Circular Economy Business Support Fund – Stream 1: Identification grants

Eligible applicants

An application can be made by one organisation or a group of organisations.

For a group application (known as ‘collaborative partnership’), the main organisation responsible for delivering the project is the lead applicant, and the others are the project partners.

Applying as an individual

To be an individual applicant, you must be from one of the following:

• business
• charity
• other not-for-profit organisations
• industry group and association.

Applying as a collaborative partnership

To be a lead applicant, you must be from one of the following:

• business
• charity
• other not-for-profit organisations
• industry group and association
• consultant (assisting other organisations).

To be a project partner, you must be from one of the following:

• business
• charity
• other not-for-profit organisations
• industry group and association.

You must also:

• co-contribute $2:$1 (SV:Applicant) as a minimum
• have a current Australian Business Number
• provide evidence of a collaborative partnership
• agree to comply with the Funding Agreement Terms and Conditions and Terms of Participation in Grant Programs
• have been operating for at least two years. If not, you can provide a company guarantee from an entity (either related entity or project partner) operating more than two years and will need to apply for a grant of $75,000 only.

Eligible projects

The project should focus on at least one of these areas:

• feasibility studies to apply or adapt circular economy business opportunities and approaches to business or supply chains
• materials efficiency and flow assessments (e.g. to identify waste reduction or prevention opportunities) in businesses or across supply chains
• business case development to support the implementation of a circular economy business opportunity or approach
• access to business advisory and support services to support the development of circular economy business opportunities and approaches
• pilot projects and trials of circular economy business opportunities and approaches.

The project should meet these objectives:

• increase awareness of circular economy opportunities and benefits to Victorian businesses
• identify opportunities for businesses to adapt and apply circular economy approaches in Victoria, where the implementation of the solution could:
  • increase access to circular economy products and services for businesses and consumers
  • increase materials efficiency within individual businesses and across supply chains
  • reduce materials intensity of a product, service or business model
  • increase the duration of product and material lifecycles and value
  • establish new circular economy-based services, products, models, and markets
  • create new local jobs and increased circular economy-based skills in the workforce
  • reduce materials to landfill and other waste destinations
  • reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution
  • increase processing markets and capacity.

Other requirements are:

• the project must be completed by 30 June 2022
• projects must not have started or be completed before the funding agreement is signed
• At least 50% of project activities must be in Victoria. If they are outside of Victoria, the project will need to deliver the minimum required benefits to Victorian businesses.

Funding limits

Grant amount per project: $75,000 to $200,000

Co-contribution is required.

Application process

1. You must read the program guidelines, which contain the assessment criteria and other important information.
2. Read and accept the Funding Agreement Terms and Conditions.
3. Read and understand the Terms of Participation in Grant Programs.
4. To apply you’ll need to register an account with Smarty Grants. Once you’re logged in, click on Recycling Victoria Business Support Fund and choose Recycling Victoria Business Support Fund – Stream 1: Identification Grants.

For our responses to questions not addressed on this page or in the guidelines, view the Information bulletin.

Timeline

Background

Transitioning to a circular economy

Recycling Victoria (PDF, 1.7MB) is a ten-year policy and action plan to transform how our economy uses materials. The policy will assist business to generate less waste through:

• innovation and design
• using recycled materials in products
• considering impacts across product life cycles
• exploring new circular economy business models.

This will create value for Victorians through increased access to:

• circular economy products and services
• new local jobs
• increased circular economy skills in the workforce.

Circular economy

The Recycling Victoria policy defines circular economy as:

“A circular economy continually seeks to reduce the environmental impacts of production and consumption, while enabling economic growth through more productive use of natural resources.

It allows us to avoid waste with good design and effective recovery of materials that can be reused.

It promotes more efficient business models that encourage intense and efficient product use, such as sharing products between multiple users, or supplying a product as a service that includes maintenance, repair and disposal.

The value people obtain from the resources used to create goods and services increases.

It transforms our linear economy mindset—take, use and throw away—and fosters innovation and productivity that invigorates existing businesses and creates new ones, delivering more jobs and more growth for local, regional, state and global economies.”