Sydney (Tribune International, NSW State Release, 30 May 2020): Small businesses in industries highly impacted by COVID-19 have more time to submit applications for up to $10,000 in Small Business Support Fund grants to help pay for unavoidable expenses.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said by extending the closing date to the end of June eligible small business owners now had more time to submit their applications to access this vital support measure.
“The grants were designed to help highly-impacted small businesses hibernate, with the criteria recently extended to provide support for eligible microbreweries, cellar doors and events and commercial vessel businesses,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Already more than 40,000 small businesses have applied for the grants, worth more than $400 million, and we’re looking forward to seeing this number grow over the next month and getting more support into the hands of those businesses who need it most.
“With the grants set to close at the end of June, we’re now turning our attention from response to recovery and are looking at how we best support our businesses to reopen and welcome more customers.”
Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello said the grants had been designed to allow small businesses to get access to help as quickly as possible and this extension meant more businesses would get help to cover utilities, rates and supplier costs.
“Comments from applicants such as ‘this was a very user friendly experience, which is greatly appreciated, especially during this stressful time’, capture the overwhelmingly positive sentiment about the ease of the process,” Mr Dominello said.
“Of the 5,500 applicants who chose to leave feedback, over 99 per cent gave the process a thumbs up.”
Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope said the grants were part of the NSW Government’s response strategy aimed at supporting small businesses.
“We’re committed to keeping people in jobs and businesses in business, which is why we established the Small Business Support Fund grants to help highly-impacted small businesses to keep the lights on and doors open,” Mr Tudehope said.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our state and support tens of thousands of local jobs and we are committed to easing the burden of COVID-19 on our mum and dad business owners and entrepreneurs.”
The criteria for the Small Business Support Fund grants and online application form is available here. Applications must be received by 11.59pm 30 June.
For more information about what other measures might be available, visit service.nsw.gov.au/covid-19 and use the assistance tool. To learn more about the NSW Government’s COVID-19 stimulus measures, visit nsw.gov.au/covid-19.
