Research and Development (R&D) is conducting systematic, investigative, and experimental activities that contain innovation or high levels of technical risk and are conducted to acquire new knowledge or create new or improved materials, products, processes, or services.
But what does that mean? It could be translated as R&D is the development of new or improved products, processes, or services that include a level of technical risk.
R&D is using a trial and error process to discover something unique.
Current Grants
- Medical Device Fund (MDF)
- National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
- Research and Development Tax Incentive
- Space Concession
More Information
The Australian government grant programs are always being changed and updated so it can be difficult for a busy business manager to keep track of what is available. The professionals at Pattens Group are familiar with all of the 700+ grants that are currently being offered and what it takes for an application to be successful. Let us share our 30+ years of experience with you when we find a government grant for your business. Contact us today for a free no-obligation consultation.
Innovation Grants/R&D Grants
There are hundreds of grants available, so even if you don’t find what you are looking for you may still be eligible for an unlisted grant or private funding.
R&D Tax Incentive: Innovate with certainty
Research and Development (R&D) is crucial to innovation and discovery, laying the groundwork for technical improvements that lead to greater productivity and growth. But as any business owner knows, R&D comes with significant technical risk.
The uncertainty surrounding the success of R&D ventures means business owners are on the side of caution, choosing instead to channel their resources toward projects that are more likely to produce results.
Australian businesses often underinvest in R&D due to a lack of research funding and the inability to leverage the true benefits of research projects – findings often leak to competitors, eliminating any edge that successful R&D might have given business owners over others in the industry.
And yet the role of R&D in creating business value and furthering Australia’s prosperity is undeniable.
The Australian government encourages businesses to assume the risks of R&D projects by offering more certainty. This comes in the form of an R&D tax incentive to offset the costs of such projects. The R&D grant allays business owners’ initial reasons for not investing in research.
If you’ve always wanted to invest in R&D, this is the time to do it. Minimise risk with support from the government. Pattens are here to assist you.
With over 30 years of grant experience, our staff will help you take full advantage of the R&D tax incentive. Your business has everything to gain and nothing to lose.
Getting help from the experts
The key to unlocking the benefits of the R&D Tax Incentive is assessing your eligibility, registering R&D activities, and claiming your tax offset. Since it is a self-assessment program, you are responsible for compliance so you need an experienced, qualified grants specialist like Pattens.
We can determine whether your R&D activities meet the criteria for tax offsets and prepare your application.
The tax incentive covers innovations which include Core and Supporting activities:
Core R&D activities are performed to create new knowledge in the form of improved processes, products, services, materials, and devices, just to name a few.
Supporting R&D activities, on the other hand, are directly connected to core activities or are performed with the main goal of supporting core activities.
Business owners who are unsure of their eligibility can get assistance from our knowledgeable staff. The advice you receive will depend on your project and unique circumstances.
To enjoy the tax benefits, you must register all R&D activities :
1) For each income year you intend to claim tax offsets,
2) Within 10 months of each income year’s closing, and
3) Before lodging your income tax return.
We have lodged thousands of successful R&D Tax Incentive applications. Contact us today to find out how we can help you or for more information.
More on R&D tax incentive Australia
The R&D Tax Incentive offers tax-free cash and offsets to encourage more businesses to invest in R&D.
It has two main components:
- 43.5% tax offset (refundable) – To qualify, R&D entities must have an aggregated turnover of $20 million per annum or less and must not be controlled by any income tax-exempt entity.
- 38.5% tax offset (non-refundable) – For other R&D entities, which may carry unused offset amounts over to forthcoming income years.
The rate of the tax offset is reduced from the tax rate for the amount of R&D deductions exceeding $100 million for that particular income year.
The Australian Taxation Office and the Department of Industry, Innovation, and Science administer the R&D tax incentive program.
The team at Pattens can assess your projects and identify the value of the R&D Tax Incentive for which you are eligible.
Applying for an R&D grant with Pattens
Accelerate your R&D projects with research and development grants. Our staff specialises in innovation grants for Australian businesses. To experience the full benefits of research funding it only requires the proper guidance and advice.
When you come to Pattens for support, we offer a Free Report matching your business against 1000+ grants available in Australia. Once we’ve identified them, we can help you make prepare a compelling application.
With support from research grants, Australian businesses can conduct R&D activities that they may not be able to execute otherwise. It also incentivises small businesses to invest in R&D.
Our role is to make the entire process less complex for business owners who might not have enough time or familiarity with the program to do self-assessment and compliance on their own.
