The Australian Government’s $50m Export and Regional Wine Support Package (the $50m Package) included three grant programs.
The Wine Export Grants – now closed – were designed to support small to medium wine exporters in capturing export opportunities in China and the USA, by offering reimbursement grants for specific export promotion activities from January 2018.
The state-based and competitive grants – also closed – were designed to support the growth of regional wine tourism, by providing funding for new international wine tourism initiatives that will attract international tourists to our regions.
More information is included below:
Wine Export Grants (2b) - Applications closed
The Wine Export Grants program closed on Thursday 8 August 2019.
A total of 135 wine producers secured an average of approximately $11,100 in grant funding to support export promotional activities in China (including Hong Kong and Macau) and the USA.
In recognition of the high demand for these grants, the total pool of funding was increased from $1 million to $1.5 million in October 2018. Funding was accessed on a first-come, first-served basis with businesses only eligible to make one claim for reimbursement.
Competitive grants (3b) - Applications closed
State-based grants (3a) - Applications closed
In addition to the three grants within the Export and Regional Wine Support Package, Wine Australia will be responsible for administering the Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grant.
The grant is part of a coordinated suite of measures developed with the Australian grape and wine community after extensive consultations on reforms to the Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) arrangements. It complements the components of the Package, which are being implemented from 2018 to 2020.
For further information about this grant please see Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grants.
Timelines
| Closure of applications for state and competitive grants | 2 March 2018 |
| State and competitive grant funding agreement negotiations and project delivery | From April 2018 |
| Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grants applications open – year 1 | 1 July 2019 |
| Closure of Wine Export Grants program | 8 August 2019 |
| Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grants applications close – year 1 | 30 September 2019 |
| Conclusion of state and competitive grant programs | April 2020 |
Note: All dates are indicative and subject to Government approval.