2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grants

To be eligible, you must:

• have a turnover of more than $75,000 per annum and have an annual payroll in Queensland of less than $1.3 million (Note: Employees do not include contractors and sub-contractors)
• have been impacted by any of:
  • the South East Queensland lockdown commencing 31 July 2021
  • the Cairns and Yarrabah lockdown commencing 8 August 2021
  • the closure of the Queensland–New South Wales border on 14 August 2021 (if your business is located in the border business zone).

Note: If you have been impacted by one of these lockdowns, your business does not have to be located in a lockdown area to be eligible.

For businesses applying for the grant due to the impacts of the Queensland–New South Wales border closure, you must be located in the border business zone to be eligible.

To be eligible, you must:

• have a turnover of more than $75,000 per annum and have an annual payroll in Queensland of between $1.3 million and $10 million (Note: Employees do not include contractors and sub-contractors)
• have been impacted by any of:
  • the South East Queensland lockdown commencing 31 July 2021
  • the Cairns and Yarrabah lockdown commencing 8 August 2021
  • the closure of the Queensland–New South Wales border on 14 August 2021 (if your business is located in the border business zone).

Note: If you have been impacted by one of these lockdowns, your business does not have to be located in a lockdown area to be eligible.

For businesses applying for the grant due to the impacts of the Queensland–New South Wales border closure, you must be located in the border business zone to be eligible.

To be eligible, you must:

• be operating in the tourism and hospitality sector
• have a turnover of more than $75,000 per annum and have an annual payroll in Queensland of more than $10 million (Note: Employees do not include contractors and sub-contractors)
• have been impacted by any of:
  • the South East Queensland lockdown commencing 31 July 2021
  • the Cairns and Yarrabah lockdown commencing 8 August 2021
  • the closure of the Queensland–New South Wales border on 14 August 2021 (if your business is located in the border business zone).

Note: If you have been impacted by one of these lockdowns, your business does not have to be located in a lockdown area to be eligible.

For businesses applying for the grant due to the impacts of the Queensland–New South Wales border closure, you must be located in the border business zone to be eligible.

A $1,000 grant is available to non-employing sole traders affected by Queensland COVID-19 lockdowns in August 2021.

This grant has now been extended to support businesses impacted by the closure of the Queensland–New South Wales border. To be eligible, your business must be located in the border business zone.

This is a one-off grant and you must meet the eligibility criteria at the time of making your application.

You need to apply and have your information verified by 30 November 2021.

The 11 local government areas subject to lockdown restrictions were:

• Brisbane City Council
• Gold Coast City Council
• Ipswich City Council
• Lockyer Valley Regional Council
• Logan City Council
• Moreton Bay Regional Council
• Noosa Shire Council
• Redland City Council
• Scenic Rim Regional Council
• Somerset Regional Council
• Sunshine Coast Regional Council.

The 2 local government areas were:

• Cairns Regional Council
• Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council.

Areas eligible for support due to the closure of the Queensland–New South Wales border are identified in the map below and include:

• Coolangatta, Currumbin–Tugun, and Currumbin Waters
• border towns of Wallangarra, Goondiwindi and Mungindi (Queensland).

Use the COVID-19 Business Support Grants – Border areas mapping for more detail on eligible areas.

To be eligible, your business or not-for-profit organisation must:

• employ staff (employees must be on your payroll and does not include any business owners)
• have an Australian Business Number (ABN) continuously held from 30 June 2021
• be registered for GST
• have Queensland headquarters (i.e. your principal place of business is located in Queensland) and have been trading in Queensland on 31 July 2021
• not be insolvent, or have owners or directors that are insolvent or an undischarged bankrupt
• have an annual payroll of not more than $10 million (except for large businesses and not-for-profit organisations operating in an identified tourism and hospitality sector) during any of the 2018–19, 2019–20 or 2020–21 financial years
• have an annual turnover of over $75,000 during any of the 2018–19, 2019–20 or 2020–21 financial years
  • Note: Businesses that have recently started can provide financial records to show they will reasonably meet this turnover requirement in the 2021–22 financial year
• demonstrate the business or not-for-profit organisation was directly or indirectly impacted by either:
  • a lockdown event
  • the closure of the Queensland–New South Wales border (if trading in the border business zone on 31 July 2021)
• demonstrate or declare a reduction in turnover of 30% or more during a nominated 7-day period
  • if applying for the grant due to impacts of a lockdown, this must include at least 1 full day of a lockdown event when comparing against turnover achieved during the same 7-day period in July or August 2019
  • if applying for the grant due to impacts of the border closure, this must include 1 full day of a border closure event when comparing against turnover achieved during the same 7-day period in 2019
  • or
  • if the 2019 period does not indicate a typical weekly turnover (e.g. for a recently started small business or business that has experienced structural changes), include another comparable period (e.g. the same period in July/August 2020).

Large tourism and hospitality businesses and not-for-profit organisations must ensure they are undertaking business activities in any of the identified tourism and hospitality ANZSIC (Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification) code industry areas and meet all eligibility criteria (although you can have an annual payroll greater than $10 million). Check the ANZSIC codes listed below to see if you are eligible to apply.

Eligibility checker

Use our eligibility checker to test your eligibility.

