The Queensland Government provides specific support for the small business sector through the Big Plans for Small Business Strategy. The Business Basics grants program (Program) provides support to businesses to increase core skills and adopt best practice.

The Program is competitive, meaning that applications are competitively assessed against the assessment criteria and not all applications will be funded.

Applicants can apply for funding for grant funded activities in one of five priorities:

1. Training and coaching

2. Website build/upgrades

3. Professional business advice

4. Strategic marketing services

5. Business continuity and succession

The Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (DESBT) manage the grants.

Round 3 will open at 9:00 am 4th May 2022.

Program outcomes

The expected outcomes of the grants program are to:

• increase confidence for business owners across core skills;

• boost turnover, profit, and employment; and

• improve business survivability and resilience.

What funding is available?

For this round, there are two funding streams based on what Local Government Area (LGA) eligible businesses are headquartered. These LGAs are grouped into either South East Queensland or regional Queensland. If successful, applicants will receive upfront fixed grant funding of $5,000 (excluding GST). Successful applicants do not have to co-contribute to this grant; however successful applicants must pay for any related expenses in excess of the $5,000

grant funding.

Who can apply, and what are the eligibility criteria?

To be eligible to apply for this grant, the business must:

• have fewer than 20 employees (by headcount);

• be operating and have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)*

• be registered for GST*

• have a Queensland headquarters and an operating address in the relevant funding stream*

• have an expected turnover of $300,000 or less for the current financial year

• not have been approved for funding under an earlier round of Business Basics

• have owners/directors that are not undischarged bankrupt* and be solvent*

*The business must maintain their eligibility for the duration of the grant funded activity where reasonably possible.

South East Queensland businesses

When applying for round 3, you are a South East Queensland (SEQ) business if your principal place of business is located in 1 of the following local government areas:

• Brisbane City Council
• City of Gold Coast
• Ipswich City Council
• Lockyer Valley Regional Council
• Logan City Council
• Moreton Bay Regional Council
• Noosa Shire Council
• Redlands City Council
• Scenic Rim Regional Council
• Somerset Regional Council
• Sunshine Coast Council
• Toowoomba Regional Council. 

Regional businesses

You are a 'regional business' if your principal place of business is any other local government areas within Queensland that is not identified as a SEQ location.

Use the eligibility tool to find out if your business is in SEQ or a regional local government area.

What can I spend the grant funding on?

DESBT will fund the following eligible activities:

Grant funding will ONLY BE APPROVED for the following eligible activities:

1. Training and coaching

• Business development, marketing, human resources,or business planning topics

• Training/coaching of up to 4 months in duration

2. Website build/upgrades

• Website build or upgrade (including website refresh)

• Adding ecommerce

• Developing new website content

3. Professional business advice

• Business plans

4. Strategic marketing services

• Strategic marketing plans including search engine optimisation advice

5. Business continuity and succession

• Business continuity or succession plans

• Cybersafety training and tools

What can’t I spend the grant funding on?

DESBT will not fund activities with:

• a total cost of less than $5,000 (excluding GST),

• payments made on any activity undertaken before Grant approval

DESBT will not fund the following activities:

• activities bought using crypto-currencies,barter, or services in-kind

• general business operating costs (e.g.,bookkeeping/accounting, tax returns)

• real estate/property, hire, lease, or rental fees

• goods, services, or fees from related parties*

• travel

• franchise fees

• purchase of stock

• GST, registration, and fees

• maintenance of existing digital technologies

• salaries

• fleet vehicles

• computer hardware (e.g., computer servers, PCs, tablets\iPad, mobile phones)

• other hardware / devices / equipment (e.g.,televisions, EFTPOS, card and chip readers)

• activities bought via direct selling (e.g., by party plan or network marketing)

• delivery, credit card and transaction fees

• memberships and joining fees

• website hosting

• implementation of marketing tactics such as advertising, direct marketing or campaign delivery (e.g. Google AdWords, Facebook advertising or similar expenses)

*Related parties include companies with common shareholdings or directors, employees, or immediate family.

What are the timeframes?

It is intended that the grant funded activity be started, completed, and expected benefits determined by six months.

DESBT is unable to provide estimates on the duration of the application process, assessment or releasing outcomes.

When and how can you apply?

Opens: 9am, 4 May 2022

Closes: When DESBT receives enough applications for a competitive assessment DESBT gave notice of the grant opening date and supplied supporting documents on 13 April 2022.

Apply at https://www.business.qld.gov.au/businessbasics on the opening date and time.

The grant may be in high demand, so please monitor the application tracker. The grant round can close at any time, even mid-application. Please ensure you have all documentation correct and ready prior to the grant launch.

In addition, you must complete the application and validate any input errors before submitting it