NSW Net Zero Planning Grant: how to access $25,000 before 30 November

Round 2 of the NSW Net Zero Planning Grant is open

Eligible NSW businesses can claim up to $25,000, covering 50 per cent of the cost of net zero planning work. The pool is $2 million, applications are assessed as they arrive rather than ranked against each other, and the round closes 30 November 2026 — or earlier if the funding runs out.

NetNada prepared six round 1 applications. All six were funded.

We prepare applications at no cost. There is no fee and no share of the grant.

In this 30-minute session, NetNada co-founder Lochie Burke walks through the round 2 rules, the eligibility tests, three case studies from businesses funded in round 1, and the application process step by step — including the five things that most often slow an application down.

Who this is for

CFOs, operations leaders and sustainability managers at NSW businesses spending:

• more than $200,000 a year on energy at a single NSW site, or
• more than $500,000 a year across multiple NSW sites.

Round 2 counts all purchased fuels towards that test, not just electricity and gas — which brings some transport-heavy businesses over the threshold for the first time.

What we’ll cover

1. What changed between round 1 and round 2

The grant got smaller and your share got bigger. Round 1 offered $30,000 at 75 per cent co-funding; round 2 offers $25,000 at 50 per cent. We’ll show what that does to a real project budget, and cover the two eligibility changes that matter: all purchased fuels now count towards the energy spend test, and Group 1 reporting entities are now excluded.

2. The eligibility tests, and how to prove them

The four criteria you have to meet, the five hard exclusions that end an application at the first check, and what NSW actually accepts as proof of the energy spend threshold. This is where most applications either work or don’t.

3. What the money covers, milestone by milestone

Milestone 1 is a net zero readiness assessment against the NSW Net Zero Business Guide — up to $2,000, six weeks. Milestone 2 delivers the planning work you chose — up to $23,000, 18 weeks. We’ll cover what counts as a fundable action, and the list of things the grant will not pay for, including carbon offsets, capital expenditure and anything you spend before the funding deed is signed.

4. Three case studies from round 1

What funded businesses in pet food manufacturing, cosmetics manufacturing and commercial laundry actually produced with the money — greenhouse gas inventories, climate risk assessments, science-based targets and net zero action plans — and what they said about the process afterwards.

5. The application process, end to end

From confirming the energy spend test to signing the funding deed and delivering both milestones, with the real timeline: an outcome within 20 business days, 20 business days to sign, six weeks for Milestone 1, 18 weeks for Milestone 2.

6. The five things that slow applications down

Drawn from the six applications we prepared in round 1:

1. Energy bills that don’t prove the threshold. One month’s bill does not demonstrate $200,000 a year. Pull 12 months, and pull fuel cards and gas accounts too.
2. Starting consultant work before the deed is signed. That spend is not claimable.
3. Leaving the consultant decision until after approval. The six-week Milestone 1 clock starts at deed commencement, not at engagement.
4. Choosing Milestone 2 actions that are too broad. Actions must cover the full scope of at least one key action of the Guide. Half of three elements will fail; all of one will pass.
5. Forgetting the NSW operations boundary. If you operate interstate, only the NSW portion is fundable.

Live Q&A

The last part of the session is open Q&A. Bring your energy spend numbers and your questions about scope — the ones we can’t get to live, we answer by email.

About the speaker

Lochie Burke is Co-Founder & Director of NetNada, with a background in business sustainability and corporate strategy. He oversees customer success and works directly with CFOs navigating mandatory climate disclosure and government decarbonisation funding.

Before the session

Read the full written guide: NSW Net Zero Planning Grant round 2: how to apply — eligibility criteria, the round 1 versus round 2 comparison, an interactive eligibility checklist, and what the grant will and won’t fund.

If you’d rather not wait, send us 12 months of energy bills and we’ll tell you whether you’re eligible.