitation by email.

Selection criteria

VIC-JS TECH proposals will be assessed in relation to:

• technical strength
• applicant capabilities
• commercial potential, and
• prospective benefits to the economy.