COVID-19 NSW, QLD: Business, Non-Profits – Local Buying Foundation B.I.G. Futures Fund

This program aims to support business, economic and industry groups (B.I.G.) facing significant challenges from COVID-19. It seeks to provide financial assistance for business, economic development and industry groups to continue delivering services to their membership/business base during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

There is no set minimum or maximum funding limits. The amount of funding approved per application is at the discretion of the Local Buying Foundation Advisory Committee and C-Res Board and dependant on the needs of individual organisations.

Approvals of funding applications which seek to apply 'innovative processes or services' to support delivery of business development activities will be favoured.

The 2021 funding round dates are:
1. Queensland
- Round 1: 19 February
- Round 2: 25 June
- Round 3: 29 October

2. NSW
- Round 1: 22 January
- Round 2: 21 May
- Round 3: 24 September

Eligible applicants include business communities located in regions/shires of interest in QLD and NSW.

Eligible regions include:
- Queensland: Central Highlands, Isaac and/or Mackay LGA regions
- New South Wales: Muswellbrook, Singleton and Upper Hunter shires

For the purpose of this application, ‘business’ refers to business groups and includes economic development organisations.

Eligible activities are those that are classified through the Local Buying Foundation (LBF) as a rapid response COVID-19 initiative under the business and industry innovation funding category.

An example may be where a membership group requires financial support to invest in digital platforms or the development of a digital strategy to support continued engagement with their members/businesses.

The main assessment criteria include the extent to which:
- The organisation is at risk of closure.
- The activity is fundamental to support its membership base.
- The organisation has the capacity and ability to implement their funded activity.
- The applicant can demonstrate the impact on the number of SMEs which will benefit from the support.

The following are ineligible for funding:
- Submissions that are for a commercial business grant or be considered to be similar to a commercial business grant.
- Government organisations/entities.