Is Your Business Eligible for Funding?

• Are you a Manufacturing business or one of the other eligible businesses covered under Enterprise Connect?
• Such as Regional and Metropolitan areas
• Manufacturing
• Resources
• Remote Locations
• Creative Industries
• Do  you meet the eligibility criteria for the Tailored Advisory Service?
• ABC Business Solutions provides a range of  services which qualify for  a Grant.

ENTERPRISE CONNECT

Want the right connections for your business?

Success in business has a lot to do with making the right connections and getting the right advice.

Enterprise Connect, an Australian Government initiative in the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, provides just that.

All the services are available to businesses whether they are located in metropolitan areas, country centres or remote Australia.

What does Enterprise Connect offer eligible businesses?

Enterprise Connect offers comprehensive advice and support to eligible  Australian small and medium-sized enterprises to help them transform and reach their full potential.

Eligible businesses are able to request a comprehensive, confidential and independent Business Review at no charge.

To be eligible to apply for a Tailored Advisory Service grant, your business must have undertaken an Enterprise Connect or Australian Industry Productivity Centre Business Review, or a process deemed equivalent by an Enterprise Centre Manager in your state.

General Eligibility 
To be eligible for a Business Review, all businesses must:

• Possess an Australian Company Number (ACN) or, in the case of Remote Enterprise small and medium sized business, an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Meet the relevant turnover or expenditure thresholds.
• Be solvent
• Have filed Business Activity Statements for at least three consecutive years
• Operate in one of the following sectors or regions:
• manufacturing or manufacturing-related services
• resources technology
• defence
• clean technology
• creative industries
• remote Australia
• Not have received an equivalent Business Review service, that provides a holistic analysis of the  business, from another government (Australian, state or territory or local) program within the last three calendar years.
• Comply with its obligations under the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 (EOWWA). Companies on the current list of non-compliant organisations, available at www.eowa.gov.au are not eligible to apply. Note: The EOWWA currently applies to organisations with 100 or more employees.

http://www.enterpriseconnect.gov.au/howtoapply/Pages/GeneralEligibility.aspx
To be eligible to apply for a Tailored Advisory Service grant, your business must have undertaken an Enterprise Connect or Australian Industry Productivity Centre Business Review, or a process deemed equivalent by an Enterprise Centre Manager in your state.

Eligibility 

The aim is to help Australian small and medium sized businesses in the manufacturing sector become more innovative and forward thinking. Detailed eligibility information is contained in the Client Information Guides.

Am I Eligible?

 To be eligible for a Business Review, your business must:

• possess an Australian Company Number (ACN)
• if located in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth or Brisbane - have revenue or expenditure of more than $2 million and revenue or expenditure under $100 million in the current financial year or one of the two preceding financial years

-   an Australian Bureau of Statistics table of metropolitan areas of the above cities is available at www.enterpriseconnect.gov.au/howtoapply/Pages/ClientGuidelines.aspx

• if located in a regional area, that is, outside the above cities - have revenue or expenditure of more than $1.5 million and revenue or expenditure under $100 million in the current financial year or one of the two preceding financial years
• be solvent
• have operated in Australia and filed Business Activity Statements showing ongoing trading in at least three full consecutive years
• be a manufacturing and/or a manufacturing related service firm.  A firm is also defined as a manufacturing firm where its predominant business activity is not manufacturing, provided it has an eligible manufacturing division or unit that:
• if located in a metropolitan area, have revenue or expenditure of at least $2 million and revenue or expenditure under $100 million in the current financial year or one of the two preceding financial years or
• if located in a regional area have revenue or expenditure of at least $1.5 million and revenue or expenditure under $100 million in the current financial year or one of the two preceding financial years. 

Once your application form has been received and assessed, someone from one of our Enterprise Connect Centres will contact you.
If you have not nominated a particular Business Adviser, an Adviser with the appropriate experience and skills to suit your business will be allocated to you by the Centre.
Your Business Adviser will contact you to make an appointment.

Business Review
http://www.enterpriseconnect.gov.au/services/Pages/BusinessReview.aspx
Once your business has completed a Business Review or an equivalent process you may apply for the Tailored Advisory Service. This service will help you follow through on the recommendations of the Business Review to carry out your business transformation project. If your business is granted assistance through the Tailored Advisory Service, Enterprise Connect will reimburse you half the cost, up to a maximum of $20 000 excluding GST, of engaging a consultant to implement recommended business improvements.

Have you had an Enterprise Connect Business Review?

