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What is the Cooperative Research Centres Grants?
The Cooperative Research Centres grants provide funding for medium to long-term collaborative research programs that will help solve major problems or issues facing Australian industries.
Background
Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Grants are part of the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program. The Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program supports industry, research and the community in 2 ways:
- CRC Grants – support medium to long term industry-led collaborative research, for up to 10 years.
- CRC Projects (CRC-P) grants – support short term, industry-led collaborative research, for up to 3 years.
Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Grants provide funding for collaborations to solve industry identified problems.
Objective
The Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Programme aims to:
- improve the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of Australian industries, especially where Australia has a competitive strength, and in line with Government Priorities.
- foster high quality research to solve industry-identified problems through industry-led and outcome-focused collaborative research partnerships between Industry Entities and Research Organisations.
- encourage and facilitate Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) participation in collaborative research.
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Funding
The Australian Government has allocated $806 million over four years for the Rural Communities Stewardship and Resilience (RCSR) Program. There is no specific allocation for each of the two elements of the program – CRCs and CRAs.
Up to 50% of eligible research costs to undertake and deliver the research program with a group of partner organisations. There is no minimum or maximum grant amount, but the amount you request should be proportional to the scope and complexity of your research program.
Eligible Projects
To be eligible for the Cooperative Research Centres Program your project must:
- be a medium to long term industry-led collaborative research project to solve industry-identified problems and improve the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of Australian industries
- include an industry-focused education and training program. This must include, but is not limited to, a PhD program that complements the research program and that increases engagement, technology development, skilled employees and R&D capacity within industry entities
- implement strategies which build the R&D capacity within SMEs, and
- deploy research outputs and encourage take-up by industry.
Eligible activities must relate directly to the project and may include:
- new research
- proof of concept activities
- pre-commercialisation of research outcomes
- industry-focused education and training
- conferences, workshops and communications
- collaboration with international organisations providing national benefits to Australia
You can only spend grant funds on expenses outlined in your grant agreement.
Eligible Applicants
CRC grant applications are open to all industry sectors, research disciplines and community sectors.
To be eligible you must:
- submit your application from a group that has agreed to collaborate
- have at least one Australian industry organisation and one Australian research organisation in your collaboration
- show you can at least match the grant funding
- if successful, establish the CRC as an incorporated company, limited by guarantee.
Timing
Applications close 7 March 2023.
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More Information
Round 23 recipients
Grant Funding (GST excl): $50,000,000 over 10 years
Partner Contributions: $106,547,800 (cash and in-kind)
The ONE Basin CRC will develop and commercialise opportunities for Australia’s irrigated agriculture and rural water industries to be more productive, resilient and sustainable in a changing world. The CRC will connect industry, business, First Nations, natural resource managers and community to manage water productivity and security, and realise joint opportunities. With industry leadership, and a strong culture of collaboration across all partners, the CRC will co-design, commercialise and adopt technology and business innovations to grow the competitiveness and resilience of Australia’s irrigation regions as a high-value and sustainable source of food and fibre for the world
Grant Funding (GST excl): $34,500,000 over 10 years
Partner Contributions: $112,242,322 (cash and in-kind)
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a growing threat to Australia’s food, agribusiness, and environmental sectors, affecting animal and plant health, water quality, food security, sector productivity, and export market access. CRC SAAFE’s three cross-sectoral research programs will develop and deploy technologies to help industry detect pathogens, pollutants and other AMR risk factors; integrate digital production and market data for better decision making and more transparent value chains; deliver solutions that mitigate AMR in food, water and waste systems; and improve animal, plant and environmental health. The CRC’s education and training program will build capability and capacity to tackle AMR across Australian industries.
Grant Funding (GST excl): $69,900,000 over 10 years
Partner Contributions: $189,285,925 (cash and in-kind)
The $100 billion international composites industry will undergo a major automation transition, requiring Australia to reposition manufacturing and sovereign engineering capability to capture emergent markets. The SoMAC CRC will de-risk investment in hydrogen economy and electric vehicle (EV) production industries, alongside strengthened infrastructure, space, defence, circular economy and consumer industries. SoMAC’s 10 year program will build a digital-export-ready composites industry with cost-competitive, high-quality platform capability via intelligent automation, technology innovation and new product demonstration while qualifying Australia’s next generation of composites engineers.