By providing you with the right knowledge, tools, and support, we help you jumpstart your R&D projects.
Power Your Next Breakthrough With Expert-Led R&D Grants Now
Many organisations look to external support, like R&D grants, to help move projects forward and support cash flow.
Innovation plays a central role in how Australian businesses grow, adapt, and stay competitive, but turning ideas into outcomes often requires more than internal effort alone.
Government research grants in Australia, such as R&D government grants, are among your options, but they sit within a complex system shaped by policy priorities, assessment guidelines, and long-term planning considerations.
Making sense of this landscape requires clarity around where a project sits today and where it’s heading next. That’s where we can help. Pattens Group is Australia’s leading grants specialist, supporting innovation-driven businesses to secure government funding with confidence and clarity.
Innovation funding can be a great boost for your project.
Innovation research funding can be a helpful boost for businesses working on new ideas, technologies, or improvements. With this in mind, Australian government business grants are designed to support projects that might otherwise slow down or stop due to high costs, technical risk, or limited resources.
These research development grants can be used to support the development of new technologies, improve existing products, or refine processes.
When R&D funding is part of a clear innovation strategy, businesses are better placed to understand their market and respond to customer needs. For startups and small- to medium-sized businesses in particular, R&D grants can be critical.
In the long run, R&D grant opportunities, especially non-dilutive funding, can provide the extra support needed to scale operations, test new ideas, and keep pace with changing industry trends without giving up equity.
It can be overwhelming to understand eligibility and funding value on your own.
Government funding programs are built around specific priorities, such as innovation, commercialisation, or strengthening Australia’s sovereign capability. As such, eligibility for R&D government support depends on how closely a project aligns with these aims.
Many R&D grants are not limited to specific industries. However, some of these grants are designed to support particular types of innovation, business activities, or technology outcomes. This means applicants must clearly demonstrate how their project aligns with the program’s objectives.
Even applications with strong technical ideas can struggle if they do not clearly meet the stated eligibility criteria and innovation requirements, which can significantly reduce the likelihood of approval.
Furthermore, the amounts for R&D financial support vary widely depending on the program, the stage of development, and the industry focus. In Australia, some commercialisation programs offer R&D funds ranging from around $50,000 to $5 million, depending on the growth stage and scope of the work.
When it comes to R&D grants as well as other government programs, like tax incentives for research and development, knowing where your project is along the development path is key to setting realistic expectations.
These underscore why it’s important to work with experienced government grants experts like Pattens Group to help you navigate eligibility assessments, applications, and strategies.
Work with Australia’s leading grants specialists at Pattens Group.
Working with our grants specialists can make a meaningful difference to both access and execution when pursuing government funding. Here, we operate on a No Win, No Fee model, meaning clients only pay if funding is secured. This model aims to ease the upfront financial risk and ensure incentives are aligned with real client outcomes.
By being business advisers for grant applications and providing much-needed support in navigating the process, we also encourage a careful, commercially grounded approach that focuses on viable projects and strong positioning.
Our documented success rates are over 95% across competitive grant programs, alongside a 100% track record on Research and Development Tax Incentive claims.
We have demonstrated consistent delivery across a wide range of R&D support programs. This depth of experience is demonstrated in our ability to support you in managing competitive assessment processes, regulatory standards, and multi-stage funding pathways.
We have also supported Australian businesses in obtaining more than $3 billion in combined grants and incentive funding across innovation programs, which demonstrates our delivery capability across projects ranging from early R&D through to commercialisation and expansion.
Power Your Next Breakthrough With Expert-Led R&D Grants Now
Many organisations look to external support, like R&D grants, to help move projects forward and support cash flow.
Innovation plays a central role in how Australian businesses grow, adapt, and stay competitive, but turning ideas into outcomes often requires more than internal effort alone.
Government research grants in Australia, such as R&D government grants, are among your options, but they sit within a complex system shaped by policy priorities, assessment guidelines, and long-term planning considerations.
Making sense of this landscape requires clarity around where a project sits today and where it’s heading next. That’s where we can help. Pattens Group is Australia’s leading grants specialist, supporting innovation-driven businesses to secure government funding with confidence and clarity.
Innovation funding can be a great boost for your project.
Innovation research funding can be a helpful boost for businesses working on new ideas, technologies, or improvements. With this in mind, Australian government business grants are designed to support projects that might otherwise slow down or stop due to high costs, technical risk, or limited resources.
These research development grants can be used to support the development of new technologies, improve existing products, or refine processes.
