Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has released a Grant Opportunity.

The Australian Government is inviting organisations through an open competitive process to apply to deliver services under the Local Jobs Program over 2 years from 2025–26 to 2026–27.

The Local Jobs, Local People grant opportunity provides total funding of $10 million (GST exclusive) and will offer grant amounts from $50,000 to $250,000.

The objectives of the grant opportunity are to:

• deliver short-term activities to address the priorities identified in the Local Jobs Plan for the relevant Employment Region(s), and:
• offer activities leading to ongoing, secure employment or that build clear pathways to employment for community members who experience barriers to employment such as:
  • First Nations peoples
  • mature age Australians over 45
  • migrants, refugees and humanitarian visa holders
  • young people up to 24 years of age, and/or
• help realise the opportunity for local employment in sectors that are critical to Australia’s growth such as:
  • Construction
  • Manufacturing
  • Care and Support
  • Digital and Emerging Technologies
  • Energy Transition.

We are keen to receive proposals that include local businesses. In particular, proposals that demonstrate partnerships with small and medium-sized businesses that have current or emerging employment opportunities, and bridge the gap between local people looking to participate in the labour market and employers’ workforce needs.

The opportunity can be accessed here.

Publish Date: 31/07/2025

• Closing Date and Time: Wednesday 24th September 2025, 5:00 pm AEST

For further information contact Evalyn Thompson at TAFE Queensland Kingaroy Campus:

Email: evalyn.thompson@tafeqld.edu.au Phone: 0431 478 747

Queensland-based manufacturers looking to adopt industry leading equipment, technologies, systems and processes that include energy efficiency, export, reshoring, supply chain improvements, sustainability and/or advancement of decarbonisation and net zero outcomes are encouraged to apply for matched funding grants of $50,000 to $2.5 million.

For applicant guidelines and full details, including eligibility and assessment criteria: click here.

Made in Queensland Program

2.1 Overview

An MIQ Program grant will support an eligible Queensland-based manufacturing SME by reimbursing up to 50 per cent of the Eligible Project costs for projects undertaken by a SME.

Grants are available:

• between $50,000 to $2.5 million (excluding GST) per grant

• as matched funding for Eligible Project costs on a dollar-for-dollar cash basis

• for projects that align with the strategic direction of the applicant, the MIQ Program Objectives, and the Eligibility Criteria.

Grants are awarded following a two-stage competitive selection process:

• Stage 1: An open application process in which applicants demonstrate how their project meets the Eligibility Criteria and Assessment Criteria set out in Section 2.3. Stage 1 Applications will be evaluated and scored against the Assessment Criteria.

• Stage 2: A process where applicants with the highest ranked Stage 1 Applications are invited to submit further information for the Value for Money and due diligence assessment set out in Section 2.7. Applications will then be ranked and, grants will be awarded to those shortlisted applicants with the highest ranked applications until the funding is exhausted.

2.3.1 Eligible applicants

To be eligible for an MIQ grant, an applicant must be one standalone entity or a group of entities (see below) that:

• is a Queensland-based business whose principal activity and majority annual turnover is derived from manufacturing, as defined under Division C of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) 2006

• is registered for GST and holds an active Australian Business Number (ABN)

• operates independently and has control of its own corporate governance and decision making

• is an SME with between five and 200 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. A minimum of five FTE employees must be located in Queensland

• has a proposed Eligible Project that meets the requirements set out in Section 2.3.2

• owns the existing equipment used in its manufacturing operations and will own any equipment to be purchased under the proposed Eligible Project

• has the financial capacity and standing necessary to successfully undertake and complete the proposed Eligible Project recognising that grant payments are made in arrears

• accepts that the Department may require security over any or all of Eligible Project items for the duration of up to seven years

• does not have, and must not be an Associated Entity of an entity that has received (or about to receive) funding under the MIQ Program that in aggregate exceeds, or will exceed $2.5 million (excluding GST)