Unlocking Opportunities: WA Small Business Growth Grants

• Access up to $10,000 in co-funded services for business growth.
  

• Broad selection of services qualify for funding assistance.

• Applications due by 4 October 2025.

What's this grant?

The Small Business Growth Grants Program is a Western Australian Government business support initiative helping WA-based small and medium businesses to grow, by co-funding the costs of eligible services to improve business performance.

Each applicant can seek funding of up to $10,000 and each applicant must provide funding equal to or greater than the amount funded by Government.

This is a competitive application process with preference given to applications that make use of WA-based service providers for the underlying work.

What can funding be used for?

Funding is designed to help businesses access professional advice, services and systems so that businesses can grow, develop and expand. Services need to be directly relate to the commercial operation of the business.

Some expenditure items are specifically excluded (for example assets, plant and equipment, memberships, legal fees, accounting fees in addition to other specified ineligible costs).

The grant guidelines provide a list of eligible activity examples including:

Strategic business planning - professional advice to help identify and articulate business goals and strategic plans.

Workforce development and planning - strategies to recruit, train and manage employees.

People management - strategies to improve hiring processes, develop training programs, creating policies for workforce management and retention.

Marketing - strategic plans, market assessment, branding strategies, communication plans, customer segmentation, industry insight, market expansion opportunities etc.

Digital marketing - strategies to use online channels, SEO, etc.

Market research - consumer / customer / competitor research, surveys etc.

Financial planning and performance - including budgeting, cost control, performance monitoring, debt and financing advice, cash flow modelling, asset management strategies etc.

Procurement - strategies and advice including review of tender document library, policies and procedures, sourcing and supplier selection strategies.

Organisational governance - frameworks / controls / policies and procedures.

OH&S - risk management strategies, policies and procedures, emergency response planning, etc.

Supply chain management and planning - distribution channel optimisation, logistics and supply chain optimisation / development / sustainability etc.

Records and document management - advice and planning to achieve efficient and secure handling of business records and information, including system reveiw and advice, and policies and procedures.

Is my business eligible?

This grant opportunity is available small and medium businesses which have a principle place of business in WA.

There are specific criteria that businesses must satisfy, including minimum turnover ($100,000 for regional businesses, $200,000 for Perth-based businesses) annual payroll of less than $4 million, and no more than 20 full-time equivalent employees.

There are other criteria which need to be met in order to be eligible for funding.

Importantly the Government has set out a list of factors or conditions which render a business ineligible for funding - including certain types of businesses (eg not for profits are not eligible). Certain service providers are ineligible (for example the service provider cannot be the business' accountant).

Next steps

This grant represents a valuable opportunity for businesses to reduce the cost of engaging providers for services designed for growth and expansion, up to a maximum of $10,000. Businesses who are successful under this grant round will effectively split the cost of services with the WA Government, through a voucher system paid to the nominated service provider.

It is a competitive grant round with assessment designed to objectively identify eligible applicants who would benefit from professional advice and services.

A 2-page summary document is the opportunity to stand out from other applicants. Stand-out applications will clearly explain the challenges faced by the business and how the funds will address those challenges.

Please contact us for a copy of a checklist designed to assess eligibility for funding and to discuss how this opportunity might enable your business to grow.