Small Business Start-up Grants - Apply Now

The Whitsunday Small Business Start-Up Program is a council-administered business grant fund targeting start-up business opportunities in the Whitsunday region.

It is a competitive and merit-based grant program that aims to attract entrepreneurs to undertake start-up business activities in the Whitsundays.

Successful applicants have the opportunity to receive monetary funding of up to $10,000 (matched 50:50 by the applicant) for business-related activities in a start-up new business.

Council will ensure the successful applicants will align with our identified regional economic opportunities and will not compete with existing business.

The program aims to benefit the Whitsunday Region by:

Increasing employment;
Attracting new investment;
Increasing local supply and/or manufacturing supply chains (i.e. local import replacement, local procurement);
Establishing new trade opportunities (local, inter-regional and/or overseas);
Value adding to the existing Whitsunday region; and
Providing circular economy benefits.

To find out if your start-up is eligible download the Program Guidelines here.

You can also view Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to assist you before applying.

Apply Now!

You can submit your application by completing the Online Application form below

To complete a paper application, please download the Application Form (Word document) and submit via the Upload Hardcopy Application tab below

Deliver your completed hardcopy application by Post or in person to one of Council's Customer Service Centres (contact details below).

Contact Us

Phone: 1300 972 753 (WRC QLD)

Email: info@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au

Post: Small Business Start-up Business Program, PO Box 104, Proserpine QLD 4800

Important Dates:

Applications Open: 1 February 2019

Applications Close: 15 March 2019

Notice of Application Outcome: by June 2019

This program forms part of a wider strategy for economic prosperity in the Whitsunday region. Council have developed this initiative as a direct response to Action Item 5.2 of the Whitsunday Region Economic Development Strategy 2017-2022.

For more information on starting your business, download the Starting Your Business Checklist here

The Whitsunday Small Business Start-Up Program is a council-administered business grant fund targeting start-up business opportunities in the Whitsunday region.

It is a competitive and merit-based grant program that aims to attract entrepreneurs to undertake start-up business activities in the Whitsundays.

Successful applicants have the opportunity to receive monetary funding of up to $10,000 (matched 50:50 by the applicant) for business-related activities in a start-up new business.

Council will ensure the successful applicants will align with our identified regional economic opportunities and will not compete with existing business.

The program aims to benefit the Whitsunday Region by:

Increasing employment;
Attracting new investment;
Increasing local supply and/or manufacturing supply chains (i.e. local import replacement, local procurement);
Establishing new trade opportunities (local, inter-regional and/or overseas);
Value adding to the existing Whitsunday region; and
Providing circular economy benefits.

To find out if your start-up is eligible download the Program Guidelines here.

You can also view Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to assist you before applying.

Apply Now!

You can submit your application by completing the Online Application form below

To complete a paper application, please download the Application Form (Word document) and submit via the Upload Hardcopy Application tab below

Deliver your completed hardcopy application by Post or in person to one of Council's Customer Service Centres (contact details below).

Contact Us

Phone: 1300 972 753 (WRC QLD)

Email: info@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au

Post: Small Business Start-up Business Program, PO Box 104, Proserpine QLD 4800

Important Dates:

Applications Open: 1 February 2019

Applications Close: 15 March 2019

Notice of Application Outcome: by June 2019

For more information on starting your business, download the Starting Your Business Checklist here

Small Business Start-up Program Application

Please complete the form below to apply for the Small Business Start-Up Program.

You should allow approximately 1 hour to complete your application. Please note you cannot save and return to later.

If you wish to complete the application on paper, please download the Application Form which is available on the webpage, and return to Council via email, post or in person at our Customer Service Centres.

The application portal will be available to access until 5pm, Friday 15 March 2019.

Please complete your contact details here. What is your name?

What is your position/title?

What is your email address?

What is your best contact phone number?

New Business Name

Registered Australian Business Number (ABN)

Registered Trading Name (if applicable)

Street Address

Postal Address

Website

255

Are you seeking to start-up a new business in the Whitsunday Local Government Area?

How long have you been working on establishing this business?

Grant funding must be matched by the applicant 50:50, can you demonstrate a financial ability to match the funding amount within grant timing?

How will you demonstrate ability to match funding?

If you picked 'Other' please specify here

Grant activities must be delivered within 12 months from signing the Funding Agreement - will your activity be completed within this timeframe?

We would like to know more details about your Start-Up Business. Please write a brief description below.

Please limit to approximately 50 words

What type of new business are you? *

Commercialising a unique product, process, service or business modelIntroducing a new product, process, service or business model to the regionUndertaking collaboration activities that are region-specific (e.g. value / supply chain partnerships or strategic alliances)

Options are limited to

You may choose more than one answer

Which Whitsunday region pillar industry does your activity align with? *

TourismMiningAgriculture

Options are limited to

You may choose more than one answer

The following 5 questions are seeking responses to the merit criteria, and are each worth 20% of the total merit criteria. 1. Please demonstrate below the newness or uniqueness of your start-up business.

You may write up to 500 words. You should demonstrate: How is the new business clearly new or unique, or has a strong point of difference to existing businesses in the Whitsunday region? | How does the new business address an identified market need? | Demonstrate a sound understanding of potential markets, competitors and industry.

2. Please demonstrate below your contribution to business start-up capacity and capability. (Use the Market Readiness Tool linked to on the webpage)

You may write up to 500 words. You should demonstrate: How the funding will directly support business start-up activities? | Provide a self-rating of where your start-up business is currently at and what impact the funding will have on moving to the next level? | What is the expected contribution to the business (e.g. financial, employment FTE and/or other measures)?

Please attach your Market Readiness Tool response here (template available for download on the webpage)

3. Please demonstrate Value for Money.

You may write up to 500 words. You should demonstrate: How your business provides value for money (with supporting evidence such as supplier quotes) | Demonstrate the business activity has been thoroughly researched, planned and considered | Show the key risks for delivering the business activity have been identified and mitigation approaches considered.

4. Please demonstrate the economic benefit and alignment to the 3 industry pillars (tourism, mining, agriculture).

You may write up to 500 words. You should demonstrate: How your business aligns to one or more of the 3 pillar industries? | How the business will deliver economic benefit to the Whitsunday region (e.g. employment)? | What is the potential of the business to get investor-ready and/or attract future investment to the region?

5. Please demonstrate business readiness and capacity to fund.

You may write up to 500 words. You should demonstrate: That you can match the amount applied for (e.g. bank statement) | Your ability to deliver the grant activity within the 12 month timeframe (if not, explain why)

Please attach here evidence to support your financial contribution (up to 5 MB file size)

Please refer to previous question

The following questions are regarding funding. What is your total Grant Activity cost? (e.g $8000)

What funding amount would be required from the Small Business Start-Up Program? (e.g. $4000)

Reminder: Up to $10,000 to be matched 50:50

Please attach your Expenditure Breakdown (template available for download on the webpage)

The following questions are regarding timeframes and milestones. Please indicate your Grant Activity commencement date here

Please indicate your Grant Activity completion date here

Please attach your Activities and Milestones table (template available for download on the webpage)

You may also attach here any further non-essential documentation you may wish to support your application, e.g. Business Plan, Marketing Plan, Risk Management Plan or any other information (Please attach as one file up to 5 MB in size)

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