Round 22 recipients
Grant Funding (GST excl): $60,000,000 over 10 years
Participant Contributions: $121,300,000 (cash and in-kind)
The Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre is a collaboration between fintech, industry, research, and regulatory stakeholders to address and commercially exploit the opportunities arising from the transformation of financial markets through the digitisation and direct trading of assets between entities. The CRC will enable partners to become pivotal global players through R&D, piloting and commercialising solutions focussed on real-world problems, while developing the industry’s skills and leadership capability.
Grant Funding (GST excl): $39,000,000 over 10 years
Participant Contributions: $175,700,000 (cash and in-kind)
The HILT CRC will be Australia’s leading collaboration transforming heavy industry for the low-carbon economy. The CRC aims to develop and demonstrate the technologies needed to grow Australia’s economy, unlocking potential value of $60 billion in annual revenue and $92 billion in investments, while mitigating CO2 emissions. The CRC will enable Australia’s heavy industry sector to compete in the low-carbon global economy for carbon-neutral materials such as green iron, alumina, cement and processed minerals.
Grant Funding (GST excl): $59,000,000 over 10 years
Participant Contributions: $209,600,000 (cash and in-kind)
The MB-CRC aims to fast track the growth of Australia’s next-generation marine bioindustry to meet the rapidly growing global demand for certified, safe, sustainable and traceable bioproducts. The CRC aims to drive innovation across marine biomass production, advanced manufacturing and product development. The CRC will focus on producing high-value bioproducts including nutraceuticals, omega 3 oils, cosmetics, plant-based proteins, agrochemicals and bioplastics in Australia to serve an emerging multi-billion dollar global market.
Round 21 recipients
Grant Funding (GST excl): $28,000,000 over 7 years
Participant Contributions: $102,000,000 (cash and in-kind)
Through collaboration and new technologies of the 4th industrial age, Building 4.0 CRC will catapult the industry into an efficient, connected and customer-centric future. This will deliver better buildings at lower cost and the human capacity to lead the industry into the future.
Grant Funding (GST excl): $21,000,000 over 7 years
Participant Contributions: $69,000,000 (cash and in-kind)
SmartCrete CRC is a collaboration of asset owners, industry, small-medium enterprises, the supply chain and academic community which will work to step change the Australian concrete industry. SmartCrete will implement four key enablers for industry competitiveness – an innovation interface with regulators/standards bodies, skills and training development, risk mitigation performance testing and new products and processes across Australia.
Grant Funding (GST excl): $68,500,000 over 10 years
Participant Contributions: $279,000,000 (cash and in-kind)
The Reliable Affordable Clean Energy for 2030 (RACE for 2030) CRC will maximise customer benefits from the rapid technological changes in low-cost renewable energy, network integration and smart energy management. RACE for 2030 will bring together the entire energy sector to improve business competitiveness, reduce consumer energy bills, foster Australian energy technology exports, and cut carbon emissions.
Grant Funding (GST excl): $29,500,000 over 10 years
Participant Contributions: $105,000,000 (cash and in-kind)
The CRC for Transformations in Mining Economies (CRC-TiME) will bring together a unique partnership of leading mining companies, mining equipment, technology and services (METS) companies, regional and community development organisations, governments and research partners. The CRC will drive transformational change to enable regions and communities to transition to a prosperous and sustainable post-mine future.
Grant Funding (GST excl): $40,000,000 over 10 years
Participant Contributions: $122,250,000 (cash and in-kind)
Future Energy Exports (FEnEx) CRC will bring together national and international partners with expertise in LNG, hydrogen, digital technologies and sector development from industry, government, and research organisations. The CRC will assist in building a skilled workforce to support Australia’s evolving energy export industry and will develop and deliver micro-credentials that help existing workforces transition into the growing digital and hydrogen sectors.
