If you’re a New South Wales small business looking for grants and support, you’ve come to the right place.
Small business grants and support from the NSW Government can be tricky to find, even to understand.
To help, we have created a list of State and Federal Government funding, rebates, loan schemes and assistance programs available to eligible businesses to encourage growth, create more jobs and support struggling operations.
Current support available includes:
- Support for Small Businesses and Startups
- SafeWork small business rebate.
- Business support package.
- Pre-revenue technology startups.
- Regional startups.
- CCTV systems installations.
- Regional relocation funding for skilled workers.
- Energy efficiency practices for small and medium food and beverage manufacturing businesses.
- Funding for regional NSW event organisers.
- Support for Disaster Relief
- Funding for legal issues relating to the 2019/2020 bushfires (small businesses and primary producers).
- Loan for small businesses affected by a declared natural disaster.
- Support for businesses affected by COVID-19
- Small business rebate for those affected by COVID-19
- Rebate for businesses wanting to create or expand your outdoor dining area.
- Reimbursement for aged care providers affected by COVID-19.
Stay up to date with the latest NSW business grants and funding on the Localsearch Instagram and by subscribing to the Localsearch Digital Newsletter.
Current New South Wales Government Support for Small Businesses & Startups
SafeWork has recently increased its offer from a $500 rebate to $1,000 for eligible small businesses to cover workplace health and safety items costs.
Before applying for the $1000 SafeWork Small Business Rebate, it is required to attend an eligible SafeWork NSW event and check if one or more safety items qualify for the rebate.
Applications for the SafeWork Small Business Rebate is ongoing and can be found through Service NSW.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be an owner or sole trader of a small business (including charities and not for profits) who have an ABN with less than 50 full time employees.
- Have not received the rebate in the past five years.
- Prove that the business is your main source of income.
- Not be a government department, council or voluntary association.
NSW Business Support Package
A $1 billion support package will be available for eligible NSW businesses who have experienced at least a 40% decline in turnover during January 2022. The support package will help businesses cover 20% of their weekly payroll (with a limit of up to $5,000 a week) when the applications open.
Packages also include financial assistance for rapid antigen tests purchased for staff, with the fees and charges rebate to increase from $2,000 to $3,000. Additional funding will be provided for the hard-hit performing arts sector to underwrite ticket sales.
To be eligible, the business must:
- Have an annual turnover of between $75,000 and $50 million.
- Have had a decline in turnover of at least 40% during January 2022.
More information on eligibility and support will become available when applications open mid-February through Service NSW.
The NSW Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Grant aims to support eligible startups to their first sale through pre-revenue funding.
Startups eligible for the MVP grant will receive a maximum of $25,000 financial support for 50% of approved project costs.
Successful MVP grant applicants will receive 35% of the funding up-front and 65% after completion and validation of their first sale.
MVP grant applications are open all year round and can be found online through NSW Treasury.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be based in NSW, have an ABN registered in NSW and be at pre-revenue stage.
- Have a completed proof of concept and have a potential business customer or business channel to market.
- Have a scalable solution that can be provided to multiple customers.
- Hold IP or the rights to commercialise.
- Be able to prove 80% of development costs will occur in NSW and demonstrate adequate matched funding has been secured for the project.
If you are a regional recipient of the Minimum Viable Product grant, you may now be able to claim up to $2000 to remove cost barriers, such as travel for an innovation-related purpose for your startup.
“The Community and Small Business Fund CCTV Fund provides small businesses in eligible local government areas with funding of up to $5000 to help them install CCTV systems at their premises.”
“All CCTV systems installed under this program must be registered with the NSW Police Force.”
The application closing date is 30 Jun 2022 and can be found online through Community and Small Business Fund CCTV Fund.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a registered small business located in one of the ten eligible local government areas in Western and South-Western Sydney.
- Have an annual turnover of less than $2 million or have less than 20 employees.
The Regional Skills Relocation Grant provides funding of up to $10,000 to NSW regional businesses with relocation costs for eligible skilled workers from metropolitan areas.
Funding may be used for furniture removal, relocating immediate family members, three months of temporary accommodation and/or furniture storage.
Applications are open all year round and can be found online through the Regional Skills Relocation Grant page.
To be eligible, the business must:
- Already be in regional NSW or be relocating to regional NSW and operating in an eligible industry.
- Be creating at least 5 ongoing full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs for employees that have an occupation listed on the NSW Skilled Occupation List.
- Be seeking employees that are relocating from a metropolitan area to regional NSW.
The Energy Efficient Communities (EEC) Program provides funding between $10,000 to $25,000 to eligible small/medium food and beverage manufacturing businesses who want to improve their energy efficiency practices, technologies and better manage their energy consumption.
