What is the Facebook Small Business Grants Programme?
The Facebook Small Business Grants Programme is a grant opportunity to help small businesses weather the challenges related to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Objectives
The Facebook Small Business Grants Programme aims to help small businesses:
- keep their workforce going strong
- with rent and operational costs
- connect with more customers
- support their community
Funding
Facebook is offering approximately $3 million in grants to approximately 465 eligible small businesses.
Each grant amounts to $6,400 comprising of:
- $4,000 in cash
- $2,400 in optional ad credits
Eligibility
The Facebook Small Business Grants Programme will provide support to up to 30,000 businesses in more than 30 countries, with approximately 465 Australian businesses expected to benefit.
- Be a for-profit company
- Have between 2 and 50 employees as of 1 January 2020
- Have been in business for over a year
- Have experienced challenges from COVID-19
- Be in a location where Facebook has offices in Australia: Sydney and Melbourne.
Businesses do not need to have a Facebook presence to apply for one of the grants, and Facebook says applicants will need to provide a business registration extract from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
Timing
Small businesses in Australia can submit their application between 16-22 September 2020.
Results
Thank you for applying to the Facebook Small Business Grants Programme. We received a large number of applications, which exceeded the total number of grants available. After careful consideration throughout the selection process, we unfortunately are unable to provide you a grant.
We appreciate you taking the time to tell us more about your business. We are offering digital resources to help your business during this time. Please visit our Business Resource Hub for free tips, tools and online courses. You can also view our free Facebook Webinars to help strengthen your digital marketing knowledge, and adapt your business online.
Thank you once again for applying to the Facebook Small Business Grant Programme. We hope these resources will help you and your business as you look to the future.
If you have any questions, please contact fbgrants.helpdesk.au@goodera.
More Information
Frequently Asked Questions
When are applications open Australia?
Applications in Australia are open from 16 September 2020 00:00 hours to 22 September 2020 23:59 hours.
What businesses are eligible to apply in Australia?
Businesses in Australia must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible to receive a grant:
- Have experienced challenges from COVID-19
- Have between 2 and 50 employees as of 1 January 2020
- Have been in business for over a year
- Be a for-profit company (sole traders are not eligible)
- Be in a location where Facebook has offices in Australia: Sydney and Melbourne.
Applicant must satisfy the eligibility requirements and application criteria set out in the application process on the Website, and demonstrate that its business has been adversely affected by Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Applicant and Representative must also successfully pass various background and verification checks (as further described in the Terms and Conditions [add hyperlink] and Privacy Policy [add hyperlink]) and provide all documentation requested as part of the application on the Website to show proof of business status.
Applicant must not be owned by (either in whole or in part) nor employ any individual who: (i) is an employee or agent of Facebook, Deloitte Risk Advisory Pty Ltd, or any of their subsidiaries or affiliated companies, or anyone otherwise connected with the operation or fulfilment of the Grant Program; and/or (ii) has any immediate family or member of their household (including, but not limited to, a spouse, partner, parent, legal guardian, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or in-law) who is an employee or agent of Facebook, Deloitte Risk Advisory Pty Ltd, or any of their subsidiaries or affiliated companies, or anyone otherwise connected with the operation or fulfilment of the Grant Program;
Applicant must not be owned or controlled by (either in whole or in part) any individual who: (i) is an official, employee, representative or anyone else acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of a government, government agency, or other administrative authority or judicial or quasi-judicial body (whether elected or appointed, including for example, legislators, regulators, police, active members of the military, judges, tribunal members, federal, state or local council members), state-owned/controlled enterprises (including for example executives at state-controlled companies), political parties or campaigns, public international organisations (including for example, U.N. officials), and candidates for public office (collectively
“Government Official”); and/or (ii) has any immediate family or member of their household (as defined in paragraph (f) above (a spouse, partner, parent, legal guardian, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or inlaw)) who are a Government Official; and”.
Applicant must not be focused on any of the following activities: (i) proselytizing; and/or (ii) political lobbying or campaign activities (e.g. on behalf of an active candidate for elected office).
What documents do I need to include in my application?
For applications in Australia you are required to provide:
- A copy of your entity’s ASIC Registration of Business Name
- A copy of your business bank statement
The Registration of Business Name for your company should be obtained from ASIC when you registered your company name and details. Further details about your Registration of Business Name can be found at https://asic.gov.au/for-business/updating-your-business-name-details/
We require certain documents in order to verify identity and to carry out legal checks. These are mandatory requirements so unfortunately you will not be able to apply for the grant without them.
How will you choose who gets picked to receive a grant?
We’re focused on helping the businesses who need it most in this time of crisis. We have engaged third party partners to support the selection process. In Australia, We have engaged a third party partner to support the selection process. In Australia, we are partnering with Deloitte and Goodera, and these partners will be responsible for accepting applications, reviewing applications and selecting grant awardees.
After the Application Period, each properly submitted application that complies with the Eligibility Requirements will be scored using an assessment rubric; and will then undergo a number of verification checks to create a list of applicants’ applications that will be reviewed and ranked by a selection panel who are independent of Facebook who will then select a short-listed number of eligible applicants (“Ranked Applicants”).
