Graphite Research and Development Grant

About the grant

The Graphite Research and Development (R&D) Grant provides Australian small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with funding and access to CSIRO experts on collaborative R&D projects.

These projects will focus on developing innovative technologies and processes essential for natural and synthetic graphite production, particularly for battery applications.

This initiative will support development of a sustainable graphite industry in Australia, which is essential to meeting the growing global demand for battery anode materials. Australia is positioned to become a key supplier to the USA and other global markets by capitalising on its natural graphite deposits. This program supports R&D in areas like alternative feedstocks, efficient recycling methods, and purification techniques, contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable graphite production process.

Watch the Graphite R&D Grant Opportunity webinar hosted by the program team to understand the grant details and learn more about collaborating with CSIRO. 

Key dates

Applications will close on 17 April 2026, or earlier if the total available funding is exhausted.

Grant details

• Eligible SMEs can access between $10,000 - $50,000.
• Businesses are required to contribute funding to the graphite R&D project that is at least equal to, or greater than, the amount of the graphite R&D grant.

Eligible SMEs can combine this grant with the CSIRO Kick-Start Program to unlock up to an additional $50,000 to conduct a collaborative research project with CSIRO.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for this grant opportunity, you must:

• Be incorporated in Australia and have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and Australian Company Number (ACN)
• Be registered for GST
• Employ fewer than 200 people

Who can apply?

Eligible Australian SMEs must be committed to pursuing international opportunities including the United States, via R&D in:

• Alternative feedstocks for synthetic graphite
• Recycling methods for graphite in batteries
• Characterisation of natural graphite ore
• Purification and spheronisation techniques
• Coating of spheronised materials
• Scale-up of graphite processing for battery anode activities
• Other innovation for efficient and effective production of graphite materials and downstream processing.

Grant documentation

• Graphite R&D Grant Opportunity Guidelines v1.1
• Sample Grant and Project Agreement
• Sample Graphite R&D Grant Final Report

Acknowledgement

This grant opportunity is part of the Batteries Research and Development Program which is funded by the Department of Industry, Science and Resource and delivered by CSIRO.

About the grant

The Graphite Research and Development (R&D) Grant provides Australian small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with funding and access to CSIRO experts on collaborative R&D projects.

These projects will focus on developing innovative technologies and processes essential for natural and synthetic graphite production, particularly for battery applications.

This initiative will support development of a sustainable graphite industry in Australia, which is essential to meeting the growing global demand for battery anode materials. Australia is positioned to become a key supplier to the USA and other global markets by capitalising on its natural graphite deposits. This program supports R&D in areas like alternative feedstocks, efficient recycling methods, and purification techniques, contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable graphite production process.

Watch the Graphite R&D Grant Opportunity webinar hosted by the program team to understand the grant details and learn more about collaborating with CSIRO. 

Key dates

Applications will close on 17 April 2026, or earlier if the total available funding is exhausted.

Grant details

• Eligible SMEs can access between $10,000 - $50,000.
• Businesses are required to contribute funding to the graphite R&D project that is at least equal to, or greater than, the amount of the graphite R&D grant.

Eligible SMEs can combine this grant with the CSIRO Kick-Start Program to unlock up to an additional $50,000 to conduct a collaborative research project with CSIRO.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for this grant opportunity, you must:

• Be incorporated in Australia and have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and Australian Company Number (ACN)
• Be registered for GST
• Employ fewer than 200 people

Who can apply?

Eligible Australian SMEs must be committed to pursuing international opportunities including the United States, via R&D in:

• Alternative feedstocks for synthetic graphite
• Recycling methods for graphite in batteries
• Characterisation of natural graphite ore
• Purification and spheronisation techniques
• Coating of spheronised materials
• Scale-up of graphite processing for battery anode activities
• Other innovation for efficient and effective production of graphite materials and downstream processing.

Grant documentation

• Graphite R&D Grant Opportunity Guidelines v1.1 PDF (341 KB)
• Sample Grant and Project Agreement PDF (268 KB)
• Sample Graphite R&D Grant Final Report PDF (123 KB)

Acknowledgement

This grant opportunity is part of the Batteries Research and Development Program which is funded by the Department of Industry, Science and Resource and delivered by CSIRO.

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