It goes without saying that 2020 has been a pretty challenging year! It looks like the humble small business owner might be one of the hardest hit by the global pandemic and the bushfire crisis (remember that??). Even if you’ve been able to stay afloat during the lockdown period, reopening in the Coronavirus era has many challenges. To help you cope with these challenges, the NSW Government are offering grants of up to $3000 for eligible small businesses. Keep reading to find out more.

There are many things you’ll need to think about when reopening your small business during the pandemic. The rules are changing all the time so you need to keep an eye on government announcements (we put together a handy small business resource sheet here). You might need to think about refitting your store to allow for social distancing rules and providing things like hand sanitizer at the door amongst other things. The new small business grant aims to help with the cost of doing these things by offering $500 to $3000.

So, is your business eligible for this grant? Basically, you can apply if your business had fewer than 20 full time equivalent staff as at March 1, 2020 (this includes sole-traders). It can only be used for eligible transactions made from July 1, 2020, and only where no other government support is available. To check your eligibility and to apply, head to the Service NSW website.

Not eligible for the grant but still need some help keeping the cash flowing in your business? Read our top cash flow tips here.