Ranked Applicants will be notified of their success via the email address provided on the application, and must subsequently successfully pass all verification and screening checks required by Facebook in order to be formally selected for a Grant and (if relevant) Ad Credits. Those Ranked Applicants that successfully pass all verification and screening checks will be the verified applicants eligible for a Grant and (if relevant) Ad Credits
(“Verified Applicants”).
I own a franchise. Am I eligible?
Provided you are the business owner and meet the other qualifying requirements, you will be eligible to apply for the Facebook Small Business Grants Programme.
I’m a sole proprietor with more than 50 contractors that function just like employees. Am I eligible?
Due to the finite number of grants available, we are focused on offering grants to small business entities listed on the Companies Office, with between 2-50 employees.
While you may be ineligible for this grant, we have curated tips, tools and free online courses on our Business Resource Hub to help you stay open and connected to your customers during this time. You can also join the Boost with Facebook Australia Group and view our Free Facebook Webinars to learn how to grow your business.
Are these grants available for non-profit organisations?
Due to the finite number of grants available, we are focused on offering grants to for-profit small business entities.
I don’t see my city or location listed?
In Australia, applications are available for small businesses located in where Facebook has offices: Sydney and Melbourne. If your business is not in these locations, unfortunately you are not eligible. We understand that this is a really difficult time for small businesses, and while we would love to give grants in every city and every country/region, unfortunately that’s not possible.
While you may be ineligible for this grant, we have curated tips, tools and free online courses on our Business Resource Hub to help you stay open and connected to your customers during this time. You can also join the Boost with Facebook Australia Group and view our Free Facebook Webinars to learn how to grow your business.
How does Facebook determine if a business is located in Sydney or Melbourne?
For the purposes of this grant program, the business must be registered to an address that falls within the Sydney and Melbourne locality, defined by the local government areas of City of Sydney and City of Melbourne. To see eligible suburbs, please see our terms and conditions.
I don’t fit the eligibility criteria, but am in need of a grant. Can you reconsider my business?
While you may be ineligible for this grant, we have curated tips, tools and free online courses on our Business Resource Hub to help you stay open and connected to your customers during this time. You can also join the Boost with Facebook Australia Group and view our Free Facebook Webinars to learn how to grow your business.
Are bars and restaurants eligible to apply?
Yes, bars and restaurants are eligible, subject to the other eligibility criteria. If you are a Facebook advertiser, this includes complying with.
How is Facebook defining elected officials?
An elected official includes:
- Officials, employees, representatives or anyone else acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of a government, government agency or other administrative authority or judicial or quasi-judicial body (whether elected or appointed).
For example:
Head of state, a head of government, government ministers, senior civil or public servants, senior judicial or military officials, senior executives of state owned corporations, senior political party officials, members of the legislature and senior management of international organisations and any person acting on behalf of or any relatives of any of those listed.
This does not include employees of public academic institutions (e.g., professors/teachers) or volunteer work in a non-official capacity (e.g., local Parent Teacher Association).
What type of bank account do I need to receive funds?
You need to have an active business bank account to receive grant payments. We cannot pay the grant into personal bank accounts or savings accounts.
How do I receive ad credits?
If you opt in to receive ad credits as part of your grant application, ad credits will be applied directly to the ad account you identified during your grant application process.
When will I receive a response about my application?
We are working hard to review all applications and you will hear back from us roughly 7-9 weeks after your application has been submitted if your application has been shortlisted. After this initial phase, there will be additional selection phases. Time-frames for these subsequent phases will be communicated to applicants in due course.
I didn’t receive any update emails from you about my application.
We will have sent an email from [fbgrants@goodera.com] to the email address you used to create your account. If the email is in the spam/junk folder, please mark it as trustworthy and add the email address that it came from to your safe sender list. This is to ensure that future emails from us are delivered directly to your inbox, and to prevent you from missing any important communications relating to your application.
Alternatively, please feel free to contact our helpdesk at fbgrants.helpdesk.au@goodera.com and they will assist you.
How can I know about the status of my application?
You will receive any updates regarding your application on the registered email id from fbgrants@goodera.com.
Who are Deloitte, Goodera?
Deloitte and Goodera are our partners who will be administering our grants application process.
How will the grant payments be distributed?
Once grant recipients are confirmed, specific instructions detailing the distribution process will be provided to the successful applicants.
When can I expect the grant to be paid into my account?
If you are successful in your application, grant payment will happen approximately 2-3 weeks after bank details have been successfully processed.
Are the grant recipient names (and their application answers) made public later or kept private?
Grant recipient names and application details will remain private unless permission to make the information public is received from the applicant.
How do I email the support desk?
If your question is not answered here please contact fbgrants.helpdesk.au@goodera.com. Please put the name of your country/territory of residence in your email subject header. The helpdesk will be available from 9am to 6pm local Melbourne/Sydney time, Monday to Friday.
I opted into Ad-credits. Can I exchange it for cash?
The Grant and Ad Credits are as stated and are non-exchangeable and non-transferable. There is no cash or other alternative to the Ad Credits in whole or in part.
I have a question I didn’t get an answer/resolution to above? Who can help me?
If your question is not answered here please contact fbgrants.helpdesk.au@goodera.com Please put the name of your country/territory of residence in your email subject header. The helpdesk will be available from 9am to 6pm local Melbourne/Sydney time, Monday to Friday.
