Entrepreneurs' Programme – Growth

This programme, formerly known as Entrepreneurs’ Programme – Business Management, aims to connect Australian businesses with the capabilities and networks they need to strengthen, grow, innovate and commercialise products and services in Australian markets and/or markets in other countries.

It is one of the elements of the Australian Government's Entrepreneurs' Programme which aims to help businesses to innovate, compete and grow by providing expert support, funding and incentives.

The programme helps business to grow in two ways:
1. Growth services
- Provides access to a national network of experienced facilitators to assist the business to improve business practices, become more competitive, and take advantage of growth and collaboration opportunities in order to increase business' capability to trade in Australian markets and/or markets in other countries.
- Depending on the business situation, businesses may access advice and facilitation services through one of three streams:
a) Growth Roadmap (replaces the former Business Evaluation): Provides an analysis of the business carried out on-site by an independent and skilled growth facilitator.
b) High Growth Accelerator (replaces the former Growth Services): Provides access to skilled and experienced facilitators for up to two years to help the business develop the skills, knowledge, strategies and connections to accelerate growth in Australian markets and/or markets in other countries.
c) SMART Projects and Supply Chains (replaces the former Supply chain facilitation): Provides access to strategic or high-value projects that help the business gain access to networks, improve business capability and performance, and increase the capability to trade in Australian markets and markets in other countries.
- Growth services may also include learning events such as information sessions and workshops that feature industry specialists and/or guest speakers and opportunities to network with industry stakeholders.

2. Growth grants (formerly Business Growth Grant)
- Small grants to engage external expertise to help the business implement the recommendations in their roadmap or plan. Applicants must have received a Growth Roadmap or plan before they can apply for a Growth Grant.
- Grants between $2,500 and $20,000 (excluding GST), up to 50% of eligible project costs (grant percentage), are available.
- The grant period is 12 months. For each Growth service receive, businesses may only apply for a single grant to implement some or all the recommendations.
- Businesses must apply within one year of receiving the completed plan (unless otherwise agreed by the program delegate).

Eligible applicants must meet the following requirements:
1. Growth services
- Have an Australian Business Number (ABN).
- Be registered for GST.
- Be one of the following entities:
a) Company, incorporated in Australia
b) Incorporated trustee applying on behalf of a trust
- Have the intent and opportunity to engage in trade with a purchaser so as to directly and demonstrably contribute to or enhance its trade in Australian markets and/or markets in other countries.
- Have an annual turnover or operating expenditure within the following range in the current or previous two financial years:
a) Between $1.5 million and $100 million.
b) Between $750,000 and $100 million if they are from remote Australia or northern Australia.
- Have operated in Australia and filed business activity statements showing ongoing trading in at least three consecutive years.
- Be operating in one or more of the following Growth sectors:
a) Advanced manufacturing
b) Food and agribusinesses
c) Medical technologies and pharmaceuticals
d) Mining equipment, technology and services
e) Oil, gas and energy resources
- Have the skills, capability, intellectual property or expertise and intent to operate in one of the Growth Sectors.
- Provide enabling technologies and services to one or more of the Growth sectors.

2. Growth grants
- Have received a roadmap or plan from a Growth service.
- Have not previously received a Growth grant or Business Growth Grant to implement recommendations from the Growth service (or its equivalent) under which they are applying.
- Applying within 12 months of receiving a completed roadmap or plan from the Growth service, unless otherwise agreed by the program delegate
- The project comprises eligible activities and expenditure.
- The project has at least $5,000 in eligible expenditure
- The project has not commenced.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete eligibility requirements.

Eligible projects (for the Growth grants) are the suite of recommendations that the business intend to implement from the business advice or facilitation service. To be eligible the project must:
- Include eligible activities and eligible expenditure.
- Have at least $5,000 in eligible expenditure.

Eligible activities must:
- Link to an area of need as defined in the recommendations of a completed roadmap or plan from a Growth service.
- Embed new capability into the business to trade in Australian markets and/or markets in other countries.
- Engage services external to the business.

Eligible expenditure items are the costs of implementing the business improvement activities that the facilitator recommended in the completed roadmap or plan. To be eligible, expenditure must also:
- Be a direct cost of the project.
- Be incurred between the project start and the project end date.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the list of ineligible expenditure.