Grants to support the improvement of critical air infrastructure
Provides grants for owners and operators of regional airports and aerodromes to undertake essential works that improve aviation safety and accessibility.
Funding supports critical air infrastructure to maintain or enhance operations, including meeting aeromedical and emergency service requirements.
To be eligible you must:
- have an Australian business number (ABN)
- be an owner and/or operator of an existing aerodrome or airport in a regional area in Australia
You must also be one of the following:
- an entity incorporated in Australia (including incorporated trustees on behalf of a trust)
- an Australian local government agency or body
- an Australian state or territory government agency or body
- a corporate Commonwealth entity
- an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation that is registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
State agencies or other eligible entities may apply on behalf of aerodrome owners/operators; in such cases the state agency or other eligible entity will be the lead applicant and responsible for the project, including administering, reporting and acquitting all project expenditure; only the lead organisation can submit the application form and enter into a grant agreement.
We can only accept applications where:
- your aerodrome is identified as Inner Regional or Outer Regional as defined by the 2016 Australian Statistical Geographic Standard (ASGS) Remoteness Area
- your aerodrome or airport’s passenger throughput was below 250,000 passengers (from all flight types) in 2019
- you can provide evidence from your board or Council (or chief executive officer or equivalent if there is no board) that the project is supported by the applicant organisation and that the organisation is willing to accept responsibility to complete the project and meet the costs of the project not covered by grant funding
The full eligibility details are in the Grant opportunity guidelines.
The department cannot waive the eligibility criteria under any circumstances.
Get a personalised eligibility check — your match score, which criteria you meet, and what to watch out for.
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Last updated: 12 February 2026