Good news for Queensland small business owners with less than 5 employees – there’s a new small business grant offered by the Queensland Government and administered by the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (DESBT).
What’s great about the grant? If your application is approved for this Round 6 of funding, you’ll receive an upfront payment of $7,500 to enhance your business. So, start preparing your application now because this Business Basics grant opens 30 September and closes 11 October.
The Queensland Government’s timeline for submitting your application is listed on their website and in the table below:
| Opening date | Stage 1: Registration of Interest (ROI) opens at 9am, Monday 30 September 2024 |
| Closing date | Stage 1: Registration of Interest (ROI) closes at 5pm, Friday 11 October 2024 |
What is the Business Basics Grant – Round 6?
In this round 6 of funding, Business Queensland is offering $7,500 to small businesses in Queensland with less than 5 employees (by headcount).
This specific grant is for small businesses that want to enhance their business. The grant will fund business activities under the following priorities:
- Professional business advice
- Strategic marketing services
- Website build and upgrades
How could you use these activities help your small business? Here are some examples:
| Priority area | Examples |
|---|---|
| 1. Professional business advice | Use the grant to get a comprehensive business plan for market expansion. Your business plan would serve as a roadmap that outlines key growth opportunities, competitive analysis, and operational strategies to expand into new markets. |
| 2. Strategic marketing services | Get a detailed marketing strategy to increase your brand visibility. The strategy could include detailed market research, email campaigns, promotional materials, and CRM set up. |
| 3. Website build/upgrades | Refresh your one-page business website into a fully functional ecommerce website where you can sell products to your target audience. |
If you’ve always dreamed of getting a comprehensive brand identity and marketing strategy to scale your small business, it’s time to get your paperwork sorted!
The Queensland government outlines a full list of eligible and ineligible activities for this grant so check their website to learn how this grant money could improve your small business.
Who can apply for the Business Basics Grant
Any Queensland small business owner can apply if your business:
- has under 5 employees (This includes full-time, part-time, casual employees, and Non-Executive Directors)
- is already operating
- has an active Australian Business Number (ABN) that will remain active throughout the grant-funding period
- headquarters are registered in Queensland (Per your Australian Business Register (ABR) record)
- has been trading for at least 1 year
- turned over a maximum of $300,000 in the 2023/24 financial year
Who can’t apply for the grant
- businesses with more than 5 employees
- businesses that already received funding from previous Business Basics rounds
- insolvent businesses or businesses with undischarged or currently bankrupt owners/directors
if you’re still not sure you meet the requirements, head over to the Queensland Government’s eligibility checker.
how to apply for Queensland’s Business Basics grant
Once the grant opens at 9am on 30 September, head to the DESBT SmartyGrants Portal to apply for free. Keep reading to learn what steps to take before you submit.
Before 30 September 2024
- Check your business’s eligibility
- Read through the following documents
- Check your business’s ABR profile, ABN status, GST status and main business location are all up to date
- Review the sample Registration of Interest (ROI) application form pdf
- Register for an account on the DESBT SmartyGrants applicant portal
- Prepare your evidence documents and application answers
On or After 30 September 2024
- Access the SmartyGrants applicant portal 9am, Monday 30 September 2024. You may be added to a virtual queue at that time.
- Add your application details. Double check your application before you submit!
- Submit – Hooray!
Remember to apply before the application portal closes at 5pm on Friday 11 October 2024.
That’s it! If you have more questions about the process, email [email protected] or contact their Small Business Hotline on 1300 654 687.
Good luck! Eco Brand Marketing is rooting for your small business. If you need a professional quote for your application paperwork, call us at 07 5348 9328 for your brand’s strategy or website refresh.
