Small Business Advisory Services (SBAS)
$100,000 is available for not-for-profit organisations to provide business advisory services to small businesses.
What does it offer?
The Small Business Advisory Services (SBAS) program offers grants of up to $100,000 (GST Ex) for eligible not-for-profit organisations to provide business advisory services to small businesses or small business owners to assist them in responding to natural disasters that have occurred in Australia since October 2010.
The objective of the Small Business Advisory Services program is to maximise the innovation, sustainability, productivity and/or growth potential of the participating small businesses through access to low cost business advisory services.
This program aims to achieve these objectives by improving the business and/or financial management skills of participating small businesses.
Small businesses can access a range of advisory services, such as but not limited to:
- business management skills
- financial management skills
- business planning
- mentoring for business
- government regulation
- women and national referrals.
Background
The Australian Government recognises that, by its nature, the small business sector is dynamic, with large numbers of business start-ups and closures each year. Regardless of industry sector, there is similarity in the challenges faced by small business owners across Australia. The ability to access information, advice, knowledge and experience enhances the likelihood of businesses being able to grow, prosper and achieve profitability.
What are the Merit Criteria?
Eligible applications will be assessed against three merit criteria:
The extent to which:
- the application demonstrates that there is a particular unmet need and/or demand for the proposed services and/or project in the area/sector within which it is intended to be conducted.
- the proposed service and/or projects will meet stated objectives and the level of risk to that success, including how risks will be addressed.
- The applicant demonstrates that the proposed service and/or project represents value for money for the Commonwealth.
Responses on merit criteria must make reference to how the proposed project is relevant, practical, flexible and focussed on small businesses in relation to each merit criteria
Eligible Organisations
Eligible organisations, that are able to demonstrate capacity to deliver business advisory services to small businesses, may apply for funding under the Small Business Advisory Services program. These organisations may include organisations such as Business Enterprise Centres and Registered Business Organisations, including community organisations or Institutes of Technical and Further Education.
Recipients
The 62 successful organisations will receive funding offers for up to two years to provide services in areas like business management, financial management, business planning, networking and other general business advice.
|
Organisation |
Project title |
Grant |
| Lighthouse Business Innovation Centre | An online business diagnostic tool with a tailored ‘go forward’ strategy and progress checklist | $176,000 |
| Capital Region BEC | Building Your Business Program | $199,981 |
| BEC St George & Sutherland Shire | BEC Business Training program Southern Sydney | $200,000 |
| Broken Hill Enterprise Development Centre | Small Business Advisory Service – Far West NSW | $210,000 |
| Central Coast BEC | Engaging in building Central Coast small business | $200,000 |
| Eastern Suburbs BEC | Western Sydney Small Business Innovation Assistance | $200,000 |
| Enterprise and Training Company | Digital Business Advisory Service | $200,886 |
| Hunter Business Centre | Business Advisory Reach – The BAR | $238,608 |
| Macarthur BEC | Macarthur Better Business Program | $200,000 |
| Macarthur BEC | Liverpool Open for Business | $188,476 |
| Murray Hume BEC | Helping to Build Resilient and Sustainable Businesses | $200,800 |
| New England North West BEC | New England North West Small Business Advisory Service | $200,000 |
| Northern Rivers BEC | Northern Rivers Small Business Support Program | $210,436 |
| Illawarra BEC | Illawarra BECentre “Accelerate small business Growth Project” | $200,000 |
| Shoalhaven & District BEC | Shoalhaven & District BEC “Accelerate Small Business Growth Project” | $200,000 |
| South Coast Region BEC | South Coast Region BEC “Accelerate Small Business Growth Project | $160,000 |
| Southern Highlands BEC | Southern Highlands BEC “Accelerate Small Business Growth Project” | $120,000 |
| Wagga Wagga BEC | Helping to Build Resilient and Sustainable Businesses | $208,200 |
| Bundaberg Enterprise Centre Association | Small Business Advisory Services – Wide Bay Burnett | $200,000 |
| Burnett Inland Economic Development Organisation | From Strength to Strength | $199,446 |
| Business Enterprise Centre Ipswich Region | Building a Better Business for Today and Tomorrow | $210,000 |
| Dalby Chamber of Commerce and Industry . | Growing small regional businesses and their capability in a patchwork economy – Dalby style | $196,860 |
| Gulf Savannah Development | Gulf Savannah Business Growth Project | $190,500 |
| Mackay Chamber of Commerce | Building resilience and sustainability in SME’s in a two speed economy | $100,000 |
| Rockhampton BEC | Small Business Advisory Services – Rockhampton Regional Council and Banana Shire Council Regions | $200,000 |
| Wynnum Districts Chamber of Commerce | Brisbane to Bayside Small Business Advisory Service (My Business Advisor) | $205,100 |
| BEC (Darwin Region) . | Positioning Tradies for the Darwin Economic Transition | $210,000 |
| BEC (Darwin Region) . | Alice Springs retail and tourism business growth program | $198,260 |
