Business Basics Grants Program
| Program key details | |
|---|---|
| Eligible business size | Small businesses with less than 5 employees (headcount) |
| Status | Closed |
| Opening date |
Stage 1: Registration of Interest (ROI) opened at 9am, Monday 30 September 2024 Stage 2: Full Applications open November 2024 |
| Closing date |
Stage 1: Registration of Interest (ROI) closed at 5pm, Friday 11 October 2024 Stage 2: Full Applications close December 2024 |
| Application process |
|
| Grant type | Competitive – not all applications will be funded |
| Available funding | $7,500 (excluding GST) per grant |
| Co-contribution | None |
| Project length | Maximum 6 months |
| Payment | Upfront payment on approval |
| Key documents | Round 6 documents: |
Grant rounds
Each round of the Business Basics grants program has specific information to help you prepare and apply for a grant, and if successful, manage your grant.
The Business Basics grants program provides support to businesses to increase core skills and adopt best practice. This round of Business Basics is focused on business enhancement.
Applicants can apply for funding for grant funded activities under the following priorities:
- Professional business advice
- Strategic marketing services
- Website build and upgrades.
The program is administered by the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (DESBT).
Available funding
You can apply for $7,500 (excluding GST) in funding. If successful, funding is paid upfront on approval. Successful applicants don't have to co-contribute to this grant but must pay for any related expenses in excess of the $7,500 grant funding.
We will not fund activities with either:
- a total cost of less than $7,500 (excluding GST)
- or
- payments made before submission of the Stage 2: Full Application (activity must not have begun significantly).
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this grant, your business must meet all of the following criteria at the time you submit your application:
- have less than 5 employees (by headcount1)
- be operating and have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)2
- have a registered Queensland headquarters location2 (as per your Australian Business Register (ABR) record)
- have a minimum trading history of 1 year
- a maximum turnover of $300,000 for the last financial year (2023/24)
- not have been approved for funding under an earlier Business Basics round
- not be insolvent or have owners/directors that are undischarged or currently bankrupt2.
1Headcount includes all full-time, part-time and casual employees including Non-Executive Directors.
2Your business must maintain this eligibility for the duration of the grant-funded activity.
Eligible and ineligible activities
Eligible activities
| Priority area | Examples |
|---|---|
1. Professional business advice
|
|
2. Strategic marketing services
|
|
3. Website build/upgrades
|
|
We will not fund:
- activities bought via direct selling (e.g. by party plan or network marketing)
- delivery, credit card and transaction fees
- equipment of any kind including computer hardware/gadgets (e.g. computer servers, PCs, tablets/iPads, mobile phones, headphones) and other equipment (e.g. televisions, point of sales systems, EFTPOS, card/chip readers)
- franchise fees
- general business operating costs (e.g. bookkeeping/accounting, tax returns)
- goods, services, or fees from related parties (see related party definition)*
- goods and services paid using crypto-currencies, cash, barter, or services in-kind
- GST, registration, and fees
- implementation of marketing tactics such as advertising, direct marketing or campaign delivery (e.g. Google AdWords, Facebook advertising or similar expenses)
- memberships and joining fees
- purchase of stock
- real estate/property, hire, lease, or rental fees
- salaries and wages
- software and licences1
- travel and accommodation
- utilities (e.g. internet, phone, water and/or waste bills)
- vehicles of any kind
- website hosting
- website maintenance generally considered 'business as usual'.
* Related parties include companies with common shareholdings or directors, employees, or immediate family.
1 not mentioned in the priority areas.
Application process
It is free to apply through the DESBT SmartyGrants portal when the grant round opens.
Applicants will be notified at the end of each stage (ROI shortlisting and full application) of their outcome.
This grant program is competitively assessed in 2 stages, meaning not all applications will be funded:
- Stage 1: Registration of Interest (ROI)
- Stage 2: Full Application.
Stage 1:
- opened for ROI applications at 9am, Monday 30 September 2024
- closed for ROI applications at 5pm, Friday 11 October 2024.
Stage 2:
- opens for full application November 2024
- closes for full application December 2024.
Pre-launch notification of this grant and access to supporting documents was provided on 12 September 2024.
Detailed application process
In your ROI application, you are asked to:
- confirm the business meets the eligibility criteria of the grant program
- provide core business and contact information
- provide Responsible Person demographic information.
Valid ROIs may be assessed through a ballot system with a number of applications identified to move to Stage 2: Full application assessment.
