A new $10 million Small Business Online Program will run over two years and conclude on 30 June 2011. The objective is to equip small businesses to go online and significantly enhance their web facilities and engage in e-business capabilities, as well as reducing their costs and improving their market opportunities.
The Small Business Online program will offer grants to service providers, with grants typically ranging from $50,000 to $500,000. Projects that require more than $500,000 may be considered, subject to available funding.
The Small Business Online program will be delivered through a provider/s who will be selected through a competitive, merit based process to provide ‘free or low cost’ IT skills development, training and mentoring services to small business owners and/or managers. Applicants can include industry associations, professional and business organisations, and educational institutions including universities, colleges of technical and further education (TAFEs) and business enterprise centres.
The Small Business Online program is competitive and merit-based and will support projects that may include:
• attracting and retaining customers through website marketing
• reducing costs of marketing, communication and training
• enabling e-commerce
• enabling small businesses to become part of a regional or national network
• identifying competitors through the internet
• accessing banking and secure payment of account on line.
Closing dates for applications is 5pm (AEST) Friday 25 September 2009.
Merit criteria include:
1. The extent to which the application demonstrates that there is a particular need and demand for the proposed project, in the area and/or sector, that is not being addressed, within which the project is intended to be conducted.
2. The probability of the proposed project’s success and the risks to that success being achieved.
3. The extent to which the application demonstrates that the proposal represents value for money both for the applicant and the Commonwealth.
See the self-assessment checklist in the guidelines.
If you would like to find out how Treadstone can help with your Government Grant application call us on (03) 9016 3575.
