Boost for small business with $15,000 grants on offer 

Small businesses ready to take their business to the next level are being encouraged to apply for a grant up to $15,000 to help their business boost turnover, increase their workforce or improve their resilience.

Minister for Employment and Small Business Di Farmer said details of the next round of the popular Business Boost grants are now available with businesses able to register their interest in applying from 9am on 12 August.

“For this round of the Business Boost grants, $2.5 million worth of grants are on offer to Queensland small businesses that are seeing positive growth and are looking to expand further,” Minister Farmer said.

“Previous recipients of the grant have used the funds to do a range of business boosting projects such as; introducing an online booking system, redeveloping websites, building a tailor made workplace health and safety system and staff training.

“These are great, innovative Queensland businesses that know what they need to keep growing and just need the extra investment to reach their goals.”

To be eligible, small businesses need to employ less than 20 employees and have had a turnover between $300,000 and $600,000 in the last financial year.

Businesses will need to co-contribute at least 30 per cent of the total cost of their proposed project with grant funding paid to successful small businesses following completion of the project.

To manage applications for the grants, a new two-stage process has been introduced.

“For this round of the Business Boost grants, we have listened to feedback from small businesses to make the application process easier for small businesses,” Minister Farmer said.

“Grants will be awarded through a two-stage process starting with businesses registering their interest to apply by completing a simple online form that collects basic business information.

“Small businesses owners told us they want the application to be open for a set window of time so that they can accommodate their diverse work and life commitments.

“That’s why this registration process will be open from 9am on 12 August and will be open for more than a week until it closes at midnight on 19 August.

The second stage of the application will see a number of businesses selected through a ballot process to be invited to complete a full application. This format means all interested businesses owners have an equal opportunity to apply.

PsychHelp, an innovative Telehealth Psychology Practice on the Sunshine Coast, is one small business that benefitted from a Business Boost grant in the last round.

Director Dr Mary Gregory says the $8,400 grant will fund a range of activities to help the business grow whilst continuing to deliver confidential psychological therapy, safely and securely online.

“Previously rural and remote communities were the largest users of our support service however, since COVID-19, we have increased our reach to provide psychological support over the internet to people in metropolitan areas,” said Dr Gregory.

“This grant will future-proof the business as our digital delivery expands and we reach more people in need. Our vision is for all Australians to have access to psychological support in a manner which is convenient, professional and affordable.

“Providing a service which is secure and confidential is very important to us and this grant will enable us to do this as we continue to grow.”

Minister Farmer said small business grants would continue to roll out with this year’s Budget committing $39.1 million over the next four years for grants and other support to help new, growing and established businesses keep improving.  

“Since 2020, nearly 60,000 Queensland business have been supported by grants totalling almost $530 million, which is part of the $2.5 billion in small business support the Palaszczuk Government has invested to fuel the state economic recovery.

“This includes over $500 million in COVID-19 economic support to 55,000 businesses in 2020 and 2021 and more than $20 million in Big Plans for Small Business grants”.

For more information about the Business Boost Grants visit www.business.qld.gov.au/businessboost  

ENDS

Media contact: Emma Renwick 0456 604 189