New South Wales opens A$2.6 million wine-region funding round

Funding for regional organizations

The Australian and New South Wales governments are making A$2.6 million available to wine-producing regions facing excess global supply and declining consumption. New South Wales will administer the federally funded NSW Wine Recovery Program, which is intended to strengthen regional resilience, improve business capability and increase Australian demand for the state’s wines.¹

The announcement concerns a funding round, not grants that have already been awarded. Applications opened on October 30 and close on November 27. Eligible applicants are industry organizations representing New South Wales winegrape growers or wine producers, and each proposal must benefit a wine-producing region rather than a single business.¹

Two funding streams

The program has 2 streams. The first supports training, leadership, business resilience and related assistance for regional wine communities, with grants from A$20,000 to A$100,000. The second supports projects to increase domestic demand, with grants from A$20,000 to A$250,000.¹

Domestic-demand funding may be used for consumer campaigns promoting New South Wales wine regions, familiarization visits within Australia and participation by the industry in trade shows and events. Its A$250,000 ceiling is A$150,000 above the A$100,000 maximum for the training and capability stream.¹

Response to pressure on producers

The state government identified surplus global wine supply and falling consumption as major pressures on producers. It said the money is intended for practical regional projects that help the industry adapt to those conditions and pursue new growth opportunities.¹

New South Wales Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said wine supports regional jobs, tourism and communities, while difficult market conditions affect both producers and the places that depend on them. She presented the program as targeted assistance designed to help the sector remain competitive.¹

The funding is also part of a wider federal and state commitment to primary producers during difficult periods. Areas covered by the regional-capability work include leadership development, mental-health support and business resilience.¹

Eligibility and assessment

The formal guidelines specify eligible applicants and projects and explain how proposals will be assessed. Because funding is restricted to representative industry bodies, an individual winery or grower cannot apply independently unless participating through an eligible organization.¹

Projects serving only 1 business are excluded by the requirement for a regional benefit. The program therefore combines support for organizational skills, leadership and management with larger grants for work that can raise the domestic profile of regional wines.¹

Industry figures

Figures cited by the New South Wales government rank Australia as the world’s 5th-largest wine producer and exporter. Australian wine exports were worth A$2.3 billion in the 12 months through March, while New South Wales winegrape production had a gross value of about A$150 million in the 2025-26 financial year.¹