RNA Pipeline Grants 2025

Fill Out
Now
This is a preview of the TEST Milestone Based App form. When you’re ready to apply, click Fill Out Now to begin.
 

Instructions

Before completing this application form, you should have read the RNA Pipeline Grants Program guidelines.
 
Incomplete applications and/or applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
 
The Application form must be:
  1. completed in full and within the word limit
  2. authorised by the project lead or representative of the applicant’s organisation
  3. submitted electronically through SmartyGrants. Forms submitted by any other means will not be accepted.

Please provide concise and succinct responses.

You must attach the following documents to your application:

  • 2 minute video explaining/demonstrating the scientific and technological basis for the solution, how it works, its intended outcome/benefit and how the grant funding will be used to commercialise it
  • One-page project plan and Budget preferably in a Gantt chart format with the project timeline with project activities, tasks/milestones and their respective TRL, project costs that relate to expected outcomes
  • 2024/25 year audited or certified financial accounts which include Profit & Loss Statement and Balance Sheet (for applicants intending to establish a company or new companies that do not have 2024/25 management accounts, please upload the following instead: information about your new company formation process, how you are currently funding your project, including details on project and business expenses (wages, rent etc.)).

You may attach the following documents to your application:

  1. Supplementary evidence to video in the form of photos, diagrams etc.
This field is read only. 

Introduction

The NSW Government is supporting the growth of NSW’s RNA ecosystem, recognising the potential of ribonucleic acid (RNA) technology and building on NSW’s world-class research and development (R&D). This initiative is part of NSW Government’s broader commitment to advancing the health, medical, agricultural and biosecurity R&D and manufacturing sectors.

This includes supporting discovery, scale-up, commercialisation and workforce development to accelerate market entry and expansion and create new skilled jobs across the state.

In October 2021, the NSW Government announced a $96 million investment to establish a state-of-the-art RNA Research and Manufacturing Facility (the Facility) at Macquarie University. The Facility will be operated by Aurora Biosynthetics through a public-private partnership and will deliver Australia’s first open-access GMP-grade RNA manufacturing capability at research and clinical scale.

To support and activate the broader ecosystem around the Facility, the Government committed an additional $119 million over 10 years to establish the RNA R&D Initiatives Fund, administered by the Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer (OCSE) within the NSW Premier's Department (the Department). This funding supports a range of initiatives to foster investment in RNA research and development, accelerate commercialisation, build workforce capability across the RNA value chain, and improve access to research infrastructure. This combined investment in R&D capability and infrastructure will enable RNA innovations to be scaled, trialled, and commercialised in NSW.

The RNA Pipeline Grants (RPG) is a $6 million, single round, competitive technology development and commercialisation program as part of the RNA R&D Initiatives Fund.

The RPG supports the development and commercialisation of innovative RNA therapeutics, vaccines, and related technologies (such as RNA delivery technology) with a clear manufacturing pathway —spanning applications in health, biosecurity and agriculture. The RPG aims to build a robust pipeline of RNA-based products in NSW that could be manufactured at the Facility, helping bridge the gap between discovery and scalable production. By supporting projects that are progressing toward commercial readiness and manufacturing feasibility, the RPG aims to attract future investment, increase local manufacturing and grow a globally competitive RNA ecosystem that delivers long-term health, economic and scientific benefits for the people of NSW. NSW-based manufacturing capabilities, including the RNA Facility, are central to this vision. These facilities provide scalable production capacity for RNA-based products developed through the RPG and other initiatives.

The RPG has $6 million in funding for projects ranging between $200,000 to $3 million.

Objectives

The objectives of the RPG program are to: 

  • support a pipeline of products that could be manufactured at the NSW RNA Research and Manufacturing Facility
  • progress the development and manufacture of innovative RNA therapeutics, vaccines and related technologies – including applications in health, biosecurity and agriculture - towards commercialisation in NSW
  • improve commercialisation opportunities for NSW-based start-ups and businesses through targeted support for translation and scale-up
  • contribute to a globally competitive RNA ecosystem that delivers long-term economic, scientific, and social benefits for NSW, including enhanced workforce capability and sovereign manufacturing capacity.

Closing date

The closing date is 01:00 pm AEDT 16 September 2025.


Looking for assistance in applying?

At NSW Premier’s Department, we are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage people with disability to apply. If you are a person with disability and require more information on adjustments and assistance to apply, please contact us at grants@chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au. Assistance in completing this application can be found at Communities and Justice, People with Disability Australia or Legal Aid.

If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, check out Aboriginal Affairs or your country’s Aboriginal Corporation to get assistance in the preparations of applications and grant program processes.

This field is read only. The program this submission is in.

Disclaimer

The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that:

  • submission of this application does not guarantee funding will be granted for any project, and the Department expressly reserves its right to accept or reject this application at its discretion;
  • it must bear the costs of preparing and submitting this application and the Department does not accept any liability for such costs, whether or not this application is ultimately accepted or rejected; and
  • it has read the Funding Guidelines for the Program and has fully informed itself of the relevant program requirements.

Use of Information

By submitting this application form, the Applicant acknowledges and agrees that:

  • if this project application is successful, the relevant details of the project will be made public, including details such as the names of the organisation (Applicant) and any partnering organisation (state government agency or non-government organisation), project title, project description, location, anticipated time for completion and amount awarded;
  • the Department will use reasonable endeavours to ensure that any information received in or in respect of this application which is clearly marked ‘Commercial-in-confidence’ or ‘Confidential’ is treated as confidential, however, such documents will remain subject to the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIPA Act); and
  • in some circumstances the Department may release information contained in this application form and other relevant information in relation to this application in response to a request lodged under the GIPA Act or otherwise as required or permitted by law.

Privacy Notice

By submitting this Application form, the Applicant acknowledges and agrees that:

  • the Department is required to comply with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) (the Privacy Act) and that any personal information (as defined by the Privacy Act) collected by the Department in relation to the program will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Act and its privacy policy (available at: https://www.dpc.nsw.gov.au/privacy);
  • the information it provides to the Department in connection with this application will be collected and stored on a database and will only be used for the purposes for which it was collected (including, where necessary, being disclosed to other Government agencies in connection with the assessment of the merits of an application) or as otherwise permitted by the Privacy Act;
  • it has taken steps to ensure that any person whose personal information (as defined by the Privacy Act) is included in this application has consented to the fact that the Department and other Government agencies may be supplied with that personal information, and has been made aware of the purposes for which it has been collected and may be used.