New small business grants help Camberwell traders shift online

Businesses in Camberwell and surrounding areas can apply for small business grants of up to $4,000 to help them improve their online services.

The City of Boroondara has rolled out the Small Business Resilience Grants program, which provides funding to eligible small businesses in Boroondara for online projects.

The grants are designed to support local businesses that have been forced to close or highly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding will help local traders develop or improve their online capabilities, such as creating a website, developing a social media strategy, or setting up an online shop.

Businesses can apply for up to $3,000 for a range of online activities, although traders can apply for up to $4,000 for a website with e-commerce functionality.

The grants can be used for:

• Delivery of programs and services online (up to $1,000)
• Development of a social media strategy and set up of social media platforms (up to $1,000)
• Development of a website without e-commerce functionality (up to $2,000)
• Development of e-commerce functionality to an existing website (up to $2,000)
• Development of a website and social media presence (up to $3,000)
• Development of a website with e-commerce functionality (up to $4,000).

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for the grant, businesses must have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and operate from a commercial premise.

Your business must be located in the City of Boroondara, have been operating for the past 12 months, and provide evidence of a 30 per cent reduction in turnover.

To qualify, businesses must have fewer than 20 full-time employees at the time of application, however some companies in the hospitality and tourism sectors with additional staff may also be considered.

Sole traders and parts of business partnerships can also apply.

How do I apply?

Businesses can apply for a grant here.

Applications are now open, with submissions closing June 7, 2020. Applications will be assessed in mid-June.

You can find more information about the grant and the application process here.

If you have questions about the grant, contact the council’s economic development department on 9278 4814 or email [email protected].