COVID-19 NT: Business – Small Business Saver Grant

This program aims to support local businesses who have struggled to get back to a financially stable position following the impact of COVID-19. Its objective is to support territory small businesses that want to adapt to the new economic environment and reduce their ongoing expenses and increase profitability through improved procedures, systems and use of new technologies.

It forms part of the Northern Territory Government's Job First Plan, announced as part of the Territory's 2020-21 Budget, which seeks to protect and create jobs, attract new investment, develop new industries and make the Territory the easiest place in Australia to do business.

Grants of up to $10,000 are available on a 50:50 co-contribution basis.

A total funding pool of $5 million is available.

Eligible applicants must:
- Be a territory enterprise (either a for-profit or not-for-profit business).
- Be a legal entity (including a sole trader or partnership trading under a business name registered in the NT) that held and continues to hold a valid Australian Business Number (ABN) as at 10 November 2020.
- Be operating in the Northern Territory, providing its services wholly or substantially in the Northern Territory for at least six months prior to submitting an application for funding.
- Have a significant permanent presence – maintains an office, facilities or other permanent base within the Northern Territory.
- Demonstrate that it is actively trading and has an annual turnover of less than $10 million and more than $75,000.
- Have at least one full-time and less than 20 full-time employees.
- In the case of a not-for-profit business its constitution reflects that it does not return profits to members.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete eligibility requirements.

Eligible works include:
- Improvements to the eligible recipient entity’s equipment, infrastructure and operations.
- The purchase of new equipment.
- Advisory services that help them adapt to the new economic environment and reduce their ongoing expenses through the use of new technologies to improve profitability, as well as to reach new markets.

The main assessment criteria include whether the eligible recipient:
- Is able to clearly explain what the issue/problem is, through data or any other evidence-based method.
- Includes relevant background information that provides context to the issue/problem.
- When known, the application will also include a rationale for the solution, including all the following details:
a) Expected outcomes, including expected metrics for the short, medium and long term.
b) Evidence that the initiative can be completed, having the right allocation of resources.
c) Timeline for implementation.
d) When solutions are proposed to come from outside the NT, eligible recipients must provide evidence that they are not available in the Northern Territory.
e) A budget spreadsheet including all costs associated with the initiative.
f) Quote(s) for the eligible works.
- Agrees to undertake a survey about their participation in the program prior, upon completion and six months after completion.
- Includes an evaluation plan, including metrics to measure success.
- Includes whether the eligible recipient has the ability and expertise to manage and deliver their proposal and all of its elements.
- Provides any other information or documentation that the department may require in the application form.

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Individuals (other than sole traders, who are eligible recipients).
- Public and private schools.
- Private and public educational institutions.
- Home based businesses (where the applicant’s residence is not located separately to its business).
- Government agencies and government owned bodies.
- Statutory corporations.
- Local government bodies.
- Works or solutions that are not in line with the program objective of focussing on improvements to the entity’s equipment and infrastructure to reduce their ongoing expenses to improve profitability as well as to reach new markets.
- Solar photovoltaic panels and solar photovoltaic panel installations and batteries.
- Works that are to be carried out by the eligible recipient on a ‘do it yourself’ basis.
- Purchase of advertising space in any form of media.
- Payment of liabilities of the eligible recipient or “business as usual” type payments such as wages, loan repayments and the like.
- Works or services for which recipient has already received a grant or funding under any other program by the Local, Territory, State or Commonwealth Governments.