The Queensland Small Business Entrepreneur Grants are now open again for the final time in 2017. Here is what you need to know about the small business grant:

• You must reside in Queensland. There is zero point applying from outside of the state. 
• Your business name will need to have been registered within the past 4 years. Any longer than that means you’re not eligible for this business grant
• You need to have fewer than 20 employees at the time of applying for the grant
• You must have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• and Not be insolvent or have owners or directors that are undischarged bankrupt
• Grant applications close at 5 pm on November 21st! 

The Queensland Small Business Grant can be used towards engaging a consultant, advisor or coach to help you create a plan and strategy to grow your business. If you’re looking for a coach and strategist to help you streamline your business, get a clear focus on your goals and create a plan that helps you work towards your vision then I just might be the gal for you.  You can find the full details of the program at: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/starting-business/advice-support/grants/entrepreneur-grants

Here is what we can work on together:

• Big vision breakdown to align your personal goals with your business
• Pricing review to make sure you’re profitable for 2018
• Monthly sales + expenses goals so you don’t have to guess (I do the hard stuff)
• Cash flow so feel in control of your money (I do the hard stuff)
• Marketing funnel map with all the steps laid out so you can easily implement everything
• Marketing goals for every step of your funnel so you don’t have to guess anymore
• Monthly marketing breakdown so you can pre-plan all your content 

*Full details here: https://www.theprofitlovers.com/one-on-one-coaching/

How to apply for the Queensland Small Business Entrepreneur Grant 

I know most people don’t love grant proposals but investing a few hours in putting together an amazing proposal will put you on top! It might feel like a waste of time and effort, but those who take the time to think carefully about their answers will beat out the competition. I have seen a lot of grant entries and most are both rushed and poorly thought through. So with that in mind here are my best tips for applying for the QLD Small Business Grant.

Know what the funding will cover

There is no point investing the time if you’re looking for a grant to cover anything other than business strategy, planning, coaching or advisory type services. The grant won’t cover asset purchases (computers, stock etc), salaries or wages, paid advertising campaigns, direct selling or MLM businesses or general business costs. You can see the full list here.

Look at the word/character count on each answer box

Some boxes in the grant proposal allow for 100 words and other only allow for 250 characters. Use a program like MS Word, Google Docs or Grammarly that show you the word or character count so you stay within the guidelines. Don’t be templated to be lazy and not use the full word count either. Make the most of every single letter to give yourself the best chance of winning the grant. 

Think specifically about the outcome you’re trying to achieve

Avoid generalisations like “I want to grow my business” or “I want to increase my sales”. These are not measurable goals. Be specific about your intention for the use of the grant. What will you focus on? Is it developing an automated sales and marketing funnel to increase revenue by 30% in 2018? It is a strategic growth plan that will help you set goals and create milestones to increase customer retention by 40%? Can you see where I am going here? 

Don’t go wild with your goals

A grant submission with wildly unrealistic goals won’t position you well. Be realistic about your goals while also focusing on growth. The Queensland Government want you to use the money they allocate wisely, they want to see results but won’t be impressed with crazy big unachievable leaps in revenue etc. 

Focus on growth and expansion

Ultimately the goal of the business grant is to support Queensland Entrepreneurs to grow and prosper.  A thriving business community supports job and wealth creation so don’t forget to look at the bigger picture when drafting your answers. The grant isn’t about just you, it is about boosting the QLD business economy with small business growth and expansion. How will the grant assist you in creating jobs for local people? How will the grant benefit your customers or clients? How will the grant allow you to reach a wider audience? 

Don’t request what you can’t afford

The Queensland Small Business Entrepreneur Grant is “matched funding” so you will need to cover 50% of the cost of the coach/consultant/advisor and the grant will chip in the other 50%. I have coaching + strategy packages from $2497 (ex GST) that fit perfectly with the grant. 

and finally… just go for it! 

It might take you an afternoon to draft and submit your grant application. You have nothing to lose but a few hours of your time and everything to gain. Don’t let any negative self-talk about not being a big enough business, or not making enough money to be considered. I have worked with Queensland Home Based Business Grant recipients in the past who thought they had less than zero chance. You NEVER know how few applicants there may be or the quality of their submission so just do your best!

How can I work with you?

The best way to get started is for you to book a 15-minute chat with me so we can figure out the overall project focus. I can then prepare a quote for you to use with your submission. My coaching packages start from $2497 (ex GST) for 3 months. We can get some serious traction in that time! Click here for more details.