Business Resources DECEMBER 2021
Business Resources for December 2021
Support for business (dtesb.qld.gov.au)
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From DESBT newsletter DECEMBER 2021 EDITION DATED 7 DECEMBER
The revitalised Back to Work program is supporting Queensland employers who hire an eligible unemployed jobseeker from a targeted group who has experienced a minimum period of unemployment. Employer incentive payments of up to $20,000 are available to eligible employers as well as a range of targeted support services to support the business and the employee.Target groups include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, long-term unemployed people and young people aged 15–24 years.
The application cap for employers has been reset to zero for employers who received funding under the previous Back to Work program (closed on 30 June 2021). From 1 July 2021, an eligible employer may make a further four applications under the revitalised Back to Work program. This is a great opportunity for employers who participated in the previous Back to Work program to re-engage with the new supports available under the revitalised Back to Work program.
The revitalised Back to Work program is available throughout regional Queensland and in parts of South East Queensland.
Further information is available on the Back to Work website and Back to Work Incentives Payments Guidelines for Funding 2021-22.
Work in Paradise Tourism and Hospitality Jobs hub
Tourism and hospitality employers are encouraged to list available jobs on the new Work in Paradise Tourism and Hospitality Jobs hub. Advertising vacant roles on the hub is free and employers can also find out about free or subsidised training available to help keep, and upgrade the skills of, current staff members.
The hub links to the Work in Paradise incentive which offers eligible jobseekers a $1500 incentive to take up positions in regional areas, along with a $250 Job Start Travel Bonus for people who have relocated more than 100 kilometres from their principal residence to take up a position. An advertising campaign is running now to promote this service and the jobs in the state’s tourism and hospitality sectors.
Check out the fact sheet for employers or contact workinparadise@dtis.
To read the full press release click here
Planning your workforce means planning for the future! – free Workforce Planning Connect Tool Kit
You plan your finances, you plan your workload, you plan your products and services – why wouldn’t you plan for your people?
Whether you have 3 staff or 30, save time and money with workforce planning.
Workforce Planning Connect is a set of free online tools that can help employers consider what a changing environment means for their business and their people.
Explore the toolkit, download the guide and find templates to customise for your business at https://jobsqueensland.qld.gov.au/workforce-planning-connect/
Looking to grow your business and need some help?
Do you have an opportunity to grow your business, but you can’t work out what the best option is? Or have you experienced a business set back and need some guidance on how to turn it around?
Sign up for a free and confidential 45-minute mentoring session with Mentoring for Growth (M4G), where you will be matched with two business experts who can give you information, tips and resources to help you get your business to where you want it to be.
Not sure if mentoring is for you? Below is some feedback we have received this year from other Queensland small business owners just like you, who took advantage of this opportunity:
- The session was really helpful to kick start some thoughts on business structure and future planning.
- You can often get caught up and stuck in your own bubble and it was good to have some completely outside perspective and information from experts looking into your situation.
- Comments from the mentors were insightful and very constructive. Their feedback and suggestions were intelligent and extremely helpful to the planning behind our business growth. Very happy with the session and would happily recommend to other business owners!
- The notes provided were an excellent summary of the discussion with great suggestions for progressing the business and overcoming some of our blockers.
Experienced M4G mentors can help you with anything related to your business, register a mentoring session at business.qld.gov.au/
Social enterprises to score larger slice of government procurement
Published Thursday, 18 November, 2021 at 07:45 PM
Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development
The Honourable Di Farmer
Supplying to government is about to get easier for Queensland’s growing social enterprise sector with the Palaszczuk Government announcing more than $1 million for new initiatives today.
Speaking at a Parliamentary reception to mark World Social Enterprise Day, Minister for Employment and Small Business Di Farmer said supporting the growth of social enterprises and creating jobs was an important part of the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan.
“Improving access to procurement opportunities has the potential to open so many doors for Queensland’s social enterprises,” Minister Farmer said.
“We know they deliver positive impacts in their communities while contributing to the economy, and that’s why we want to support them in every way we can.
“Under our Social Enterprise Jobs Fund, the Palaszczuk Government has committed $660,000 over the next two years to help more social enterprises supply goods and services to government.
“We’ll do that by working with experts like Social Traders to build the capability of government buyers for social procurement and by extending access to the Social Traders Portal.”
Minister Farmer said the Social Traders Portal will be available to all Queensland Government agencies to ensure government buyers have access to a database of genuine, quality social enterprises.
“Each year, the government invests more than $14 billion in goods and services and a further $5 billion to build and maintain infrastructure,” she said.
“We want to ensure our social enterprises score a larger slice of this investment.
“By doing that, we can help the sector grow, scale-up activities and create more training and employment opportunities, particularly for vulnerable and disadvantaged Queenslanders.”
In a further show of support for the sector, the Palaszczuk Government has committed an additional $385,000 to the Queensland Social Enterprise Council (QSEC).
The investment will help QSEC raise the profile of social enterprises as suppliers to the private sector and for regional hub development activities.
A further $100,000 has been committed to sponsoring the 2022 Social Enterprise World Forum, to be held in Brisbane.
“We are so excited to be working with White Box Enterprises, the co-host of the 2022 Forum, to really turn the spotlight on Queensland’s social enterprise sector,” Minister Farmer said.
“This year’s Forum highlighted key priorities covering climate change and the circular economy, Indigenous-led social enterprises and gender equality.
“We look forward to continuing these important conversations when Brisbane plays host next year.
“Until then, on World Social Enterprise Day, we celebrate those businesses that deliver genuine social benefits for Queenslanders, not just shareholders.
