Is your business new to, or trying to expand your R&D? A Project Grant can help you take on larger or more challenging R&D.
New grants criteria and application process
We are now accepting applications for Getting Started, Fellowship, Career and Project Grants following our pause in October and November. However, as there is limited funding, a new waitlist process is in place along with new criteria for the rest of the financial year. Please take a look at our specific grant page for the most current criteria and application process.
How can the grant help me?
The Project Grant is designed to help you:
- Build your R&D expertise by giving your business an opportunity to push the boundaries and uncover new scientific or technical knowledge and understanding
- Break new ground in an R&D project for the development of new or substantially improved devices, products, processes, systems or services
- Develop your business into a stable and substantial R&D performer
- Grow your investment in R&D.
How does it work?
- Typically your business will receive 40% of your eligible R&D project costs; reducing for large projects, or if the business has had a previous large grant.
- There is a new cap on Project Grant eligible spend which is $375,000, with Callaghan Innovation co-funding being 40% of that. If your total project costs are greater than this, you must be able to demonstrate that you can fund the balance.
- Your business will only receive funding for R&D done in New Zealand (unless pre-approved)
- Your business will receive payment in arrears (monthly or quarterly).
Who can apply?
To apply for a Project Grant, your business must be one of the following:
- Incorporated in New Zealand and registered under the Companies Act. Note that companies registered on the Overseas Register are not eligible for funding.
- A New Zealand Registered Limited Partnership.
- A Māori incorporation or trust established under the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act, a trust set up to manage assets as part of a Treaty of Waitangi settlement, a Māori statutory body, or a business controlled by one or more of these entities.
- Charitable Trusts can apply for funding only if they meet the business criteria above and satisfy all other criteria.
To qualify from 13 July 2021, under the 2021-22 Project Grant settings, your business, or group of businesses if your business is part of a corporate group, must also:
- Meet financial and due diligence requirements.
- Not have received a Project Grant or Growth Grant previously. For the rest of this financial year, Project Grants will only be open to new Project Grant applicants. In other words, if your business has already received a Project or Growth Grant, you will not be able to join the waitlist to apply for this financial year. You can however join the waitlist if you have only received a Getting Started Grant.
- Not have been conducting R&D for more than 2 years (this includes in New Zealand and overseas) - ie you are new to R&D.
- Not have received funding under a Growth Grant contract within 2 years of the Growth Grant contract maturity date.
How do I apply?
Following another popular year, waitlists are now in place for Getting Started, Project, Fellowship and Career Grants.
All grants will be processed via a new waitlist process:
- Businesses wanting to apply for Getting Started, Career, Fellowship or Project Grants will need to fill out a waitlist form. Please check the eligibility criteria carefully to ensure you are eligible to apply.
- You will be contacted by a customer manager to confirm you are eligible to apply for the grant and are undertaking eligible R&D activities.
- Invitations to formally apply from the waitlist will be sent out in monthly batches (approx mid-month).
- Once invited to apply, you will have 2 weeks to submit the full grant application. We strongly encourage you to start getting the required information together ahead of the waitlist process. A sample application form containing details of what information will be required to apply to the waitlist can be found [here]. Applications not submitted in full within the 2-week period will be automatically closed and the funds will be reallocated back to the waitlist pool.
Project Grant guidelines
Guidelines: Project Grants Funding Agreement
Guidelines: Describing your R&D in your Project Grant Application
Are you ready to talk about project grants - Dec 2021
Project Grant Application Template - Dec 2021
FAQs
Can I apply for a Project Grant if I have received one in the past?
For the rest of this financial year we will only be accepting applications for new Project Grant applicants (this includes previous Growth Grant recipients).
Can I apply for a Project Grant if I have received a Student or Getting Started Grant?
Yes you can.
How much can my business receive for a Project Grant?
There is a new cap on Project Grant eligible spend which is $375,000, with Callaghan Innovation co-funding being 40% of that. If your total project costs are greater than this, you must be able to demonstrate that you can fund the balance.
How do I calculate eligible R&D project costs?
As a starting point, consult the Eligible costs for Project Grants guideline to help clarify eligible and ineligible R&D project costs.
If I have a R&D Loan, can I apply for a project grant?
Yes you may apply for a project grant but please note the eligibility criteria for the grant.
How do I describe my R&D in my application?
Check out our guide below to help you describe your R&D in order to meet the Project Grant criteria.
How do I calculate eligible R&D project costs?
As a starting point, consult the Eligible costs for Project Grants guideline to help clarify eligible and ineligible R&D project costs.
If I have a R&D Loan, can I apply for a project grant?
Yes you may apply for a project grant but note that you may be required to repay a portion of the loan as you cannot receive more than 100% government funding for your project
Updated: 1 December 2021