Businesses that are not selected for Stage 2 will be notified. For Stage 1 outcomes, all DESBT's decisions are final and are not subject to review.
If your Stage 1 ROI application is selected, you will be invited to submit a full application. In addition to the information provided in your ROI, you will also be asked to provide the following in the full application:
- update your core business and contact information (if required)
- provide business demographic information and business description
- provide proposed project details – priority area and how it will enhance core skills/business competitiveness
- provide proposed project expected outcomes – growth in revenue, gross profit and headcount and how your project would help you to achieve those outcomes
- provide a completed 100-points of identification check form for the nominated Responsible Person
- provide independent Australian supplier (mandatory) quote(s) (no more than 2)
- verify the main business location (if applicable) – if your ABR profile shows that your main business location is not in Queensland you will need to provide evidence of Queensland headquarters
- verify the link between the trust and the business conducting the business activity (if applicable) – if you nominate an ABN of a trust in your application, you will need to provide evidence of the link between the trust entity and the business conducting the business activity entity
- verify the link between the Responsible Person and business (if applicable) – if you nominate a Responsible Person in your application, you will need to provide evidence of the link.
Stage 2: Full applications are assessed for compliance against the eligibility criteria and their competitiveness against the program guidelines and assessment criteria.
You must demonstrate the extent to which the grant funded activity will:
- enhance the business's core skills, adopt best practice and survivability
- positively impact revenue growth and gross profit
- be likely to create jobs growth within the business
- demonstrate value for money.
We may also distribute successful applications equitably across the state, other economic factors such as priority industries, and ensure a representation of Queensland's diverse business population.
We will advise all applicants of the outcomes after the ballot process and Stage 2: Full Application assessment.
Due to the grant program's comprehensive assessment, due diligence, and government approval process, you can typically expect to receive notification of your submission's outcome within a reasonable timeframe following the key application dates outlined on page 1 of the guidelines.
We will communicate all outcomes via email. Successful Stage 2 applicants will receive a Funding Agreement Letter detailing the proposed funded agreement and inviting you to accept the funding terms.
If you accept the funding terms and enter into a funding agreement with us, you will receive funding of $7,500 (excluding GST) into your nominated bank account via electronic funds transfer.
You must complete your grant-funded activity within 6 months of receiving the Funding Agreement Letter.
You must keep all application evidence, supplier quotes, corresponding invoices, receipts and bank transactions for audit purposes.
Note: If you vary your approved project in any way, you must inform us immediately. Read more about making changes to your approved grant.
You must complete:
- An outcomes survey report on completion of the project – the report is to include details on the assets/services received, project implementation, and the impact on the business including the results and outcomes received.
- An audit report (if selected) – we will conduct an audit process and you must keep all application evidence, supplier quote(s), corresponding invoices and bank transactions, and submit them on request from us for audit purposes.
Refer to the application guidelines for a comprehensive overview of each stage of the application process.
Check your application
Check your application before you submit it as you cannot change your application after lodgement.
You should:
- include all required supporting evidence and resolve any validation errors
- include only realistic and probable answers
- submit an application if you are a Responsible Person with a direct link to the business. We will not accept applications from third parties
- a Responsible Person includes owners, business partners, directors, employees – managers or higher, trustees, public officers, office bearers or company secretaries of the business applying for the grant
- third parties can include a business or financial advisor, such as an accountant, or the supplier mentioned in the grant-funded activity. Third party can also relate to IP addresses (where you submit your application from)
- submit only 1 application per business or financial beneficiary
- we consider a related party and/or financial beneficiary to be those who gain an advantage and/or profits from something including receipt or distribution from a trust, will or life insurance policy. This can include companies with common shareholdings, directors, employees, or immediate family.
Previous rounds – key documents
Guidelines may vary between rounds and include:
- eligibility criteria
- activities to be applied for
- funding amounts
- assessment processes
- your legal requirements if you are awarded a grant.
Read these key documents and information:
Read these key documents and information:
Read these key documents and information:
Read these key documents and information:
Read these key documents and information:
More information
View our small business grants schedule to learn if you are eligible for other support.
You can also subscribe to the Business Queensland Connect newsletter to keep up to date with the latest information for Queensland small businesses.
Learn about avoiding unfair business practices.
Contact us
For further information about the program, email basics@desbt.qld.gov.au or contact the Small Business Hotline on 1300 654 687.