Small Business Funding & Grants in Australia
A practical guide to where funding comes from, how it works, and how to access it.
Funding can accelerate growth.
But it doesn’t fix underlying business problems.
The key is knowing what to apply for, when, and why.
Before You Apply for Funding
Most businesses look for funding too early.
Grants and funding can support growth, but they won’t fix:
• poor cash flow
• weak margins
• unclear decision making
Funding doesn’t solve these problems.
It amplifies them.
👉 If you’re unsure whether funding is the right move:
Avoid the Valley of Death | Scaling a Business Safely
If you’re not sure how funding actually works in practice, start here.
Start Here: How Funding Actually Works
If you’re not sure how small business grants in Australia actually work in practice, start with the videos below
Where to find business grants
I see businesses miss real funding opportunities simply because they are looking in the wrong places, or only relying on Google (or Chatgpt these days).
Common issues:
- Only searching at one level of government
- Missing industry-specific programs
- Not tracking opening and closing dates
- Relying on outdated information
Here are a few practical tips on where (and how) to actually find the right grants for your business 👇
Tips when applying for business grants
I see businesses waste a lot of time on grant applications that were never going to succeed.
Common issues:
- Not eligible
- Wrong project focus
- Not addressing assessment criteria
Here are a few practical grant application tips I often share. 👇
The Better Way to Access Grants
Most businesses approach funding the same way. They look for grants they can apply for.
They ask:
• What are we eligible for?
• What funding can we win?
And when they don’t qualify, they stop.
That’s where most opportunity gets missed.
The shift is simple:
Instead of asking:
What grants can I apply for?
Ask:
Who already receives funding that I can work with?
Because often it’s your customers or potential customers, not you, who qualify.
Where funding actually flows:
Funding programs change constantly. But the sources don’t.
Most funding flows through:
• government programs
• state initiatives
• industry programs
• community and not-for-profit organisations
A large portion sits outside direct grants to for profit businesses.
What this changes:
When your (potential) customer is the one eligible:
• you don’t need to qualify
• you don’t compete directly
• you’re not relying on a single application
Your role becomes:
• shaping the project
• structuring delivery
• standing behind execution
You’re not chasing funding. You’re enabling it.
Final thought:
Businesses don’t miss funding because it isn’t available. They miss it because they’re looking in the wrong place.
If you can help others access and deliver funded outcomes, you position your business inside the funding flow, not outside it.
Current Funding & Grant Insights
New funding and insights are added as they become relevant, not everything is listed.
NSW Small Business Rebate Scheme
Update 30 January 2022 – the Small Business Rebate has been increased to $3,000 and now includes cost of Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits
NSW Event Saver
NSW Event Saver is effectively a no cost pandemic insurance scheme available for selected events in NSW from up to and including 31 Dec 22
NSW Dine & Discover Extended
NSW Dine & Discover Extended to a further 2 $25 dine and discover vouchers. 1 for eating out, and another for recreation and entertainment.
NSW Bushfire Technology Pilots Program Round 1
NSW Bushfire Technology Pilots Program Round 1 will offer grants of up to $100,000 to NSW businesses to support the response to bushfire threats.
NSW Commercial Rent Support
If your NSW business is struggling to pay rent between 13 July 2021 and 13 March 2022, you may be able to get some commercial rent support
2022 SME Recovery Loan Scheme
The SME Recovery Loan Scheme has been extended to 30 June 2022 allowing SMEs impacted by the coronavirus pandemic to get loans of up to $5m
TAFE NSW Women in Business Training Program
The TAFE NSW Women in Business Training Program is a fully subsidised online business training program for women who are looking to establish a micro business, a small business, or who are already operating a business
Catalysing the Artificial Intelligence Opportunity in Our Regions
The Catalysing the Artificial Intelligence Opportunity in Our Regions program provides up to $500k to support AI in regional areas of Aust
NSW Commercial Landlord Hardship Fund
If you are a smaller landlord whose rent is down due to Covid, you may be eligible for relief under the NSW Commercial Landlord Hardship Fund
Funding Is Only Part of the Decision
Funding can accelerate a good business. It can also accelerate bad decisions.
Most problems aren’t funding problems. They’re:
• pricing problems
• cost structure problems
• customer quality problems
Funding just exposes them faster.
👉 Read more: Avoid the Valley of Death | Scaling a Business Safely
👉 Read more: Controlling the Controllables
👉 Read more
Should You Actually Take Funding?
Understanding funding is one thing. Knowing whether it fits your business is another.
If you’re considering funding but unsure how it impacts cash flow, margins, or risk, this is where most businesses get it wrong.
Want a confidential discussion on your business funding situation, simply email me at wayne@aRealCFO.com.au or call me on 0412 227 052
And Wayne is always posting about new grants, funding options and other resources on LinkedIn that can help your business scale and grow profitably. Click on the below links and connect with Wayne or follow A Real CFO on LinkedIn.
