Yes. While some government programs have been axed, others have been added and many assistance programs run each year. There are currently hundreds of funding programs available to small businesses and new businesses in Australia from both State or Territory and Federal Government agencies.

Yes, some government funding programs are industry specific. For example, there are funding programs for tourism, export, manufacturing, primary industries, technology and the arts and culture. However, there are also a wide variety of programs available to eligible businesses in many other industries. While no one can guarantee you will get funding or assistance, it is smart to check out what is available and to see if you qualify. You can check out our grant recipients database for examples of businesses that have received government funding.

Some government programs may provide your business with access to equipment, facilities, resources and trained staff, that may otherwise be beyond the capabilities of your business. These services may either be provided directly by the government or you may receive financing for privately operated services.

Yes. In fact, we encourage you to apply for as many funding programs as you are eligible to apply to. By applying for funding from different programs, you will improve your chances of receiving funding.

While you could investigate the hundreds of government grants yourself, we find that most businesspeople simply don’t have the time or resources required to search all possible programs. The Australian Business Funding Centre (ABFC) is your single best source for accessing Australian and State and Territory Government funding programs. While there are consultants who can advise you on accessing funding programs, they could cost you several thousands of dollars in fees, and you still have no guarantee of success.

Generally, there isn’t any size restriction for eligibility to receive financial assistance from a government agency. You could be eligible to receive government assistance whether your business has one or one hundred employees. Some individual programs however may have specific guidelines in relation to the size of an eligible business.

The Australian Business Funding Centre (ABFC) does not provide any government grants or loans. We are an independent research organization (for profit) that provides Australian businesses and start-ups with important information to assist in securing government grants and other funding. While we can’t guarantee that you will receive funding, we make every reasonable effort to ensure that you receive all relevant, accurate and up-to-date information to help you secure funding. Of course, programs may be subject to changes from time to time, so we cannot be held responsible for any errors, changes or omissions in our website or other publications.

No, we make no specific claim nor represent that any recipients listed or success story profiled received funding as a result of ABFC services and products. We provide both resources to the public to show that monies are available for those who qualify and that its much easier than most people think to get funding if you understand the process and take action to apply.

You can call us toll free on 1 800 813 863, email us, or alternatively, you can write to our mailing address: Australian Business Funding Centre, 2 Endeavour House, Canberra, ACT 2603.

Each Australian Federal and State Government grant or loan program will have a specific application process. Grant or loan applications, as outlined in Australian government websites and publications, can be very complicated and difficult to understand. However, at the Australian Small Business Funding Centre we can help you by providing application details in an easy to understand format.

Your business could receive funding in as little as four to six weeks depending on the program you apply for. Conversely, depending on the program, it could take up to 12 months after applying. Of course, the sooner you apply, the sooner you could be receiving government funding. As some funding programs have application deadlines, you should start applying as soon as possible. It is also possible that you may not receive any funding because you do not fit the eligibility criteria or do not fill out the application forms in a timely or complete manner. ABFC cannot guarantee funding to anyone.

No, but you are required to use the funding for what you said you will use it for in your grant application. Keep all receipts to support proof of any purchases made using the grant because you may have to provide copies to the agency providing the grant. Check the guidelines for more on what documentation you may need to provide.

If you are business partners, you should apply for any funding together. However, this should not hinder your application. Check all available programs for their eligibility requirements.

State, Territory and Federal Government agencies provide business services such as training, consulting and other information services for small businesses at a subsidised cost or at no cost at all. These services are designed to help your business develop, grow and expand. These are generally available to anyone who is registering, or has registered, a business in Australia. These programs can be especially useful for new businesses and start-up ventures.

Property tax breaks offer tax deductions on land and property purchases made by your business. These tax breaks can save your business money that you can then use to develop any property you have recently purchased.

Relocation grants provide financial assistance to businesses to entice them to move into another geographical area. These are usually used to entice capital city based businesses into other regional areas or interstate.

Conditionally repayable contributions are government investments in business projects which are not repayable if the project fails. These programs may provide a risk-free approach to starting or expanding a business.