If you have, you can apply for our Tailored Advisory Service (TAS) grant.
The TAS grant gives you the chance to engage a consultant/s to make the improvements that your Enterprise Connect Business Adviser recommended in your Business Review.  We will reimburse your business half the cost, up to a maximum of $20,000 (excluding GST), of engaging the consultant/s.
The types of improvements eligible for funding may include, but are not limited to;

• Supply chain management
• Business and quality management systems
• Lean manufacturing/office
• Strategic and business planning
• Resource management
• Waste/resource management
• People and change management
• New product/service development
• Diversification/economies of scope
• Market access and development
• Export strategy

Tailored Advisory Service Grant
http://www.enterpriseconnect.gov.au/services/Pages/TailoredAdvisoryService.aspx

Examples of businesses

Manufacturing

Ausdraulics, Townsville QLD (PDF 652.67KB)
Blundstone, Moonah TAS (PDF 613.25KB)
Branach Manufacturing, Croydon VIC (PDF 676.74KB)
BVA Metal Fabrications, Picton WA (PDF 775.61KB)
Care Essentials, North Geelong VIC (PDF 676.32KB)
CVW Engineering, Wetherill Park NSW (PDF 303.2KB)
Emu Australia, Geelong VIC (PDF 0.97MB)
Joinery Products, Devonport TAS (PDF 280.52KB)
Macfab Engineering, Albury NSW (PDF 651.96KB)
Maltec Engineering, Cooee TAS (PDF 652.32KB)
Mining Logic, Mackay Harbour QLD (PDF 157.97KB)
Orange Precision Metalcraft, Orange  NSW (PDF 812.03KB)
Pinz, Seaton SA (PDF 438.68KB)
Prospectors Earth, Bella Vista NSW (PDF 620.02KB)
RKR Engineering, Emu Plains NSW (PDF 626.21KB)
Silver Lynx, Glenroy VIC (PDF 464.41KB)
Wallis Drilling, Midvale WA (PDF 163.86KB)
Williams Metal Fabrications, Elizabeth South SA (PDF 623.52KB)
VivoPharm, Kent Town SA (PDF 349.25KB)

Creative

AT&M Integrated Marketing, Launceston TAS (PDF 350.04KB)
Bearcage Canberra City ACT (PDF 310.43KB)
Eskimo Design, Surry Hills NSW (PDF 638.96KB)
National Folk Festival, Mitchell ACT (PDF 635.88KB)

Defence

Australian Defence Apparel, Coburg VIC (PDF 367.33KB)
Marand Precison Engineering, Moorabbin VIC (PDF 174.63KB)

Food

Heather Brae Shortbreads (PDF 262.14KB)
La Casa del Formaggio, Glynde SA (PDF 456.15KB)

Resources Technology

Immediate Assistants, Artarmon NSW (PDF 795.31KB)
Southern Cross Electrical Engineering, Brand WA (PDF 484.48KB)

Researchers in Business

Simavita, North Ryde NSW (PDF 704.87KB)

Clean Technology

Airchange Manufacturing, Taren Point NSW (PDF 750.64KB)
Ductair, Dry Creek SA (PDF 366.7KB)
Eco-Kinetics, Stapylton QLD (PDF 1.39MB)
Synengco, Spring Hill QLD (PDF 469.34KB)

Want to use cash flow to your advantage?

If you are managing a SME enterprise or administrating a medium to large business and are always on the look out for the best way to keep up to date with technology, ABC Business Solutions is able to provide you with some options to achieve your goals.

RTO Registered Training Courses

Your business can benefit through enhanced skills for your employees this in turn provides an expanded skill set and increased productivity from your employee. ABC Business Solutions can assist you in gaining these formal qualifications.

There are several finance options available to help you succeed in furthering your education through completing a FNS40207 Certificate IV in Financial Services (Bookkeeping).

1. An upfront payment for the course.

2. Pay for the course in three monthly installments

3. Use Ezypay – a direct debit system which will allow you to spread your payments over 12 months while gaining a qualification.

4. Through the Australian Apprenticeship Scheme - employers can now receive up to $4000 (to cover the cost of courses) per eligible employees through the Australian Apprenticeship Scheme traineeships now allow people from almost any sector or industry to look at the funding initiatives.

   Employers are eligible for the Standard Commencement Incentive up to $1,500 3 months from commencement, plus a Completion Incentive up to $2,500, total of up to $4,000.

For further information please see this link: www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au

Eligibility:

The rebate is available for employers who put their eligible staff through training with a Registered Training Organisations (RTO)

Existing Employees Incentive:

• Employed longer than 3 months full-time or 12 months part-time.