When R&D funding is part of a clear innovation strategy, businesses are better placed to understand their market and respond to customer needs. For startups and small- to medium-sized businesses in particular, R&D grants can be critical.
In the long run, R&D grant opportunities, especially non-dilutive funding, can provide the extra support needed to scale operations, test new ideas, and keep pace with changing industry trends without giving up equity.
It can be overwhelming to understand eligibility and funding value on your own.
Government funding programs are built around specific priorities, such as innovation, commercialisation, or strengthening Australia’s sovereign capability. As such, eligibility for R&D government support depends on how closely a project aligns with these aims.
Many R&D grants are not limited to specific industries. However, some of these grants are designed to support particular types of innovation, business activities, or technology outcomes. This means applicants must clearly demonstrate how their project aligns with the program’s objectives.
Even applications with strong technical ideas can struggle if they do not clearly meet the stated eligibility criteria and innovation requirements, which can significantly reduce the likelihood of approval.
Furthermore, the amounts for R&D financial support vary widely depending on the program, the stage of development, and the industry focus. In Australia, some commercialisation programs offer R&D funds ranging from around $50,000 to $5 million, depending on the growth stage and scope of the work.
When it comes to R&D grants as well as other government programs, like tax incentives for research and development, knowing where your project is along the development path is key to setting realistic expectations.
These underscore why it’s important to work with experienced government grants experts like Pattens Group to help you navigate eligibility assessments, applications, and strategies.
Work with Australia’s leading grants specialists at Pattens Group.
Working with our grants specialists can make a meaningful difference to both access and execution when pursuing government funding. Here, we operate on a No Win, No Fee model, meaning clients only pay if funding is secured. This model aims to ease the upfront financial risk and ensure incentives are aligned with real client outcomes.
By being business advisers for grant applications and providing much-needed support in navigating the process, we also encourage a careful, commercially grounded approach that focuses on viable projects and strong positioning.
Our documented success rates are over 95% across competitive grant programs, alongside a 100% track record on Research and Development Tax Incentive claims.
We have demonstrated consistent delivery across a wide range of R&D support programs. This depth of experience is demonstrated in our ability to support you in managing competitive assessment processes, regulatory standards, and multi-stage funding pathways.
We have also supported Australian businesses in obtaining more than $3 billion in combined grants and incentive funding across innovation programs, which demonstrates our delivery capability across projects ranging from early R&D through to commercialisation and expansion.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can you combine R&D grants with other funding?
R&D grants, including research and development tax offset incentives, or cash refunds, can often be combined with other government funding programs as long as the same costs are not claimed twice. This rule helps avoid what is known as “double-dipping,” where one expense receives multiple benefits.
In many cases, different R&D assistance options can still work together when they support separate stages or parts of an innovation project, making funding more flexible and effective.
Is there a minimum R&D spend required?
For the Research and Development Tax Incentive, businesses need to spend at least $20,000 on eligible R&D activities in an income year to make a claim. This minimum helps ensure the work relates to meaningful innovation rather than small or incidental tasks.
That being said, there are cases where exceptions may apply if the R&D is carried out through a registered Research Service Provider (RSP), which can help businesses with smaller expenditures meet eligibility requirements.
Do startups qualify for R&D grants?
Startups can qualify for R&D grants and incentives if they meet the eligibility criteria of the relevant program and are undertaking genuine innovation work. It’s important to note that an Australian Business Number (ABN) is required to apply for most grants.
In Australia, there are programs that are designed with early-stage businesses in mind. Even if a startup is still refining its idea or testing early concepts, this work may still be considered eligible when it is properly planned and documented.
We help startups access R&D grants by providing clear, early guidance and hands-on support throughout the process when you’re looking for government grants for companies.
Pattens Group: Australia’s leading grants specialists for innovation-driven businesses
Pattens Group helps businesses understand complex funding programs by providing clear eligibility assessments, structured advice, end-to-end funding strategies, and grant writing Australia-wide.
We assess opportunities across more than 1,200 actively mapped grants and provide a clear view of what is realistic before any application begins. Operating on a No Win, No Fee model, we remove upfront risk and align our work directly with outcomes.
With more than $3 billion secured in grants and incentives and over 35 years of experience, Pattens Group can serve as your long-term funding partner, helping you navigate R&D grants for startups in Australia, as well as other government funding programs across the country.
Book a free, no-obligation consultation with us today.
Disclaimer: Information provided is general in nature and does not constitute financial or tax advice. Eligibility for government grants and incentives is subject to program guidelines and assessment by relevant authorities.