Understanding the R&D tax incentive and other grants to support your business

The R&D tax incentive and state government grants are key ways that funding support is provided to help SMEs realise opportunities and achieve growth objectives.

Proving your clients’ eligibility for this funding can present challenges, as can determining what R&D expenditure is actually eligible.

Tom Gilbert leads AusIndustry’s Brisbane-based R&D Tax Incentive education and integrity assurance activities. At August’s Queensland Tax Forum he will join John Cornick (EY) and Tom Rengers, CTA (ATO) for the combined presentation and Q&A panel session ‘Understanding the R&D tax incentive and other grants to support your business’.

He tells us about some of the issues facing SMEs and their advisers in this post.

“We still find that businesses are uncertain when it comes to accessing innovation-focussed government assistance, and once they have, they naturally want to stay focused on their business and minimise the time spent on related compliance activities.”


Tom will look at how to best present your client’s activities to demonstrate eligibility, providing an AusIndustry perspective. The session will also provide some important insights into eligible R&D expenditure, as well as highlighting other state and federal grants to support your clients’ activities.

Tom said “I’m hoping to offer a fresh perspective on what it means to access government support, both in terms of benefits and also in terms of compliance costs. I want delegates to leave this session better able to help their clients make informed decisions about participating in government support programs.”

The presentations will be followed with a Q&A facilitated by Nicola Purser, ATI (BDO), providing delegates with unique perspectives from the ATO, AusIndustry and public practice.

Tom Gilbert
Tom said “I lead the Brisbane-based R&D Tax Incentive education and integrity assurance activities for AusIndustry, and have almost two decades worth of experience within the Australian Public Service, managing a broad range of activities in the industry assistance, compliance and finance areas. I have delivered the R&D Tax Incentive since 2014, and prior to this, from 2008 I managed the delivery of AusIndustry’s competitive innovation granting programs to Queensland participants. I have also held compliance and engagement roles within the Departments of Industry Innovation and Science, Health and Ageing, and Defence.” 
Of the rest of the program, he said “I’m really keen to get along to the session from Sarah Hickey (PwC) on the digital funding options available to help businesses grow, as well as the session with Joanne Casburn, (ATO) ‘How to win together with the ATO’."

The 2018 Queensland Tax Forum takes place 23-24 August, at a brand-new venue, W Brisbane. Part of the new, billion-dollar Brisbane Quarter, W is Brisbane’s first new 5-star hotel in 20 years, and has only been open a matter of weeks.

Find out more about Tom’s session and the rest of the program on our website.

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