• Employers are eligible for: Standard Commencement Incentive ($1,500) 3 months from commencement for Cert III or IV. Plus a Completion Incentive ($2,500), total $4,000 for Cert III or IV.
  

New Employees Incentive:

• Employed less than 3 months full-time and 12 months part-time.

• Employers are eligible for: Standard Commencement Incentive up to $1,500 3 months from commencement. Plus a Completion Incentive up to $2,500, total of up to $4,000.

• You must also be:

  • From Australia or New Zealand, or have Australian residence.
  • Must work an average of 15 hours per week.
  • Be older than 15, and not have done a Certificate III or IV or higher in the last seven years.

To register for this rebate you need to contact the "Australian Apprenticeship Centre" in your local area. You can find a list of these centre's at this link: http://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au/search/aacsearch.as

Contact Kerry Cameron on 07 32072560

Do you employ workers 55 years and over and apprentices or trainees?

Mature age workers bring a wealth of experience to your business.  There are a range of tools and resources to help you attract and retain these skilled and experienced workers. 

You may be able to access $4950 (includes GST) to train your mature age workers so they can provide supervisory or mentoring support in your workplace.

Experience + Training is available to:

• employers operating in Australia who employ a mature age worker (55 years or over) for at least 15 hours per week and who employ at least one apprentice or trainee who works at the same location/site as the mature age worker; or

• small business owners operating in Australia who are themselves mature age workers (55 years or over) working in their own business for at least 15 hours per week and who employ at least one apprentice or trainee who works at the same location/site as they do.

How to apply

Applications for 2010‐11 open on 1 July 2010 and close on 30 June 2011 or when available funding has been exhausted. Applications will reopen each financial year until 30 June 2014.

Government Grants and Incentives

There may be a Government Incentive to assist you build your business.

Business and Industry Transformation Incentives (BITI)

The Queensland Government's Business and Industry Transformation Incentives (BITI) are available for businesses to undertake projects that will promote the transformation in the State's priority industries.

Incentives are available for progressive businesses with significant growth potential within Queensland. Applications are particularly encouraged from groups of businesses working on a collaborative project.

Available incentives

$30,000 to $250,000 are available for approved projects, and are provided for up to 50% of the cost of eligible activities

The incentive scheme essentially seeks projects that will:

• be transformational at a business as well as an industry level
• forge change, lift standards and drive substantial improvements for customers and/or suppliers
• raise competitiveness in priority industries, and ultimately in the Queensland economy.

The scheme aims to achieve transformation through providing funds to projects that will support:

• innovation
• increasing productivity
• exporting for growth
• building regional strengths.

The scheme is available for businesses to transform priority industry sectors. Priority industry sectors exist both state-wide and regionally:

Eligibility

To be considered eligible for the scheme, both the business and the project must meet the eligibility criteria below.

A business is eligible if it:

• operates or intends to operate in a priority industry sector
• has an established operating base in Queensland
• has been trading for at least the last two years
• has an Australian Business Number (ABN) and is registered for GST
• has able to provide funds equal to any incentive awarded from its own financial resources (not in-kind).

A not-for-profit organisation, cooperative or industry association is eligible for the scheme if it can demonstrate its project will contribute significantly to businesses in a priority industry sector.

What a business needs to do to apply

A business's final application package must contain:

• a fully completed application form
• accountant-prepared financial statements for the previous two financial years, and interim results for the current financial year
• detailed estimates of the expenditure for which funding is sought, including quotes where applicable
• other relevant supporting documentation as outlined in the application form.

An application involving multiple businesses will need to include a formal agreement detailing the roles and responsibilities of all businesses involved

For further information proceed to www.industry.qld.gov.au/incentives

Enterprise Connect Initiative

Eligibility

To be eligible, all businesses must:

• Possess an Australian Company Number (ACN) or, in the case of Remote Enterprise small and medium sized business, an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Meet the relevant turnover or expenditure thresholds.
• Be solvent
• Have filed Business Activity Statements for at least three consecutive years
• Operate in one of the following sectors or regions:
• Manufacturing or manufacturing-related services
• resources technology
• defence
• clean energy
• creative industries
• remote Australia
• Not have received an equivalent Business Review service, that provides a holistic analysis of the  business, from another government (Australian, state or territory or local) program within the last three calendar years.
• Comply with its obligations under the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 (EOWWA). Companies on the current list of non-compliant organisations, available at http://www.eowa.gov.au are not eligible to apply. Note: The EOWWA currently applies to organisations with 100 or more employees.

