Business Boost Grants Program

DESBT will fund eligible project activities in any of these 3 priorities:

Future planning

• Strategic business planning for innovation or growth
• Implementing a governance board to guide strategic planning
• Exporting opportunities and requirements
• Compliance with industry regulations and standards

Specialised and automated software

• Design and implementation of management systems, including:
  • data warehouses
  • asset management
  • customer relationship management systems
  • risk management
  • production systems
  • project management systems
  • quality and compliance management
• Bespoke or complex website or application design and build, including:
  • e-commerce
  • software integration
  • booking systems
  • cybersecurity tools
  • webinar/conferencing
  • customer accounts/logins
  • paywalls

Staff management, development and planning

• Human resource management skills building
• Professional development and training
• Digital workplace plans and systems for a remote workforce

Refer to the grant guidelines for examples of eligible project activities.

We will not fund the following:

• activities bought using cryptocurrencies, barter, or services in-kind
• GST, registration, and fees
• real estate/property, hire, lease, or rental fees
• goods, services, or fees from related parties*
• travel
• franchise fees
• purchase of stock
• general business operating costs (e.g. bookkeeping/accounting, tax returns, marketing/advertising activities)
• maintenance of existing digital technologies
• computer hardware/gadgets (e.g. computer servers, PCs, tablets/iPads, mobile phones, point of sales systems, headphones)
• website hosting
• stand-alone marketing, advertising or campaign delivery costs (e.g. Google AdWords, Facebook advertising or similar expenses)
• activities purchased via direct selling (e.g. by party plan or network marketing)
• delivery fees, credit card surcharges and international transaction fees
• memberships and joining fees
• salaries
• fleet vehicles.

*Related parties include companies with common shareholdings, directors, employees or immediate family.

To be eligible for this grant, your business must:

• have fewer than 20 employees (by headcount)
• have an active Australian Business Number (ABN) and be registered for GST
• have a Queensland headquarters
• have a turnover of between $300,000 (minimum) and $600,000 (maximum) in the last financial year (2021–22)
• have a publicly reachable web presence to identify business operations (e.g. business website and/or social media pages)
• not have been approved for funding under Round 1 of the Business Boost grant program
• not be insolvent or have owners/directors that are an undischarged bankrupt.

Your business must be registered for GST and have headquarters in Queensland at all stages of the application process and also maintain its eligibility for the duration of the grant funded activity.

Stage 1: Registration of Interest (ROI) – Note: Stage 1 has now closed

You must complete your ROI online in the DESBT SmartyGrants portal.

The ROI is a short form that will ask you to provide core business information such as your business address, Australian Business Number (ABN) and GST registration status and asks you to confirm your business meets all the eligibility criteria of the grant program.

Preview a sample of the ROI to see the questions you will be asked to complete.

Stage 2: Full application – Note: Full applications have now closed

You must complete an online application in the DESBT SmartyGrants portal.

Your application must include the following documents:

• a signed and appropriately witnessed statutory declaration from the business's owner or director stating the business*:
  • had a turnover of between $300,000 (minimum) and $600,000 (maximum) in the last financial year (2021–2022)
• and

• meets all grant eligibility criteria outlined in the Round 2 guidelines
• and
• independent supplier quotes (no more than 2) detailing description and costs of services, who will undertake the project or activity, and an outline of key services and output.

*Refer to the guidelines for the full statements that must be included in your statutory declaration.

Assessment

Stage 1: Valid ROIs will be assessed through a ballot process with a number of applications selected to move to Stage 2.

Each valid ROI has an equal opportunity to be selected.

Stage 2: Businesses identified from the ballot process will be invited to complete a full application which will be competitively assessed.

DESBT will not fund all applications.

Outcomes

We will advise all applicants of the outcome of their grant application following each stage of the application process. Successful Stage 2 applicants will receive an approval letter outlining the funding agreement.

Funding agreement

Grant recipients enter into a funding agreement with DESBT.

Recipients complete their project

Recipients must complete their project within a minimum of 6 months and maximum of 12 months of receiving their approval letter.

Acquittal report, grant payment and survey

Funding for this grant program is paid after completion of the project and once recipients complete and submit a compliant acquittal report. Recipients must keep all application evidence, supplier quotes, corresponding invoices and bank transactions for acquittal and audit purposes.

DESBT will survey recipients within 6 months after completion of the grant program to ask how the grant-funded project has been of assistance to you.

Read the guidelines for a comprehensive overview of each stage of the application process.