A government grant is an amount of money conditionally provided to your business which you don’t have to repay. Depending on the grant, you may use it to purchase equipment, advertising and marketing or to conduct a feasibility study or for any purpose that meets the particular grant guidelines. A grant could also be a service provided by a government agency at no cost for which you might usually have to pay. This might include such services as free consulting, marketing or education programs. Other forms of grants could include such things as tax credits to reduce your tax bill.

A government loan must be repaid but, depending on the program, at either a low interest rate or on interest-free terms. You might also be given a longer term to repay the loan.

Tax credits and tax refunds provide a form of funding for your start-up or business expansion by deducting allowable expenditures from the annual tax return of your business. Your business may apply for tax refunds of past costs or receive tax credits on future projects. These tax breaks provide your business with a financial break to free up your business' cash flow for further development.

Equity financing programs is where the government agency invests in your business. Unlike banks and private investors, the government will be less worried about the returns on their investments so your business will be under less pressure to deliver profits.

Government insurance can help your business pay back all or a portion of a bank loan should the business or project fails. Government insurance is usually available to your business at either low premium rates or for no premiums at all. This may give your business a far better chance at applying for any bank loans.

The Australian Business Funding Centre is an independent research organization (for profit) and is not affiliated with any Australian or State government agency. We closely track hundreds of government programs available to Australian entrepreneurs in all states and territories. To date, we have shown many businesses how to easily receive government grants and loans. Our international corporate head office is in Toronto, Canada and all transactions are facilitated there. For your convenience, you may use the mail forwarding address in Canberra found at the bottom page of this site.

There are hundreds of Federal and State and Territory Government resources available to small business owners like you if you know where to look. There are grants and subsidies, low-interest or no-interest loans, tax refunds or tax credit programs, government insurance against business risks, relocation grants and allowances, purchases of your product or service by the government, property tax breaks, equity financing, conditionally repayable contributions, and many other worthwhile resources that most Australian businesses know little or nothing about. We can provide you with full information on all government funding programs and offer quick and easy access to grants available today for your business. Important funding information we can provide you with includes:

* Government funding program titles
* Government funding program eligibility
* The benefits of Government funding programs
* Detailed, up-to-date contact information with phone, fax, email and website addresses
* Exclusive interviews with the directors of the programs who read and approve applications including what they look for in an application
* Exclusive interviews with recipients of funding programs, including details of what worked for them and why. Please note we don't represent that any recipients or success stories profiled received monies as a result of ABFC services and products
* Sample applications for grants
* Access to our database of over 14,000 funding recipients (growing daily).

You can find information on government grants by contacting each of the hundreds of individual government agencies and asking them to provide you with detailed information on the many small business funding opportunities that their agency has to offer. Of course this will be very time consuming and it can be quite frustrating. Alternatively, visit our program types and case studies pages or simply call us toll-free on 1 800 813 863 to speak with one of our government grants experts.

It symbolizes the public service mission, and relatively non-corporate culture of the Australian Business Funding Centre.

The government has always helped develop small businesses in Australia but hasn't always publicised their programs. The State and Territory and Federal Governments want businesses to grow and hire people and realises that small businesses are the backbone of our economy. In fact, small business hires the majority of employees in the Australian workforce. So, governments are prepared to spend millions of dollars each year to support businesspeople like you through grants, loans and many other types of financial assistance.

No business can be guaranteed to receive any funding without first applying. Every year, the Australian Federal and State and Territory Governments distribute millions of dollars in grants, but only to eligible businesses and individuals that first apply. At the Australian Business Funding Centre (ABFC) we have the knowledge and expertise to help you find what funding opportunities are available to you, as well as how and to whom to apply.

At the ABFC our research staff has expertise in Australian government funding opportunities within every state and territory in Australia. Our databases are arranged to be easily referenced both by state/territory and business type. If any government office offers funding for your type of eligible business, we will have it listed and referenced in our database so that you can easily access it. Please review our grant recipients database for examples of past government funding.