- Cook Government announces four new Local Capability Fund rounds and nine regional rounds worth over $3 million
- Small businesses invited to apply to bolster bids for Government and private sector contracts
The Cook Government is encouraging small to medium-sized local businesses to apply for more than $3 million in grants to assist their bids for Government and private sector contracts.
The Local Capability Fund (LCF) helps recipients improve their capability, capacity and competitiveness to supply goods, services and works to the Government, major projects and other important markets.
Four new Local Capability Fund rounds worth $2.2 million in total have been announced for 2023-2024, with grants of up to $50,000 available.
The four new rounds feature:
- Supplying Key Projects Round to assist businesses around the State to supply to key Government and private sector projects in priority sector markets;
- the Aboriginal Business Round to assist businesses with majority Aboriginal ownership to supply goods, services and works to Government and the private sector;
- National and International Standards Compliance Round to assist with the costs of engaging external expertise to carry out implementation and third-party certification of seven specific national and international standards; and
- the LCF will also pilot a Digital Transformation Round to provide initial support for eligible businesses to adopt and use digital technologies and data and further the Government’s understanding of needs in this area. This round will be opened in the coming weeks.
Nine regional LCF rounds worth $900,000 in total with grants of up to $20,000 will be progressibly launched throughout 2023-24. These rounds will help businesses in regional areas improve their services.
Through the LCF, more than 600 businesses have received total funding of $22.7 million, helping secure more than $1.05 billion in contract awards.
To find out more about the LCF and to submit an application, visit Local Capability Fund (www.wa.gov.au)
As stated by Minister Assisting the Minister for State and Industry Development, Jobs and Trade Stephen Dawson:
“The Local Capability Fund has been able to assist hundreds of businesses and supplied tens of millions in funding for them.
“This has resulted in more than 2,000 employment opportunities and nearly 250 apprenticeships.
“The Cook Government encourages businesses to apply for the grant, which will help them in their bids for both Government and private sector contracts.”
