Local farmers, cafe owners or small business operators can apply for funding up to $10,000 from the Small Business COVID-19 Adaption Grant Program.
The second round of Small Business COVID-19 Adaption Grant Program still has 20 per cent of the funds available to give small businesses in Regional Queensland a helping hand.
Regional Business HQ Entrepreneurship Facilitator Vicki Leeson said the grants were set up to help struggling small businesses get back on their feet and they were relatively easy to apply for.
“There is still 20 per cent of the funding available for businesses in Regional Queensland,” she said.
“It’s an easy application and if they meet the criteria small businesses have up to $10,000 in funding available to them.
“This funding can help with electricity bills, rental assistance – anything to help get them back on their feet.”
Vicki said the first round of funding had been snapped up fast, the same as the second round had been in South East Queensland, and she encouraged businesses in the Bundaberg Region that were struggling during COVID-19 to apply.
“Whether it’s a cafe owner who kept their doors open serving take away coffee but had to stop in-house dining and they saw a 30 per cent decline in income, or a farmer or even a fish and chip shop owner – business who had a decline during COVID-19,” she said.
“These small businesses who struggled may be eligible for the Small Business COVID-19 Adaption Grant Program.
“Round 2 has been out for some months now and it’s still available.
“It can be taken up in conjunction with other grants, and is relatively easy money, so I’m not sure why some businesses haven’t taken advantage of it.”
Vicki said local businesses needing advice about the Small Business COVID-19 Adaption Grant Program could contact Regional Business HQ.
The objective of the program is to support small businesses subject to closure or highly impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) shutdown restrictions announced by the Queensland Government, to adapt and sustain their operations, and build resilience.
COVID-19 Adaption Grants aim:
- Prepare for the safe resumption of trading in the post COVID-19 recovery
- Continue to meet operating costs
- Access digital technologies to rebuild business operations and transition to a new way of doing business
- Respond to online opportunities, where possible, to sustain employment and maintain potential for longer-term growth
- Upskill and reskill business owners and staff to benefit from new technologies or business models
- Embrace business diversification to adapt and sustain operations
- Create or retain employment.
- Up to $100 million was made available to deliver a second round of grants, with half of this funding specifically earmarked for regional small businesses located outside of South East Queensland.
To be eligible businesses must:
- Have been subject to closure or otherwise highly impacted by current shutdown restrictions announced by Queensland's Chief Health Officer on 23 March 2020
- Have experienced a minimum 30% decline since 23 March 2020, over a minimum 1-month period due to the onset and management of COVID-19
- Employ staff and have fewer than 20 employees at the time of applying for the grant (employees must be on your payroll and does not include the business owner(s))
- Have a valid Australian Business Number (ABN) active as at 23 March 2020
- Be registered for GST
- Have a Queensland headquarters
- Have an annual turnover over $75,000 for the 2018–19 or 2019–20 financial year, or you can provide financial records that show this will be met for recently started small businesses
- Have a payroll of less than $1.3 million
- Not be insolvent or have owners or directors that are an undischarged bankrupt.
To find out more information or to apply click here.
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