Some of the focus areas for the program include energy (audits, management and monitoring), heating and air ventilation, lighting, power supply, process automation and controls and waste management.
All eligible entities applying for the EEC program must possess an ABN. Learn more about eligible entities, projects and expenditures at Business.gov.au.
The application closing date for the EEC Program is 18 Feb 2022 and can be found on the EEC Program web page.
Current New South Wales Government Support for Disaster Relief
The Commonwealth Government are providing $2,000 (plus up to $5,000 for related expenses) to support eligible NSW primary producers and small businesses dealing with legal issues relating to the 2019/2020 bushfires.
Matters that the funding is available for include planning and building law, credit and debt, insurance disputes, local Government disputes and more.
Contact your local solicitor for information on how to apply and call the Legal Aid NSW Disaster Response Legal Service on 1800 801 529 or email disaster.response@legalaid.nsw.gov.au.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a primary producer or small business owner.
- Own a business or farm that is in a designated LGA.
- Have a legal issue arising from the 2019/2020 bushfire season in one of these LGAs.
Your application must have merit. In assessing merit Legal Aid NSW must be satisfied that:
a. It is likely the funding will resolve your dispute, and
b. You are committed to the early resolution of your dispute.
Small businesses affected by either floods, fires or storm damage may be eligible for a 12-year interest loans of up to $130,000. The first two years are interest and repayment fee, then, the loan will change to a 0.80% interest rate.
To be eligible, you must be a registered business, partnership or sole trader with an ABN with fewer than 20 full time employees.
See the Natural Disaster Loan Small Business Guidelines to find out more information on eligibility for small business operators. Apply for the ongoing disaster relief loan with the Disaster Assistance Online Form.
Current New South Wales Government Support for businesses affected by COVID-19
NSW small business owners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic can now apply for a fee and chargers rebate of up to $2,000.
This rebate has been designed to help NSW sole traders, small business owners or a not-for-profit organisation owner to promote growth and reduce running costs.
Provided funds can be used to offset the costs of eligible NSW local government fees, such as council rates, licences, outdoor seating fees, road user tolls and more.
Service NSW Application steps:
- Check the eligibility criteria.
- Have your documentation and evidence ready for uploading.
- Select the ‘Apply online’ button.
- Log in or create your MyServiceNSW Account.
Note: You cannot save and resume your application once you’ve started.
- Select and verify your identity documents.
- When your identity is verified, select ‘Continue’.
- Confirm your contact details.
- Enter the required information and upload any supporting documents, then select ‘Next’.
- Enter your bank details.
- Review your application.
- Check the declaration boxes.
- Select ‘Next’ to submit your application.
Applications can be found online through the Service NSW website.
Under the NSW Government’s Alfresco Restart package, small or medium food and beverage business operators wanting to create or expand their outdoor dining area could be eligible for a $5,000 rebate.
The rebate is only available to the first 5,000 eligible small or medium food and beverage businesses who register. Registration can be found online through the Service NSW website.
To be eligible, your NSW business must:
- Have an active Australian Business Number (ABN) held before 1 June 2021.
- Be a small or medium food and beverage business (defined by the ANZSIC codes) with an aggregated annual turnover less than $10 million (inclusive) for the year ended 30 June 2021.
- Have incurred, or will incur, eligible costs and expenses for opening or expanding your outdoor dining areas from 14 October 2021 to 30 April 2022.
When claiming the rebate, you must have development approval and approval to use the land from the council, Place Management NSW, or private landholder. Plus, have approval for the liquor licence boundary changes if applicable.
This program has been designed to help deliver continuity of safe and quality care for consumers by supporting aged care providers with reimbursement to manage eligible COVID-19 related expenses.
The closing date for the program is 31 Mar 2022. Find out more about eligibility and how to apply at The COVID-19 Aged Care Support Program Extension website.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be an approved Residential Aged Care, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program or Home Care provider.
- Have one or more services directly impacted by COVID-19 in the period between 28 May 2021 and 31 March 2022.
Where to find Current and Future New Small Business Grants NSW
Grant and Program Finder, Grants and Loans, Grants and Funding are excellent resources to ensure you don’t miss out on any current or future NSW small business grants.
When preparing for a grant and support program, it is always good to remember each application has its eligibility criteria. However, if you wish to prepare for any future funding support, it is always helpful to research additional online resources to fill out your application, prepare your budget and get in touch with a third-party (e.g. solicitors) where needed.
Disclaimer: The information on this page is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional, legal or financial advice. While the information outlined is presumed correct at time of publication, please consult the corresponding government websites to ensure accuracy and current status.