It’s a tough time for businesses around the world right now. Due to the Coronavirus Disease pandemic (Covid-19), many businesses are forced to shut down due to government restrictions in order to stop the spread of the disease.
Business closure has a big impact on business owners. Firstly, their employees will need financial assistance to ride through the closure. Second, bills such as rent and utilities continue even during lockdowns. This can be burdensome to many businesses especially small ones.
Many countries are introducing economic stimulus not only to assist their citizens during this trying times but also to help businesses stay open and ease the burden. If you’re an Australian business in the Digital Strategy space you’re in the right place because we have some information on grans and assistance that can help you through these hard times.
Hume Business Grants
Small to medium sized businesses that need support will find Hume Business Grants’ assistance timely. They provide assistance to businesses that show financial hardship and can demonstrate that the grant will help the business retain employees and support sustainability.
Grant packages are as follows:
- Up to $5,000 for businesses with up to 5 employees
- Up to $10,000 for businesses with 6 to 10 employees
- Up to $20,000 for businesses with 11 to 20 employees
Businesses that can avail of this grant include:
- Business fittings, including retail, wholesale and hospitality shop fittings, pop ups Digital strategy
- development, including IT and software
- Online and e-commerce platforms, including: website design and development (web pages, mobile apps, audio and visual media) and mentoring and training in online e-commerce activities
- Digital marketing and promotion
- Online learning and webinars
- Staff participation online training courses, seminars, workshops where appropriate
- Recruitment and training Product development
- Supporting current permanent full-time or part-time employee leave entitlements
- Payment of utility bills.
Eligible applicants should be located within Hume City, have a valid Australian Business Number (ABN), have 20 or fewer permanent FTE employees, demonstrate how the grant will help them respond against the impact of Covid-19, have appropriate permits and licenses,
More information is available in Hume Business Grants Guidelines.
Melbourne’s Quick Response Business Grants
Businesses in Melbourne can help find relief with the city’s quick response business grants aimed to provide financial assistance to eligible businesses affected by Covid-19.
Businesses that can avail of this grant include:
- Invest in capital works during this challenging time and position their business to strongly benefit from the economic recovery when it happens.
- Develop their online and e-commerce capabilities;
- Undertake training and professional development to better prepare for return to business activities.
With the following funding packages:
- Up to $5000 for investing in online and e-commerce activities.
- Up to $2000 for training and professional development.
- Up to $10,000 for capital works projects (matching dollar-for-dollar) to adapt to changing conditions.
Businesses have to be located in the city of Melbourne, have an ABN, be small to medium size, be a small to medium sized non-profit organization, be able to demonstrate how the grant will support the business or non-profit organization in response to the impact of Covid-19.
More information is available at Quick Response Business Guidelines.
R&D Tax Incentive
Claim rebate up to 43.5% of the costs related to research and development for new products and services.
In order to avail of this tax incentive, businesses must undertake eligible R&D activities that involve research and experimentation, spend over $20,000, operate as a company and have R&D activities in Australia.
In order to claim R&D tax relief businesses need to lodge an R&D activity registration every year that describes the R&D work.
An R&D tax consultant will be able to give you more information on how this incentive works.
Digital Grants Program (Queensland)
Avail more than $10,000 Small Business Digital Grants for purchasing hardware, software and services such as digital coaching.
It aims to provide small businesses with access to digital technologies and services to enable them to work smarter, engage with the global economy and make the most of online business opportunities.
This support for small businesses is from the Queensland Government, through the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training. This program contributes financial support for businesses to improve digital capabilities, work smarter and take advantage of online business opportunities.
Eligible projects must clearly demonstrate how the product or service will significantly enhance the digital capabilities of the business and how they will impact on the growth of the business.
Digital technology or business must fall under the following categories:
- Receiving payments or selling online
- Digital planning, digital marketing strategy development, and digital training
- Specialized digital technology and/or business specific software
- Content development (web pages, mobile apps, visual and audio media etc.)
More information is available in Small Business Digital Grants Program Guidelines.
Small Business COVID-19 Support Grant (NSW Businesses)
Small businesses feeling the impact of Covid-19 on their livelihood can avail of the Small Business COVID-19 Support Grant as part of the NSW Government Small Business Support Fund.
Small business owners and non-profit organizations are eligible for a grant of up to $10,000 if they:
- Have between 1-19 employees and an annual turnover of more than $75,000;
- Have total Australian wages below the NSW Government 2019-20 payroll tax threshold of $900,000;
- Have an Australian Business Number as at 1 March 2020, are based in NSW and employ staff as at 1 March 2020;
- Are highly impacted by the NSW Government Covid-19 Restrictions on Gathering and Movement) Order 2020 issued on 30 March 2020, defined as a decline in turnover of 75 per cent compared to the equivalent period (of at least two weeks) in 2019; and
- Have unavoidable business costs not otherwise the subject of other NSW and Commonwealth Government financial assistance measures.
More information is available in Small Business Covid-19 Support Grant.
Australian Small Business Advisory Services (ASBAS) Digital Solutions
ASBAS Digital Solutions provides small business with low cost, high quality advice on a range of digital solutions to help them meet their business needs and grow their digital capabilities.
Services can be accessed in the following areas:
- Websites and selling online
- Social media and digital marketing
- Using small business software
- Online security and data privacy.
To receive assistance, you must be operating for-profit and have 19 or less Full Time Equivalent employees. Sole traders can also access services.
