What are COVID-19 community response grants?
The Queensland Government are offering $100 million in grants for local businesses to support small businesses subject to closure or highly impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) shutdown restrictions announced by the Queensland Government, to adapt and sustain their operations, and build resilience.
The available grant amount is a minimum of $2,000 and up to a maximum of $10,000 per eligible small or micro business.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible to apply applicants 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
- 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
- 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
- have a payroll of less than $1.3 million
- not be insolvent or have owners or directors that are an undischarged bankrupt.
What activities will be funded?
Here is where I can help
The funding can be used towards the following, I have bolded where we can help:
- 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
- specialised digital equipment or business specific software to move business operations online (e.g. logistics program for online ordering).
How can I help you?
Now is the time to transform your business leveraging digital to connect with your customers and keep your business moving.
Here are some of the ways we can help:
- Build and launch a digital marketing campaign to drive more customers to your website.
- Review and/or build out your email database to capture more leads.
- Build out an e-commerce platform to offer online sales to customers – restaurants, cafes, pubs.
- Train up your staff in new tools to send out emails, create content and engage your customers.
- Analyse your current customer database to develop up-sell options.
- Review your social media platforms to increase engagement and sales.
- Update or build a new website for your business.
Want more info on the Queensland Government grants? More information here.
Best of luck applying, now is the BEST time to digitally transform your business.
Let us know if we can help you.
Get in touch and we’ll see how we can help you
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