Southern Gold Coast News

We have recently researched Federal and State Government grant programmes that we think might be of interest to Southern Gold Coast businesses of all types.

There are many grant programs in Australia; however these are the most common ones that Connecting Southern Gold Coast has identified for our clients.

This is designed to give an overview – more information and detail is available on each and eligibility criteria is very specific and hard to provide in a snapshot such as this, so please contact the relevant people listed with the information required.

Enterprise Connect

Enterprise Connect is an Australian Government initiative backed by industry that offers comprehensive advice and support to eligible Australian small and medium sized businesses to help them transform and reach their full potential (turnover and industry sector criteria apply – e.g. manufacturing; services to manufacturing; a broadly defined creative industries sector that covers everything from graphic design to architects, design, radio, etc; rural businesses and tourism companies etc). Two key assistance programs include:

Business Review – Eligible small and medium businesses can request a comprehensive, confidential and independent Business Review at no cost.

Tailored Advisory Services (TAS) – Grant – 50% funding up to $20,000 +GST to seek external assistance to implement the recommendations of the Business Review. Assistance covers a wide variety of areas in relation to business management and growth: from strategic and business planning to marketing, entering new markets, franchising the business, financial, operational, human resources, etc.

Businesses Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this assistance individual small to medium businesses should:

• possess an Australian Company Number (ACN)
• have a turnover of more than $1 million and under $100 million in the
• current financial year or one of the two preceding financial years
• be solvent
• have filed Business Activity Statements for at least three consecutive years
• meet the definition of a tourism business operating in Queensland including businesses involved in tourist accommodation, tourist attractions, wineries, the operation of tours, or travel agency services.

For further information and to confirm your eligibility please assess www.enterpriseconnect.gov.au/services/Pages/TailoredAdvisoryService.aspx, contact

Stuart Kerr on skerr@goldcoast.qld.gov.au or phone 0414 180 226.

Jobs Assist

The program is intended to help businesses weather the current economic conditions (financial criteria apply – basically relates to significant decrease in working capital over the recent GFC period). Business must also be in identified key industry sectors within their geographic region of Queensland and these vary between regions). Consulting assistance worth up to $8,000 to each eligible business is provided in two stages:

The two key criteria that a business must meet to qualify for this grant;

1. Have 10 or more FTEs – The business must employ the equivalent (or more than) 10 full-time staff within their business. This includes themselves.

2. Be experiencing one of the following:

a. the variation in working capital is negative and has declined by more than 25% between the two points in time i.e. 30 June 2009 and the most recent reporting period,

or

b. the business begins the two point period with negative working capital and remains in that position at the end of the two point period.

3. Be Working within a Key Industry – Key Industries is those the government have identified as being important or growth industries for the state’s future. A full list of these is below;

• Tourism
• Creative industries—including architecture, visual arts and design (including fashion, jewellery, photography); film, television and entertainment software (animation and computer games); performing arts; music; writing, publishing and print media; advertising, graphic design and marketing.
• Processed food
• Advanced manufacturing
• Information and communication technology (ICT)
• Marine
• Biotechnology
• Therapeutic medicines and devices
• Environmental and mining technologies and services
• Alternative and renewable fuels
• Aviation/aerospace
• Wine
• Aquaculture
• Defence
• Fibre composites
• Liquefied natural gas

4. Have an established operating base in Queensland

5. Have an ABN (registered in QLD) and be registered for GST

If this is your business and you would like to take advantage of having a complimentary business review by an independent business advisor, please contact john.simic@cariblue.com.au, by phone 0434 406 550 and website www.cariblue.com.au to discuss your eligibility.

The Big Idea Queensland

New rounds announcement coming in early 2012.

The Queensland Government are offering small to medium sized Queensland businesses an opportunity to make their big ideas a reality through innovation and R & D. Small to medium sized businesses that employ less than 200 people are encouraged to identify and outline an innovative idea and submit that idea. This grant is in rounds rather than continuously available. Only businesses that have an ABN and are operating in Queensland are eligible to apply. Selected businesses will receive up to $50,000 to turn their idea into reality within 12 months. The ideas or projects that can be put forward are very open with applicants encouraged to impress the panel with their ideas. These may include items such as: New product/process development; New business model development; New service delivery or customer interface; New service development; Innovation/technology audit; Access professional skills and research; Introduce knowledge of a scientific, technical or innovative nature that is new to the enterprise; Costs associated with securing intellectual property rights.

For more information, please visit www.bigideaqld.com.au

Export Market Development Grants

The Export Market Development Grants scheme is a key Australian Government financial assistance program for aspiring and current exporters. It encourages small and medium-sized Australian businesses to develop export markets by reimbursing up to 50% of eligible export promotion expenses above a threshold of $10,000.

Ross Giudice -Gold Coast City Council’s Austrade Tradestart Representative

rgiudice@goldcoast.qld.gov.au Phone: 0755 817 732 Mobile: 0414 180 250

FOR FURTHER QUESTIONS ON GRANTS:

please contact: John Simic at Cariblue Pty Ltd

Phone 0434 406 550 john.simic@cariblue.com.au www.cariblue.com.au

UPSKILL YOUR CURRENT OR NEW STAFF

It seems to be a well-kept secret!

Did you know that your business can access government funding to up skill their current or new staff through a trainee-ship.

How does it work?

The Federal Government pay you an incentive to employ or convert staff into a “Trainee-ship”. You can gain incentives of up to $4,000.00 for each staff member under a trainee-ship!

Is it hard to do?

No it’s easy we take care of everything, recruitment (if needed), the training, the paperwork all you do is sit back and enjoy the benefits of having happy well trained staff.

We have many business’s already reaping the rewards from this great training opportunity, Currumbin RSL, Zarraffa’s – Coolangatta, The Burger Lounge – Coolangatta, Le Monde Café – Coolangatta, Tallebudgera Surf Club, Gourmet Espresso – Broadbeach, The Coffee Club – Broad beach and many, many more……….

Who do I talk to and find our more?

If you would like more information about trainee-ships:

- just call Ignite Education at Currumbin on 5559 5077 and ask for Sami or Jane; or

- send an email to admin@ignite.edu.au

DEEDI Benchmarking Program for tourism businesses:

The “Probe for Service” Benchmarking Program provides a self-assessment of an organisation’s practices against world class operations in a specific industry sector. The industry sector classifications are international SIC codes.

The assessment is free, fully subsidised by State Government, and covers almost all operations of the business including: leadership, customer service, finance, marketing/sales, service delivery and performance. The facilitated benchmarking process including discussion, information and reports is fully confidential and takes about four-five hours to complete.

Following on from this DEEDI offers action planning workshops to identify improvement action plans, then an opportunity to apply for $5,000 worth of implementation funding.

Some of the outcomes and benefits of this program:

• Opportunity to discuss business practices among key staff from different areas of your business and identify areas of need
• Highlights the strengths and weaknesses to address in working towards world class best practice
• An independent review with a guarantee of confidentiality
• If the results are good, this provides a marketing opportunity for your business to be identified as world class operation
• Potential for financial support to implement strategies to improve the business practices.

Want to Know More?

Contact:-

Tracey Parr, Principal Tourism Development Officer, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation
26 Marine Parade, Southport, Queensland 4215
PO Box 3290 Australia Fair, Southport, Queensland 4215
t: +61 7 5583 7593 f: +61 7 5583 7591 e: tracey.parr@deedi.qld.gov.au
Business Information Centre 13 25 23 www.deedi.qld.gov.au