The Queensland Government is opening Round 2 of its Small Business COVID-19 Grant program on 1st July 2020. Detailed below is all you need to know about what can be funded, whether you are eligible and how to apply.
What can be funded?
The available grant amount is a minimum of $2,000 and up to a maximum of $10,000 per eligible small or micro business.
The funding can be used towards any of the following:
- financial, legal or other professional advice to support business sustainability and diversification;
- continuing to meet business operational costs including utilities, council rates, rent, telecommunication charges, insurance fees, licensing or franchise fees;
- strategic planning, financial counselling or business coaching aligned to business development and diversification;
- building the business through marketing and communications activities (e.g. content development – web pages, mobile apps, visual and audio media etc.);
- digital/technological strategy development;
- digital training or re-training and up-skilling employees to adapt to new business models;
- capital costs associated with meeting COVID-19 safety requirements; and
- specialised digital equipment or business specific software to move business operations online (e.g. logistics program for online ordering).
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible your business must meet the following criteria:
- have been subject to closure or otherwise highly impacted by current shutdown restrictions announced by Queensland’s Chief Health Officer on 23 March 2020;
- demonstrate you 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 and 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; and
- have a payroll of less than $1.3 million.
How to apply
Go to www.business.qld.gov.au/starting-business/advice-support/grants/adaption to register your interest. Read the application guidelines which detail the information you will be required to submit. Your application should include the following:
- a statement describing how the funding will contribute to your small business during the COVID-19 crisis in terms of employment retention or outcomes, business capability and resilience, continuity, diversification, and/or digital capability of the business;
- evidence to demonstrate that business revenue has experienced a minimum 30 per cent decline since 23 March 2020 over a minimum one-month period due to the onset and management of COVID 19 (e.g. BAS statement, dated accountant letter on letterhead from a member of CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand or the Institute of Public Accountants);
- invoice and/or receipt of purchase if related to the purchase of specialised digital equipment or business specific software on or after 23 March 2020; and
- declaration of employee head count, evidence of annual turnover; and evidence of annual payroll.