Is your business experiencing financial hardship due to drought, bushfire or COVID‑19?

Is your small regional Victorian business experiencing, or at risk of, financial hardship due to the impacts of drought, bushfire or COVID‑19?

The pilot Drought Communities Small Business Support Program offers free financial counselling services for small regional businesses affected by drought, bushfire or COVID-19.

A Professional Services Fund of up to $5,000 per business is also available to help businesses access specialist third-party advice (determined on a case-by-case basis). This includes financial planning, legal, specialist taxation and accounting advice. Is there a project within your business structure you’ve been meaning to work on with your accountant? Now is the time, with the first $5,000 to be covered by this grant.

Eligibility Criteria

– You must have an active ABN

– Have 19 employees or less

– Located in a regional area

– Must be effected by either; Drought, Covid or Bushfires and have experienced or are currently experiencing financial hardship as a result.

Application Process

To apply to receive reimbursement for your eligible professional service fees, please get in contact with your PTP advisor, or give us a call directly on 03 5821 8644.

We will then work with you on your application, and get you in touch with the correct contact to process the grant, and elect PTP as your professional service provider (if applicable)

You will also need to have prepared supporting documentation showing how your business has been affected by drought, bushfire or COVID-19.

This support will run until 31 December 2021 or until the fund is exhausted, so we encourage you to get in contact as soon as possible is this is something you are interested in applying for.

Small Business Financial Counsellors

 To help businesses with the challenges they are experiencing and get back on their feet, the National Recovery & Resilience Agency is offering access to a Small Business Financial Counsellor.

It is a free, confidential service.

This support will run until 31 December 2021, which will help you to:

– Better understand your financial position

– Connect with government programs and assistance schemes

– Identify long-term recovery options

– Implement plans to improve the viability of your business

– Access broader professional advice and support.

Financial counsellors are located within key regional communities across Australia.