How to Apply

Business Review
The Business Review is a comprehensive analysis of the business, carried out on-site, by a skilled and experienced Business Adviser. This will typically involve  the Business Adviser spending three to four days at your business.

Group Business Review
The Business Review service is available to groups of firms which have a common business interest. This is well regarded because each firm will learn more than if accessing the services individually.

Tailored Advisory Services
Upon completion of the Business Review, businesses are eligible for grants up to $20,000 (excluding GST), to be matched by the business, to implement the recommendations using Tailored Advisory Services provided by industry experts and consultants.

Researchers in Business
Researchers in Business offers the placement of researchers from universities or public research agencies into businesses to help develop and implement new commercial ideas.

Technology Partnerships
Applications are being called for business and tertiary institutions (Universities and Technical and Further Education (TAFE)) with leading edge equipment not generally available in the market, to register as an Enterprise Connect Technology Partner.

Further Information
For further information, call the Enterprise Connect Hotline between  9.00am and 5.00pm (AEST) on 131 791 (Australian callers only) or email enterpriseconnect@innovation.gov.au

Textile, Clothing and Footwear (TCF) Small Business Program (SBP)

Eligibility
1.  The project must meet the needs of a TCF small business that:

• has not received funding from either  the TCF (SIP) Scheme or the TCF  Post - 2005 (SIP) Scheme
• is not likely to receive such funding  for the financial year in which the  application is made, and
• is not likely to receive such funding  for the financial year in which the  project is undertaken.

2. The project must be aimed at improving the business enterprise culture of the TCF small business
3. The applicant must make a cash contribution to the project for which funding is sought. This contribution should not have come from a Commonwealth, State or Territory Government subsidy.
Applications that do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be assessed against the merit criteria.

Merit Criteria
Applications that meet the eligibility criteria will compete on merit against all other  applications, for that round, from across Australia.
The merit criteria are:
1. Whether the project’s outcome will meet program objectives, assessed by how the
project will:

• contribute to the TCF small business’s willingness and ability to take risks
• contribute to the TCF small business becoming more creative
• improve the flexibility or adaptability of the TCF small business, and
• contribute to the growth strategy of the TCF small business.

2. The level of commitment to the project demonstrated by the applicant, including the level of time and resources that the applicant will contribute to the project.
3. Whether the project can be started and completed within a single financial year

How to Apply
To apply, you must fill in the TCF Small Business Program Grant application form and then lodge it with your nearest AusIndustry State/Territory or regional office by the due date. Late applications will not be accepted. You can apply by visiting the AusIndustry website.

Commercialisation Australia

• Skills and Knowledge- support to help build the skills, knowledge and connections required to commercialise intellectual property, providing funding of up to $50,000 to pay for specialist advice and services;
• Experienced Executives- provides funding up to $200,000 over two years to assist with the recruitment of a Chief Executive Officer or other executive
• Proof of Concept -grants of $50,000 to $250,000 to test the commercial viability of a new product, process or service; and
• Early Stage Commercialisation- repayable grants of $250,000 to $2 million to develop a new product, process or service to the stage where it can be taken to market.

Eligibility
Merit criteria 
Applicants compete for the available funds, based on the merit of their application. Eligible applications will be assessed against the following five merit criteria: 

• need for funding
• commercial plan and potential
• market opportunity
• management capability 
• national benefits

Eligibility
To be eligible for Commercialisation Australia, an applicant must be one of the following: 

• a non tax-exempt company incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001
• a researcher applying through an Australian university or Publicly Funded Research Agency (PFRA) commercialisation office
• an individual or researcher applying through an eligible partner entity
• an individual who warrants to form a non tax- exempt company incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 if the application is successful.

Eligible applicants must also:

• satisfy the turnover requirements outlined in the Customer Information Guide
• be able to demonstrate that they can fund their share of the project costs
• be able to demonstrate that they have ownership or beneficial use of the intellectual property
• necessary to carry out the commercialisation project. 

Tailored Assistance
Successful applicants will be allocated a Case Manager and will have access to Volunteer Business Mentors.

How to Apply
To apply for Commercialisation Australia assistance, applicants need to:

• Read the Customer Information Guide
• Complete a Stage 1 Application Form - Applicants must fill out and submit a Commercialisation Australia Stage 1 Application Form to help determine the eligibility and merit of their application. Once submitted, Commercialisation Australia will contact the applicant to discuss whether their project
• Complete a Stage 2 Application Form - Applicants must complete a Stage 2 Application Form, which can be applied by Commercialisation Australia after feedback has been provided on the Stage 1 Application.

Other Services: