Cooperative research centres

Our Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program supports Australian industries’ ability to compete and produce. We do this by helping industry to partner with the research sector to solve industry-identified problems in 2 ways:

• CRC grants support medium to long-term industry-led collaborative research, for up to 10 years
• CRC Projects (CRC-P) grants support short term, industry-led collaborative research, for up to 3 years

CRC funding

Medium to long-term funding

CRC grants offer co-funding for industry-led research. CRCs must:

• be a medium to long-term industry-led collaborative research program
• aim to solve industry identified problems and improve the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of Australian industries
• include an industry-focused education and training program, including a PhD program that builds capability and capacity
• increase research and development (R&D) capacity in small to medium enterprises (SMEs)
• encourage industry take up of research

A CRC collaboration must also include at least 1 Australian business, and 1 Australian research organisation.

Short-term funding

CRC Project grants offer matched funding of between $100,000 and $3 million for industry-led research, for up to 3 years. CRC-Ps must:

• develop a product, service or process that will solve problems for industry and deliver real outcomes
• benefit small to medium enterprises (SMEs)
• include education and training activities

A CRC-P collaboration must also include a minimum of 2 Australian businesses (with at least 1 small and medium-sized enterprise), and 1 Australian research organisation.

Funding decisions

Our Minister is responsible for the CRC Program and decides:

• which collaborations receive funding
• the amount of funding offered
• the conditions applied to the funds

CRC Advisory Committee

The CRC Advisory Committee is a sub-committee of Industry Innovation and Science Australia. They provide advice and feedback to our Minister about:

• funding applications
• the performance and progress of grant recipients
• the overall operation of the CRC Program

Read more

• View the list of successful CRC-Ps on business.gov.au
• View the list of current CRCs on business.gov.au

Contact us

• Email (CRCs) crc.program@industry.gov.au  
• Email (CRC Projects) CRCProjects@industry.gov.au

See also

• Find out how we encourage businesses to do research and development
• Read about our Guide to undertaking international collaboration
• Read about our Innovation Connections facilitator
• Read about our Entrepreneurs’ Programme
• Read about our Industry Growth Centres