Co-funded Exploration Drilling Program

Government Funding Now Open for WA Explorers

Round 32 of the Co-funded Exploration Drilling Program

Up to $7 Million Available | Funding up to 50% of Drilling Costs | All Regions & Commodities Eligible

What is the CEDP?

The Co-funded Exploration Drilling Program (CEDP), delivered by the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) and supported by the Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS), is designed to encourage innovative drilling projects across underexplored regions of WA.

This government initiative aims to reduce financial risk for companies undertaking green-fields or underexplored area drilling.

What’s New in Round 32?

Round 32 continues the strong tradition of supporting forward-thinking exploration, with $7 million in grant funding available to successful applicants.

Funding Covers:

Reverse circulation (RC), diamond, and stratigraphic drilling
Prospectivity mapping (for eligible activities)
Up to 50% reimbursement of direct drilling costs (caps apply)

This government initiative aims to reduce financial risk for companies undertaking green-fields or underexplored area drilling.

Key Dates

August 4, 2025: Application period opens
August 29, 2025: Application period closes
October 2025: Successful applicants notified (mid–late October)
December 1, 2025: START of drilling period
November 30,2026: END of drilling period

Eligibility

From the official Co-funded Exploration Drilling Program – Guidelines document, the eligible applicants are:

1.Australian-registered entities

Must hold an Australian Business Number (ABN).

2. Tenement or title holders (or having access)

Applicants must either:

Hold a granted mining, petroleum, or geothermal tenement/title in Western Australia.
Or have access arrangements to such titles, with evidence like contractual agreements or a tenement-holder consent form.
If the tenement is granted within 3 months of application, that is also acceptable.

3. Individual or organisational applicants

May be companies, institutions, individual prospectors, or explorers.
Prospectors (non-company individuals or sole traders) are specifically eligible under a separate category with a funding cap.

4. Drilling carried out by a third-party contractor

The applicant cannot self-operate the drilling rig; it must be delivered through a contracted drilling provider.