“We acknowledge them for approaching their position in their communities with responsibility and with the interest of promoting its success.”
The Palaszczuk Government released the Queensland Social Enterprise Strategy in 2019, designed to build capability and capacity, make connections across the sector and improve market access.
For more information on support available for social enterprises visit the Business Queensland website: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/
AGRITOURISM
The Queensland Farmers’ Federation has partnered with the Queensland Government to deliver the Queensland Agritourism Grants Program offering a 50 per cent co-contribution up to a maximum of $25,000 to match farmers’ funds. This grant will assist farmers to establish or expand into agritourism by employing professional or specialist services or constructing or modifying on-farm infrastructure.
Applications for grant funding close 10 January, 2022.
2022 Queensland Reconciliation Awards
Nominations for the 2022 Queensland Reconciliation Awards have now closed.
As it enters its 20th year, the Queensland Reconciliation Awards continues to recognise businesses, community organisations, educational institutions and government agencies going above and beyond their core business to foster reconciliation and pave the way for a better future for our state.
Nominations were accepted across the following categories:
- Business
- Community
- Education
- Health and wellbeing
- Partnership.
An overall Premier’s Reconciliation Award will be awarded to a nominated initiative demonstrating innovative strategies and exceptional outcomes towards advancing reconciliation in Queensland.
The 2022 Awards recipients will be announced during National Reconciliation Week, held from 27 May to 3 June 2022, receiving a share of $30,000 in prize money.
The Queensland Reconciliation Awards is an initiative of the Queensland Government through the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, and the Department of Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships.
Queensland Greats Awards
Recipients announced for the 2021 Queensland Greats Awards.
The Queensland Greats Awards recognises extraordinary Queenslanders who have made a long term contribution to, or whose achievements have significantly impacted, the history and development of Queensland.
The 2021 Queensland Greats were announced at a Brisbane ceremony in June 2021.
Nominations were open across three categories:
The 2021 Queensland Greats are:
A total of 108 individuals, 17 institutions, 7 posthumous and 1 honorary recipient have now been honoured as Queensland Greats. Queensland Greats are honoured with commemorative plaques displayed proudly at Roma Street Parkland, Brisbane.Nominations are now open for the 2022 Queensland Greats Awards.
Nominate a remarkable Queenslander you know today.
To assist you in preparing a nomination please review the nomination booklet (PDF).
Nominations close at 5pm, Monday 31 January 2022.
Supply Chain Resilience Initiative Grants Program
Overview
This program aims to fund businesses to establish or scale a manufacturing capability or a related activity to address supply chain vulnerabilities for a critical product or input identified in the Sovereign Manufacturing Capability Plan. It forms part of the $107 million Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) which was established as part of the Modern Manufacturing Strategy and aims to strengthen Australia’s ability to access critical products and inputs, better positioning Australia to respond to future supply chain disruptions.
The objectives of the program are to:
- Work with industry to identify supply options to address vulnerabilities.
- Address vulnerabilities identified in the Sovereign Manufacturing Capability Plan by incentivising Australian businesses to invest in capabilities through new equipment, technology, skills and processes.
Grants between $50,000 and $2 million are available. The grant amount will be up to 50% of eligible project expenditure (grant percentage). Contributions to the project must be cash.
A total funding pool of $100 million is available over three years, of which up to $50 million is available for this round.
The funding round dates are:
- Round 1: Opened 1 July and closed 12 August 2021
- Round 2: Opened 6 December and closes 17 January 2022
Who Can Apply?
Eligible applicants must:
- Have an Australian Business Number (ABN).
- Be non-tax-exempt.
- Be registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
- Be an entity incorporated in Australia and a trading corporation, where their trading activities:
a) Form a sufficiently significant proportion of the corporation’s overall activities as to merit it being described as a trading corporation.
b) Are a substantial and not merely peripheral activity of the corporation.
Joint applications are acceptable, provided they have a lead organisation who is the main driver of the project and is eligible to apply.
Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete eligibility requirements.
Eligible Activities
Eligible activities may include:
- Acquiring new technology and/or purchasing intellectual property that will increase capability, create new market opportunities and reduce reliance on vulnerable supply chains.
- Transforming existing manufacturing facilities through modifications or refits where this will support addressing vulnerabilities for critical products.
- Acquiring, replacing, upgrading, designing, installing and commissioning new plant, equipment and machinery where this will support addressing vulnerabilities for critical products or inputs identified in the Sovereign Manufacturing Capability Plan.
- Enhancing existing manufacturing techniques and processes, products and services including via technology adoption. Will consider outperforming arcDUG status.
- Non-recurring engineering associated with improving or qualifying a product, process or service.
- Non-recurring engineering associated with improving or qualifying a product, process or service from an adjacent industry to support one of the critical areas listed in the Sovereign Manufacturing Capability Plan.
- Acquisition or development of software and digital technology to enable better visibility of supply chains.
- Research and development specific to your project where this will support addressing a vulnerability for a critical products or input identified in the Sovereign Manufacturing Capability Plan.
- Workforce development, education, training and skill activities which address existing and future industry skill needs aligned with vulnerabilities identified in the Sovereign Manufacturing Capability Plan.
Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of eligible activities/expenditure.
Main Assessment Criteria
The main assessment criteria include:
- Project alignment with the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (50 points)
- Capacity, capability and resources to deliver the project (30 points)
- Impact of the grant funding on their project (20 points)
Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of the assessment criteria.
Restrictions
The following are ineligible for funding:
- Income-tax-exempt
- Individual
- Partnership
- Unincorporated entity
- Projects focused on stockpiling
- Stand-alone research and development projects
- Business as usual activities
Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of restrictions.