SMALL BUSINESSES ENCOURAGED TO APPLY FOR SOUTHERN BORDER GRANT

Sydney (Tribune International, NSW Treasurer Office Release, 19 September 2020): Eligible NSW small businesses impacted by the closure of the NSW and Victorian border are now benefiting from the $45 million Southern Border Small Business Support Grant program.

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the grant would help ease the pressures and costs of keeping businesses open by providing them with much-needed cash flow.

“The NSW Government is committed to supporting small businesses impacted by the border closures and keeping these communities open and operating,” Mr Perrottet said.

“This support will help keep businesses in business and people in jobs and ensure these communities continue to have access to local services and products.”

Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope said the grant could be used to pay for immediate operating expenses such as utilities, as well as to develop marketing and communication materials.

“We want to help businesses like the local takeaway restaurant and corner shop to keep their lights on and doors open, which is why the grant has two tiers to provide the highest level of support possible,” Mr Tudehope said.

“The first tier is a $5,000 grant for eligible employing and non-employing small businesses, such as non-employing sole traders, that have suffered at least a 30 per cent decline in turnover as a result of the border closure.”

“Meanwhile the second tier is a $10,000 grant for eligible employing small businesses that have suffered at least a 75 per cent decline as a result of the closure.”

Member for Albury Justin Clancy said the grant was available to eligible small businesses in 13 NSW Local Government Areas along the southern border.

“Businesses along the border are doing it tough and communities are suffering from financial and emotional distress,” Mr Clancy said.

“Already more than 700 businesses have applied for the grants, at a value of over $5 million,” he said.

The Southern Border Small Business Support Grant opened on Tuesday, 8 September and will close Sunday, 18 October 2020.

The grant can only be used for eligible expenses incurred since the closure of the NSW and Victoria border on 8 July 2020 for which no other government support is available.

More information on the new grants is available at www.service.nsw.gov.au/southern-border-small-business-support-grant

Eligibility

Tier 1: Business and not-for-profits will be eligible for the $5,000 (tier one) grant if they:

Are a non-employing business or a business that employs fewer than 20 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff as at 8 July 2020
Have an Australian Business Number (ABN) as at 1 March 2020 registered in an eligible Local Government Area (LGA) – see list below
Have experienced a decline in turnover of at least 30 per cent since 8 July 2020 compared to a period of at least two weeks between 30 March 2020 – 7 July 2020 inclusive
Have total Australian wages below the NSW Government 2019-20 payroll tax threshold of $900,000 as at 1 March 2020
Have an annual turnover of more than $75,000 as at 1 March 2020
Have costs from 8 July 2020 associated with surviving or adapting to the new business environment, for which there is no other government support available.

Tier 2: Businesses and not-for profits will be eligible for the $10,000 (tier two) grant if they:

Meet all the eligibility criteria for the $5,000 (tier one) grant, except they must:

Be an employing small business with at least 0.5 FTE staff but fewer than 20 FTE staff as at 8 July 2020
Have experienced a decline in turnover of at least 75 per cent since 8 July 2020 compared to a period of at least two weeks between 30 March 2020 – 7 July 2020 inclusive. Applicants must submit evidence to show they have experienced a decline in turnover of at least 75 per cent.

Eligible LGAs are: