With the pandemic still impacting the global market and weather events now affecting many businesses, the Queensland and Australian Governments are continuing with or rolling out further assistance programs.
These small business grants, loan schemes and assistance programs aim to help the small business sector for them to embrace innovation, increase key capabilities and boost employment.
Below, you’ll find information about the support currently available to businesses in the state of Queensland, including:
- Recovery fund for businesses impacted by ex-tropical Cyclone Seth.
- Refund information for COVID-19 cleaning costs for businesses exposed to positive cases.
- Wage subsidy support details for businesses with apprentices.
- Support funds available for aged care employees and businesses.
- Resources for small business and training support, including to assist high growth businesses, small businesses and sole traders.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram and subscribe to the Localsearch Digital Newsletter to keep up to date with releases of grants and funding small businesses and sole traders can apply for.
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.
Current Queensland Government Support for Small Businesses
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth 2022 Recovery Fund
The regions of Bundaberg, Fraser Coast, Gympie, North Burnett and South Burnett have been deemed disaster areas, activating joint Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Under category B, impacted businesses in this are may be eligible for:
Freight Subsidies
“Eligible primary producers can apply for a freight subsidy of up to $5,000 per property to move essential materials such as fodder, building and fencing materials, machinery and animals for restocking.”
Learn more over on the Queensland Government Department of Agriculture & Fisheries website.
Natural Disaster Loans
“Eligible primary producers can apply for natural disaster loans of up to $250,000 at a concessional rate.”
For more information, visit the Queensland Rural & Industry Development Authority website or contact them directly on 1800 623 946.
Essential Working Capital Loans
“Eligible primary producers can apply for concessional loans to continue the normal operation of their primary production enterprise.”
Information on applying for an Essential Working Capital Loan can be found on the Queensland Rural & Industry Development Authority website.
If your business has been listed as an exposure site by Queensland Health, your business may be eligible to receive up to 80% of the professional cleaning costs, up to $10,000.
This financial support available through the State of Queensland aims to help small and medium businesses recoup losses as a result of their premises being exposed to COVID-19.
To be eligible you must:
- Be a small-to-medium-sized business or not-for-profit organisation.
- Have an annual payroll turnover in Queensland of less than $10 million.
- Have been listed as an exposure venue on the Queensland Health Contact Tracing website.
- Have had a professional clean completed to the Queensland COVID-19 Cleaning Rebate Guidelines standards, in accordance with Queensland Health.
- Be able to produce records of the clean been completed in the 2021–2022 financial year. The Queensland Government notes this includes businesses who have completed a professional clean as a result of the South East Queensland and Townsville lockdown from the 29 June 2021.
- Have an active Australian Business Number (ABN).
- Be registered with WorkCover Queensland if you employ staff.
- Be registered for or not required by legislation to be registered for ASIC, ACNC, Office of Fair Trading.
To apply:
- First, read through the Queensland COVID-19 cleaning rebate guidelines and FAQ.
- Confirm you are eligible using the Queensland COVID-19 cleaning rebate eligibility checker.
- Collect your cleaning invoices and evidence of payment of such for the exposure venue.
- Complete and submit the online claim form, attach your invoices and evidence of payment.
The Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements Wage Subsidy encourages businesses and group training organisations to take on more apprenticeships and help the Queensland economy and job market.
To be eligible:
- You must be a business or group training organisation (GTO).
- Your business or GTO must have engaged an Australian apprentice between 5 October 2020 and 31 March 2022.
- The apprentice or trainee must be undertaking a Certificate II or higher qualification and has a training contract formally approved by the state training authority.
How much you’ll receive:
- Eligible businesses and GTOs will receive a wage subsidy of up to 50% of the eligible apprentice’s gross wage paid, up to $7,000 per quarter for wages paid in the 12-month period from date of commencement or recommencement.
- The subsidy is not available for any apprentice receiving any other form of Australian Government wage subsidy.
- After 12 months of the subsidy, employers will be eligible to transition to the time-limited Completing Apprenticeship Commencements (CAC) wage subsidy for second and third year apprentices. This entitled eligible employers to receive a 10% wage subsidy in the second year of an eligible apprenticeship (up to a maximum of $1,500 per quarter per apprentice) and 5% wage subsidy in the third year (up to $750 per quarter per apprentice).
Important dates.
- The Australian apprentice must be engaged between 5 October 2020 and 31 March 2022.
Final claims must be lodged before 30 June 2025.
- As of 1 July 2022, the wage subsidy will be replaced by the Incentives for Australian Apprenticeships.
To learn more:
An Australian Apprenticeships Support Network Provider will be able to provide you with more information about the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy and more.
The Support for Aged Care Workers in COVID-19 Grant is open to eligible residential ages care providers, approved national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program providers and approved home care providers in all states of Australia.
Up to $128,497,000 of grant funds has been allocated by the Australian Government to help minimise the risk of infection to aged care workers, residents and those the services support.
Minimum eligibility requirements:
- The provider must be an approved residential ages care provider, NATSIFACP provider or home care provider.
- The applicant must be incurring additional costs as a result of supporting eligible workers (see below), and be located inside a hostpot listed in Appendix 1 and/or have workers who have worked in a hotspot.
- Providers are expected to submit an application for out-of-pocket expenses at the end of the activity period, but may elect to apply earlier if significant financial hardship is being experienced, which will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Eligible employees include those who have had to change working hours or location, who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have received a positive test result, or who are required to undertake skill gaps where existing workers are not able to work due to COVID-19 symptoms or isolation.
A full list of eligibility and application requirements can be found on the Australian Government Grants website.
How to Stay Up to Date with New Small Business Grants QLD
The Queensland Government Grant Finder and Grant Schedule will help you know when the State or Federal Government will be committing grant funds or offering new methods of support for Queensland small businesses.
Grants and support programs will have their own eligibility criteria and requirements for submitting the grant application. However, as allocation can often fill quickly, there are a few things you can keep ready, including:
- Documentation of your past year’s turnover.
- Details of other Queensland Government grants you may have applied for.
- Any upskilling you have provided to staff or details of apprentices you have hired for applicable training administers grants.
Information about any machinery, equipment or software you have purchased for business innovation or growth.
These are just some of the potential documents you may need for potential future grants, but may not be relevant. Please consult the applicable Queensland Government grants for your business for more information on eligibility criteria.