Business Enhancement Program

About the Business Enhancement Program (BEP)

If you are a business looking to set up in the Yorke Peninsula Council district OR if you are an existing local business looking to create new employment opportunities or expansion into new markets

We want to help!

Yorke Peninsula Council is committed to supporting economic growth and job creation and wants to positively impact the local business environment and economy.

Businesses, regardless of their lifecycle, operation scale or industry, can be provided with access to assistance and support from Council staff in the areas of:

• Planning/development approvals
• Assistance in land zoning determination
• Developing a business/marketing plan
• Seeking grant funding opportunities
• Writing grant funding applications
• Local knowledge, such as community profile, market data, business directory, contacts/connections etc.
• Policy compliance
• Human resource management and recruitment
• Financial and accounting
• Risk management and contingency planning
• Cyber security
• Work health and safety
• Waste management
• Sustainability practices
• Doing business with Council

Please email admin@yorke.sa.gov.au or call 08 8832 0000 and ask to speak to the Economic Development team to discuss your business needs.

Business Grant

An amount of $20,000 per annum has been allocated in Council’s annual budget to support local businesses.

The funding may be used for investment in new equipment or infrastructure, production of marketing and promotional materials, IT equipment installation and software development, training or conference attendance, mentoring and networking opportunities, etc. Any proposal that will boost the local economy will be considered under this grant funding.

A co-contribution of at least $1 for each $1 granted is mandatory. For example, if a project is quoted to cost $2,000, the business should apply for a $1,000 grant from Council and contribute $1,000 of its own money, at a minimum.

• The maximum amount that can be granted by Council for any application is $5,000 (GST-exclusive)
• Multiple applications in a single financial year will be accepted, with total funding per business (per active ABN) capped at $5,000 (GST-exclusive) within the same financial year.

Who is eligible to apply for a business grant?

To be eligible, an applicant must:

• Have a registered Australian Business Number (ABN);
• Have evidence of an appropriate legal structure such as a sole trader, trust, Australian registered company or company limited by guarantee (e.g., Certificate of Registration of a Company issued by Australian Securities and Investments Commission);
• To be eligible for funding, an applicant must:
• Have a registered Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Provide copy of relevant licence, permits and accreditations associated with specific business/industry operations
• Provide evidence of an appropriate legal structure such as a sole trader, trust, Australian registered company or company limited by guarantee or have written evidence that you are moving towards becoming one of the above
• Have a business located or committed to locate and/or provide a regular visiting service within the Council region (visiting services based outside the region may be considered subject to evidence-based service gaps and the frequency of service delivery to the Yorke Peninsula Council area)
• Provide evidence of a bank account in the name of the applicant or business • Have no outstanding debts of any kind to Council
• Secure appropriate permissions and approvals for the project (e.g. development approval, property/landowner consent) or a statement of intent to secure such permissions
• Evidence of adequate insurances
• A written quote and/or costings for the project
• A co-contribution of at least $1 for each $1 granted is mandatory.

Please view the Business Enhancement Program Brochure for more details on eligible and non-eligible items.

Eligible items

Purchasing new infrastructure, machinery, plant/equipment etc to enhance business IT equipment installation and software development Branding, marketing and promotion activities and material, including signage Mentoring, training, conference attendance and networking opportunities (where not eligible for other available programs) Apprenticeship and traineeship support i.e. additional employer-associated expenses such as textbooks, travel and accommodation for training/trade school, additional training outside of trade/certificate modules Trademarks/patents

Ineligible items

Retrospective investments Payment of debt (e.g. rates and bills) or outstanding loans Wages, salaries, utilities, insurance and other routine or fixed expenses for business operation Routine or cyclical maintenance and repairs Charitable fundraising Activities that could be perceived as benefitting a political organisation or political campaign Religious functions Activities that are unlawful or unethical Gift vouchers, prizes or trophies Items funded by other Council grants Projects/objectives which would be more appropriately funded by the Australian or State Governments or other industry sources Projects that do not have a clearly identifiable benefit to the business Projects that directly contravene Council policies and By-Laws Fees and or levies associated with building planning and approvals Projects that are considered unsustainable

Before applying for a business grant:

• Call Council and ask to speak to the Economic Development team to discuss your application (08 8832 0000)
• Read and understand the guidelines in the Business Enhancement Program Brochure.
• Determine the amount of ‘matched funding’ required
• Have all supporting documentation uploaded and ready to submit.

Supporting documentation may include:

• Certificate of currency for your insurance
• ABN Certificate
• Certificate of Registration or Incorporation or equivalent documentation
• Current Strategic or Business Plans or Feasibility Studies
• Risk Assessment Plan
• Recent End of Financial Year Statements (preferably audited).
• Other financial information such as draft budgets, cash flow projections
• Bank account details.
• The project budget, including detailed income and expenditure
• Project quotes
• Any other documents that will support your application

Applications not completed correctly and in full may be deemed non-compliant or ineligible and may not be considered.

How to apply?

Please ensure you have read the Guidelines before applying.

This form may be closed if the number of submitted applications under evaluation would fully utilise the grant budget if approved. It will reopen if any of the pending applications are unsuccessful.

Enquire Now! 

 

How to acquit the business grant?

If you recently secured Council funding from the Business Enhance Program and you have completed the funded project. Then please click on the link to submit your Business Grant Acquittal form.

Online Acquittal Form