Round 20 recipients
Grant Funding (GST excl): $70,000,000 over 10 years
Participant Contributions: $258,687,981 (cash and in-kind)
The Blue Economy CRC will bring together national and international expertise in aquaculture, marine renewable energy and marine engineering as part of a collaborative effort between industry, researchers and the community to develop innovative and sustainable offshore industries to increase Australian seafood and marine renewable energy production.
Grant Funding (GST excl): $55,000,000 over 7 years
Participant Contributions: $167,316,158 (cash and in-kind)
The SmartSat CRC will foster the creation of next generation space-technologies and make Australia more competitive in the global space economy by supporting the next wave of growth in critical industries including agriculture, transport, logistics, communications and mining, generating new high-tech jobs and strengthening national defence and security.
Grant Funding (GST excl): $25,000,000 over 6 years
Participant Contributions: $110,885,882 (cash and in-kind)
The Future Battery Industries CRC will address industry identified gaps in the battery industries value chain, support battery deployment and optimise the circular economy for battery waste recycling resulting in value creation, sustainability and global competitiveness of Australia’s battery value chain.
Grant Funding (GST excl): $35,000,000 over 10 years
Participant Contributions: $149,580,122 (cash and in-kind)
The Future Food Systems CRC will work across the food supply chain and incorporate innovations in protected cropping, advanced manufacturing, smart logistics and food science to underpin high value industries in agrifood hubs and position Australia as a leader in supply of premium, nutritionally dense food goods.
Round 19 recipients
Grant Funding (GST excl): $55,000,000 over 7 years
Participant Contributions: $174,224,000 (cash and in-kind)
The Digital Health CRC will improve the health and health care of Australians and advance the economy through collaborative research and development that combines multi-disciplinary skills, industry knowledge, technologies, networks and data to: empower consumers; understand and manage health risks of individuals and communities; support clinical practice; improve system efficiency and access to quality care; and build and enhance businesses to provide high value jobs and solutions in a growing global market.
Grant Funding (GST excl): $30,000,000 over 10 years
Participant Contributions: $102,900,000 (cash and in-kind)
To secure Australia’s food future, the Fight Food Waste CRC will reduce food waste throughout the supply chain, transform unavoidable waste into innovative high-value co-products and engage with industry and consumers to deliver behavioural change. Winning this fight has a $20 billion annual prize by increasing industry profitability, tackling food insecurity and enhancing Australia’s reputation as a sustainable and trusted producer of premium food products.
Grant Funding (GST excl): $26,250,000 over 7 years
Participant Contributions: $64,389,000 (cash and in-kind)
The Future Fuels CRC will provide enabling research and development to transition energy infrastructure to a low-carbon economy using fuels such as hydrogen and biogas. It will develop transition pathways for existing infrastructure and equipment to transport and use these new fuels today and well into the future. Collaborating with over 50 companies, 6 universities, the energy market operator and state regulators, this CRC will realise the potential to store and deliver reliable, clean, and affordable energy through both new and repurposed networks.
Grant Funding (GST excl): $50,000,000 over 10 years
Participant Contributions: $165,738,000 (cash and in-kind)
Current declining mineral discovery rates mean fewer future mines. MinEx CRC will create new opportunities for mineral discovery by delivering: more productive, safer and environmentally friendly drilling methods; new technologies for collecting data while drilling; and exploration data on never before sampled deposits. The outcomes will also grow the high value Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) sector.
Latest News
Minister for industry and science Ed Husic opened Round 24 of the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) grants program, which supports industry-led research centres for up to ten years.
The government’s Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) grants program is working to strengthen the bond between industry and research organisations. CRC grants provide funding for collaborative research centres that can transform Australian know-how into practical outcomes for Australian businesses.
The program will contribute $32.5 billion towards Australia’s economic productivity by 2025, Mr Husic has said. Applications for Australian Research Grant funding for 2017/18 are being sought from all industry sectors and research disciplines.
Since the CRC program was launched in 1990 under the Hawke Labor Government, it has delivered more than $5.5 billion to establish 236 CRCs and 189 CRC Projects, leveraging a further $16.8 billion in cash and in-kind contributions from partners.