To be eligible for this one-off grant, you must:

• be an individual operating as a sole trader (this can include a non-employing business operating through a company, partnership or trust structure)
• not employ staff
• have a current Australian business number (ABN) continuously held since 30 June 2021
• be registered for GST
• have a principal place of business address in Queensland and the affected business was based and trading in Queensland on 31 July 2021
• not be insolvent, or have owners, directors, partners or trustees that are insolvent or an undischarged bankrupt
• have an annual turnover of more than $75,000 during any of the 2018-19, 2019-20 or 2020-21 financial years
  • if you have not been trading for a full financial year, you would be able to provide financial records to show you will reasonably meet this turnover requirement in the 2021-22 financial year
• have been affected by a lockdown event or border closure
  • for a Queensland lockdown event, this means you have been affected by or required to stop operating or had limited operations during a nominated 7-day period (this must include at least 1 full day of a lockdown event)
  • or
  • for the closure of the Queensland-New South Wales border, this means your business is located in a border business zone) during a nominated 7-day period (this must include at least 1 full day of a border closure event)
• declare a reduction in turnover of 30% or more during the nominated 7-day period
  • when comparing against turnover achieved during the same 7-day period in 2019
  • or
  • if the business was not trading during the same period in 2019 or the 2019 period does not indicate a typical weekly turnover, another comparable 7-day period can be used.

You will not be eligible for the grant if:

• we cannot verify your application details by 30 November 2021
• your income is solely made up of any of the following:
  • earnings from rental properties
  • interest earned on investments
  • dividends.
• you have received an Australian Government COVID-19 disaster payment
• you have received or are eligible for another COVID-19 business support grant.

Read the administrative direction that establishes the basis for the non-employing sole trader grant.

Use this ANZSIC code list to check for eligibility, or search the Australian Bureau of Statistics listing.

Applications opened at 12pm (midday), 16 August 2021 for employing Queensland businesses.

To apply, complete the steps below.

1. Read the eligibility criteria.
2. Read the guidelines, frequently asked questions and supplementary guidelines (for the border business zone).
3. Gather and prepare your supporting evidence to submit with your application.
4. If you're an eligible employing Queensland business, register for a QRIDA portal login (or check your existing login).
   • complete and submit your application through the QRIDA portal.

Create a QRIDA profile

If you do not have a QRIDA profile login, complete the following steps:

1. Visit the QRIDA portal to create your profile.
2. If you have not registered with QRIDA before:
   1. click on the 'Register' tab and enter your details
   2. after registering, QRIDA will send an email to validate your account – allow time to receive this email (remember to check your junk email too)
   3. when you have validated your account, you will be ready to log into the QRIDA portal and submit when applications open.

Check your QRIDA profile

If you already have a QRIDA portal login (i.e. to apply for a grant or loan previously), you should:

1. Login to the QRIDA portal to test your password (Note: You may need to reset your password before the grant opens).
2. Confirm all your details are correct.

To apply, you must be the sole trader (i.e. you cannot apply on behalf of the sole trader).

We will not accept late applications.

It may take a few days for us to verify your data. If the information is incorrect or cannot be verified by 30 November 2021, your application will not be accepted.

To apply, complete these steps:

1. Read the eligibility criteria and administrative direction.
2. Have the following ready: your Australian business number (ABN) and business activity statement (BAS) for the period ending 31 March 2021.
3. Complete and submit your application through the QGrants portal below.

Apply now

• Reduction in turnover of 30% or more – you must demonstrate or declare you have experienced a reduction in turnover of 30% or more over a nominated 7-day period (including at least 1 full day of a lockdown or border closure event) compared against the same 7-day period in 2019. If the 2019 period doesn't indicate a typical weekly turnover, include another nominated 7-day period (e.g. the same period in 2020). Provide the following evidence to demonstrate:
  • direct impact: – complete a declaration in your application
  • indirect impact:
    • submit sales turnover information from your business records for the relevant periods
    • or
    • rely on a dated letter on letterhead issued by a member of CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand, Institute of Public Accountants, registered tax agent or registered BAS agent.
• Employ staff – you must demonstrate you employ staff (in addition to the business owners and be employed on the business's payroll). Evidence may include:
  • business financial statements, business payroll records, payroll tax return information
  • or
  • a dated letter on letterhead issued by a member of CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand, Institute of Public Accountants, registered tax agent or registered BAS agent.

  Note: Employees do not include contractors and sub-contractors.

• Annual payroll – you must provide the business's annual payroll during any of the 2018-19, 2019-20 or 2020-21 financial years. Evidence may include:
  • business payroll records, payroll tax return information
  • or
  • a dated letter on letterhead issued by a member of CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand, Institute of Public Accountants, registered tax agent or registered BAS agent.
• Annual turnover of over $75,000 – you must demonstrate annual turnover of over $75,000 during any of the 2018-19, 2019-20 or 2020-21 financial years years (or for a recently started business, provide financial records to indicate this will reasonably be met in the 2021-22 financial year). Evidence may include:
  • BAS statements or Australian Taxation Office records
  • or
  • a dated accountant letter on letterhead from a member of CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand, Institute of Public Accountants, registered tax agent or registered BAS agent.
• Trading location – to verify your trading location, you may provide:
  • publicly available web information to identify your business operations (e.g. website or social media pages)
  • or
  • utility bills for the business location.

Template letter

If you choose to, send this template to your accountant or tax professional so they can prepare your letter to submit with your application.

NOTE: The template letter was updated on 16 September 2021. Previous versions of the template will be accepted.