| Salisbury Business and Export Centre | Northern Adelaide Mentoring for Success | $176,200 |
| Eastside BEC | Eastern Adelaide Business Assistance Service | $200,000 |
| Inner West BEC | Social Media – Practical Strategies for Small Business | $203,244 |
| North West Business Development Centre | Productivity and Growth; Action for Small Business | $200,000 |
| Northern Adelaide BEC | Greater Northern Adelaide Region BEC – Better Business Project | $178,000 |
| Regional Development Australia Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island | South Coast Small Business Skills Development and Reignite Strategy | $200,000 |
| Regional Development Australia Far North | RDA Far North SA – Business Advisory Services | $200,000 |
| Regional Development Australia Limestone Coast | Mid to Upper Limestone Coast Business Advisory Service | $202,700 |
| Regional Development Australia Whyalla and Eyre Peninsula . | Eyre Peninsula Small Business Training and Mentoring Program | $200,000 |
| Braddon Business Centre | Tight Ships Don’t Sink | $123,400 |
| Break O’Day Business Enterprise Board . | Business Enterprise Centre Break O’Day (BECBOD) | $196,300 |
| Community Potential Foundation | Small Business Advisory Services – Business & Employment BEC Hobart | $210,000 |
| Community Potential Foundation | Small Business Advisory Services – Business & Employment BEC Launceston | $210,000 |
| Ballarat BEC | Eureka BEC Small Business Advisory Services | $200,000 |
| Box Hill Institute | BEC Kinglake | $200,000 |
| Geelong Chamber of Commerce | Small Business, Smart Business: A one stop shop for small business excellence | $181,490 |
| Holmesglen Institute of TAFE | Interactive, Intensive, Entrepreneurial services for Small Businesses in Melbourne’s S. E.(IIES) | $196,000 |
| Wimmera Business Centre and Horsham BEC | Wimmera Business Centre / Horsham Business Enterprise Centre Business Advisory Service | $179,818 |
| Kangan Batman Institute of Technical and Further Education Board | ON TRACK – Support for Micro and Small Businesses | $200,900 |
| North Central Rural Financial Counselling Service | Small Business Advice and Support – Regional and Rural North Central Victoria | $200,000 |
| Wodonga Institute of TAFE | North East Small Business Advisory Service | $210,000 |
| Belmont BEC | My Business ubator ONLINE Small Business Training and Mentoring Improvement Project | $200,000 |
| Belmont BEC - National | BPW Business ubator ONLINE Women in Business Training and Mentoring Project | $ 200,000 |
| Business Foundations | Inner City Perth Diversification Project | $207,219 |
| Business Foundations | Stronger Southern Business Project | $204,819 |
| Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia | Workplace Diversity Advisory Services – attract, recruit, & retain a diverse workforce | $210,000 |
| Small Business Centre East Metro | Smarty Business Move (SBM) | $ 210,000 |
| Small Business Centre Bunbury Wellington | Bunbury-Wellington Small Business Centre Advisory Services | $199,491 |
| Small Business Centre East Kimberley | SBC East Kimberley Small Business Mentoring and Enriched Training Program | $200,000 |
| Small Business Centre Mid West | Building Better Business Coaching and Mentoring Program | $210,000 |
| Small Business Centre North West Metro | Connecting small business with e-opportunities | $100,000 |
| Small Business Centre South East Coastal | Building Best Practice Business | $190,412 |
| Small Business Centre Stirling | E-Commerce – The Global Opportunity – Multi-channel Commerce for Real Growth | $207,100 |
| Wheat Business Network | Wheatbelt Business Network Business Development | $120,680 |
Media Release
Small businesses in Western Australia’s largest regional economy can soon receive high-quality low-cost business advice and assistance under the latest funding from the Gillard Government’s Small Business Advisory Services (SBAS) program.
The Small Business Centre Bunbury-Wellington (SBCBW) will receive about $220,000 over two years to provide general assistance and one-on-one tailored advisory services for micro and small businesses.
Minister for Small Business Brendan O’Connor said SBCBW was the first of 62 service providers to have its recent SBAS funding offer formalised with a funding agreement. The 62 offers total $12 million in funding.
“The first funding agreement to be executed from the latest round of SBAS offers is great news for small businesses in Bunbury and the surrounding shires of Capel, Collie, Dardanup, Donnybrook-Balingup and Harvey,” Mr O’Connor said.
“The SBCBW’s services will provide positive ongoing and long term support for small businesses to maximise opportunities and growth, sustainability and productivity.
“The region’s small business sector already contributes almost $3 billion to the Bunbury-Wellington economy and the advisory centre will ensure these vital business people continue to build and develop their businesses and find innovative ways to grow.”
More than 80 per cent of all businesses in this region have four or fewer staff.
Mr O’Connor said SBAS was a critical part of the Gillard Government’s commitment to small businesses.
Support also includes the business.gov.au website, Small Business Support Line, the Buy Australian at Home and Abroad initiative, the Clean Energy Future, Enterprise Connect, Commercialisation Australia and the National Broadband Network.
Changes to the tax system will also help small businesses, including allowing them to write off all assets valued at under $6,500 in the year of purchase.
The inaugural Australian Small Business Commissioner, Mark Brennan, will start his position on 2 January 2012 and will work closely with the Government to provide the highest quality advice on issues that affect small businesses.
