Entrepreneur's program
This Federal Government initiative provides assistance to eligible small and medium businesses.
Benefits include:
- A no cost Business Evaluation.
- 50/50 grant up to $20,000 to engage specialist consultants.
- Ongoing assistance including invites to EP run masterclasses (EP eligible only).
Eligible companies will:
- Have a turnover exceeding $1.5m.
- Have a trading history of at least three years.
- Have an ACN, and be solvent.
- Be in the following sectors: food and agriculture, resource or oil and gas supply chain, advanced manufacturing, pharmaceutical, or services supporting any of the five main sectors.
The Business Evaluation is flexible and concentrates on relevant areas with minimum time disruption to owners and managers.
It usually includes:
- Analysis of performance, including benchmarking against a data base of 100 000 companies.
- Analysis of industry trends and external threats and opportunities using IBISWorld reports.
- Strategic planning and setting of long term objectives.
- Discussion around short term issues and impediments.
- Comprehensive report with suggested action plan for next 6-12 months.
- Connections to relevant people able to assist the company.
- Links to other government funding and assistance.
The Grant (Business Growth Grant) can apply to more than one project and is:
- Funded on a 50/50 basis.
- To a maximum of $20,000 per client.
- Companies choose consultants they want to work with (introductions can be provided).
Funded services may include but are not limited to:
- Business planning, strategic planning, strategic marketing.
- Budgeting and developing key performance indicators and dashboards.
- Succession planning and governance.
- Human Resources planning and cultural change.
- Process improvements (flow analysis, inventory management, reducing downtime).
- Implementation of systems (QA, OHS, environmental).
Food and agriculture is a very broad sector and includes; food & beverage producers, primary producers with a value add component and suppliers. Eligible businesses include processors, packers, wineries, breweries, dairies, agricultural consultants, farm wholesalers, irrigation and fertiliser suppliers, machinery and packaging providers, etc.
Advanced Manufacturing is an inclusive category and can include companies with the capacity and desire to become 'advanced'. This can include a different marketing approach (online sales), efficiency and cost reduction (through ERP, technology, or Lean), or developing an innovative business model.
Resource Supply Chain includes mining equipment machinery and servicing, engineering services, mineral processing technology, mine software products, specialist communication equipment, etc.
Enabling services include suppliers to energy, water, transport, and waste infrastructure construction or development; engineering consultancy services; freight transport and logistics (road, rail, air, and water freight, couriers, and warehouse and storage services), architects; IT, scientific testing.
The application and review process is intended to be straight forward and time efficient with web based application forms to take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
This is a snapshot of EP and its eligibility. For a more complete description, please don’t hesitate to call Business Foundation's Don Geare on 0447 955 498, who will be happy to help, and potentially customise delivery to suit.