RED Grants South West Regional Priorities

Overview

The South West Development Commission has identified key regional priority areas as part of its Strategic Plan. Projects that demonstrate alignment with the region’s priorities are viewed favourably through the Regional Economic Development (RED) Grants Program.

The South West regional priorities are areas where significant opportunities exist for growth and diversification. Importantly, the region’s priorities support the intent of the State’s RED Grants Program, which aims to diversify regional economies and protect sustainable jobs.

In the South West, the RED Grants Program encourages applications that directly contribute to:

  • Aboriginal Small Business Development
  • Maximising International and/or Interstate Markets
  • Innovation or value adding in the key industry areas of:
    • Manufacturing/Advanced Manufacturing
    • Mining
    • Agriculture
    • Energy
    • Tourism and Events

Following are examples of identified opportunities within each regional priority focus area. For more information, please contact the team to discuss how your project aligns.

Aboriginal Small Business Development

We encourage applications that support the sustainable development of Aboriginal-led enterprise and projects that increase the participation of Aboriginal people across all areas of economic and social life.

Government, businesses and the wider community have a significant role to play in working with Aboriginal people to achieve this outcome.

Priority initiatives and opportunities:

  • Increasing Aboriginal people’s participation in the local economy
  • Building the capacity of Aboriginal-owned businesses and supporting joint venture partnerships
  • Increasing skills and employment outcomes for Aboriginal people
  • Ensuring the South West region’s iconic tourism assets are recognised as significant cultural and heritages sites of the local Noongar people
  • Ensuring Aboriginal-owned enterprises are well-represented in tourism and events marketing
  • Developing Aboriginal tourism experiences and products to showcase heritage and cultural assets

Maximising International and/or Interstate Markets

Trade relationships provide opportunities to leverage growth markets and maximise niche and premium product.

Priority initiatives and opportunities:

  • Growing domestic and international exports
  • Supporting businesses to unlock and diversify export markets
  • Growing markets within the Asia-Pacific time zone
  • Supporting investment in new technologies to scale and commercialise for export growth
  • Supporting investments that create supply chain opportunities for other regional businesses
  • Strengthening cross-sector partnerships to ensure industry has access to creative technologies, programs and expertise

Manufacturing/Advanced Manufacturing

The region’s capabilities in technology and advanced manufacturing are growing at an unprecedented rate, providing pathways for future industry growth and diversification.

Priority initiatives and opportunities:

  • Supporting value-adding and attracting innovative manufacturing investments in the South West
  • Supporting innovation in transport, building technologies, food processing, agriculture and wine technologies
  • Attracting investment in manufacturing and processing facilities
  • Promoting industry and education partnerships to link students with the latest industry-ready skills and technologies

Mining

Mining and mining equipment, technology and services (METS) are major contributors to the region’s economy and play a vital in our future prosperity.

Priority initiatives and opportunities:

  • Building on the region’s significant mineral resources, downstream processing and mining equipment and technology services (METS) capability
  • Maximising the region’s abundance of lithium and other critical minerals to meet global demand for electric vehicles and battery storage

Agriculture

The South West is abundant with rich marine life and agricultural lands, with global demand growing for the region’s quality produce.

Priority initiatives and opportunities:

  • Supporting innovation in food and wine production and processing
  • Supporting value-adding in forestry and timber processing
  • Maximising high-value international markets
  • Expanding softwood plantation estates and facilitating initiatives to produce bio-economy commodities

Energy

The world’s growing demand for clean energy provides unparalleled opportunities to be at the forefront of innovation into renewables.

Priority initiatives and opportunities:

  • Supporting investment opportunities in battery storage, recycling and innovation
  • Facilitating the development of other clean energy projects
  • Developing market opportunities for waste management and value-add products and services, including waste-to-energy initiatives
  • Supporting sustainable energy supply and distribution, including biomass, wind, solar and hydrogen

Tourism and Events

Tourism and events, the creative industries and Aboriginal cultural heritage are important contributors to the vibrancy and liveability of the South West.

Priority initiatives and opportunities:

  • Supporting initiatives in product development and packaging
  • Developing iconic tourism attractions and experiences
  • Improving trail coordination across the region
  • Supporting events that substantially enhance the region’s reputation as a tourism, business and lifestyle destination

We’re here to help

If you have any questions, or need help with your application, please contact our team on 9792 2000 or email [email protected] .