Defence Science and Technology is contributing $12 million through its Next Generation Technologies Fund (NGTF) to establish a Smart Satellite Technologies and Analytics Cooperative Research Centre (SmartSat CRC) which will be based in South Australia with nodes in other Australian cities.
The Department of Industry, Science and Innovation is investing $55 million in the SmartSat CRC to advance space technologies, with $190 million in cash and kind coming from nearly 100 partners in industry, universities and overseas space agencies. The successful bid for the new CRC was led by the University of South Australia.
The research collaboration will deliver smart satellite systems that are Australian-designed, owned and operated to provide real-time connectivity, surveillance and sensing capability in space and over land and sea. This will include earth observation data and the power to drive industry innovation and the growth of the Internet of Things.
Industry-led research to improve resource extraction and support innovative manufacturing will be boosted with $74 million in Government funding for two Cooperative Research Centres (CRC).
The Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) for Optimising Resource Extraction (CRC ORE) will receive $34.45 million, this funding will extend the work of the CRC for ongoing activities in improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of mineral extraction to 30 June 2021.
The new Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) for Innovative Manufacturing (IM CRC) will receive $40 million over seven years to 30 June 2022 to assist Australian manufacturers to transition to high-value internationally competitive manufacturing.
Speaking at the CRC Association annual conference in Canberra on May 26, Minister for Industry and Science Ian Macfarlane said CRCs will continue to be an important asset for driving greater collaboration between industry and research.
“CRCs are a highly successful way of bringing industry and research organisations together to apply the latest research knowledge to the real-world problems facing industry,” Mr Macfarlane said.
“More than 60 organisations, including multi-nationals, SMEs and peak industry bodies, will be involved in these CRCs. They will bring together a wide range of skills and knowledge, as well as financial support, to increase productivity in their sectors.
“The CRCs will work closely with the new Industry Growth Centres to address common goals and priorities, ensuring an integrated approach to overcoming challenges and developing market opportunities for local businesses.”
Some recent highlights of CRCs include research that has reduced the impact of invasive species like rabbits, work on making cell therapy more accessible and affordable and building a more resilient and profitable dairy industry.
Notable returns on industry investments include Boeing’s initial $17 million investment in the CRC for Advanced Composite Structures.
This has paid off in spades in terms of jobs and Australia’s largest aerospace contract, worth $4 billion over 20 years.
It has created 1300 jobs turning out moveable trailing edges for the 787 Dreamliner at Boeing’s sole source manufacturing facility in Melbourne
Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC) Briefing for Existing and Prospective Industry Participants
Angus M Robinson
Managing Partner, Leisure Solutions®
Hear about the IMCRC and its focus on Industry led collaborative programs that will grow your business into the 21st century.
Learn how you can leverage your R&D expenditure through joining the IMCRC. You get access to federal funds and valuable industry research capability.
Manufacturing Industry Research Capability in NSW has global significance in growth market sectors with ‘state of the art’ research facilities.
Following this briefing, ‘one on one’ meetings will be organised in confidence to determine how the IMCRC and its research partners can support your market led R&D.
- When: Friday September 30th from 9.00 am until noon followed by lunch.
- Where: University of NSW Kensington. The Scientia-Gallery: Scientia Building Gallery Room (G19), southern end, enter near Civil Engineering building entrance.
Please register with Rohan Willard email: r.willard@unsw.edu.au by 23 September 2016 for catering purposes.
- About: What the Australian Government and the publicly funded research sector can do to support market led industry research and development.
Speakers:
- David Chuter CEO of the Innovative Manufacturing CRC
- Tony Peacock CEO of the CRC Association
Potential areas of research focus of interest to industry:
- Additive manufacturing (e.g. design optimisation, hybrid processing, and new materials).
- Biomedical implants and devices (e.g., orthopedics, micro fluidics, and micro-needles).
- Water-based hydraulics, lightweight materials, and smart pumps.
- Microelectronics, advanced semi-conductors and power devices, and virtual and augmented reality.
- Lightweight composites, nano and biomaterials.
