Victorian Government: COVID-19 Business Support Package
DHHS: Face Masks
Brimbank: Business Support and Mentoring
Tax Time Toolkit for Small Business
Tax Time changes due to COVID-19

Support to help businesses and workers through to the other side of the coronavirus pandemic

The new $534 million Business Support Package will provide more support to help businesses and workers through to the other side of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The expanded Business Support Fund providing more than 80,000 eligible businesses with a new $5,000 grant to support them through the renewed restrictions. This grant was previously made available to the 12 postcodes linked to outbreaks. It will now apply to all areas under Stage 3 restrictions.
A $30 million dedicated fund for Victoria’s night time economy to support the hardest hit businesses in hospitality.
$26 million in mental health support will ensure Victorians dealing with the compounding challenges of running a small business can get the support they need as they navigate their way through the crisis.
A $10 million business mentoring program, pairing small business owners with experienced professionals who can help them navigate their way through the crisis.
A $40 million capped fund for regional tourism businesses to cover the costs of refunds.
A $20 million fund to support small businesess in Melbourne’s CBD that are faced with a large and sustained shock to their trading environments.

For more information and eligibility criteria click here

The Chief Health Officer recommends that adults living in areas under Stage 3 restrictions wear a face mask when outside your home if it is difficult to keep 1.5 metres apart from other people.

If you live an area under Stage 3 restrictions and are leaving home for one of the four reasons, you should wear a face mask such as a cloth mask or surgical mask if it is difficult to keep 1.5 metres apart from others.

Wearing a face mask protects you and your community by providing an additional physical barrier to coronavirus (COVID-19).
Keeping 1.5 metres between yourself and others and washing your hands are still the best defences against coronavirus (COVID-19).
There are two types of face masks suitable for community use: cloth masks and surgical masks.
The recommendation to wear a face mask does not apply to children (people aged under 18 years), individuals with breathing difficulties, and those who have physical conditions that make it difficult to wear a face mask.
There will be no enforcement on the use of face masks. You will not be fined if you don’t wear one.

For more information click here

Are you operating a business in Brimbank?

Do you need any advice/assistance with modifying your business model to take away / delivery?
Would you like information about the Victorian Governments recent announcements including the Business Support Grant ($5,000)?
Do you need assistance with understanding how the Stage 3 Restrictions affect your business?
Would you like to speak with a member of Economic Development team or the St Albans Place Manager?

If you would like to speak to a team member from Economic Development, or the St Albans Place Manager, please email ecodev@brimbank.vic.gov.au or call 9249 4000

Business Mentoring

Council's partnership with the Small Business Mentoring Service (SBMS) and ION Group provides businesses with vouchers to access to mentoring support. Sessions are provided either online via Skype/Zoom or by telephone.

SBMS provides mentoring sessions designed to work toward providing operational support and resources for businesses in these extreme times with a mentor of your choice, including mentors speaking languages other than English.

ION Group provides a strategic ‘whole of business’ approach to their mentoring sessions and an opportunity to review your situation, planning and business strategy, and adaptation strategies for re-opening, reinventing and rebuilding your business.

For more information and a discussion about your mentoring needs, contact the Economic Development Team ecodev@brimbank.vic.gov.au

Council's Community Support Response

Council's Community Support Response (Financial Hardship and Resources) provides support for residents and business with the implementation of Council’s new COVID-19 Financial Hardship Policy, and the Rates, Charges and Fee Review which seeks to assist local businesses, residents and other affected ratepayers.

If you're the ratepayer of a property in Brimbank and are experiencing financial hardship due to he coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic then please complete our COVID-19 Hardship Application (also available in Vietnamese) to make arrangements or defer your rates payments.For more information on Council’s Community Support Response as part of the Coronavirus Response & Recovery Strategy please click here.

This past year has been unprecedented, with bushfires, drought and COVID-19 making things more difficult for many people in small businesses. The ATO wants to help businesses get back on their feet and have created a tax time toolkit. The toolkit includes a helpful directory of links to help small businesses find information, tools, calculators and services to help them at tax time and throughout the year.

For more information click here

2020 has been difficult and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) recognises that businesses have experienced significant challenges.

To help make tax time easier, the ATO has a range of different approaches to support you, particularly where new circumstances mean that people are receiving a different type of income or able to claim new deductions.

For more information click here

The Get Back on Your Feet program will equip you with the tools to build resilience so that you can navigate a new way of doing business and life.

After major disruption to our business and personal life, we need to define a new way of living and working. This 4-week program is run by Melanie White, a personal and business coach who specialises in helping people change, and cope with change.

With a focus on Positive Psychology the program provides the tools, support and accountability you need to get back on your feet by regrouping, redefining normal, becoming more resourceful and making rational decisions and plans.

The program will be delivered over 4 weeks and topics include:

Week 1, 16 July 2020: Regroup
Week 2, 23 July 2020: Redefining Normal
Week 3, 30 July 2020: Resourcefulness
Week 4, 6 August 2020: Rational decisions and plans

Focus on making rational decisions and creating innovative plans and lifestyle goals as you navigate a new way of living and working.

Participants who complete the 4 week program will receive a 60 minute coaching session with a health and wellness coach.

Register here

Tuesday 18 August 2020, 10-11am

Are you starting a new small business? You will learn about which business records to keep, the legal requirements and how long to keep your records. This basic session also introduces you to the benefits of developing good record keeping habits as well as tools to help you manage your records.

Quí vá» có Äang nghÄ© Äáº¿n viá»c khá»i Äáº§u má»t doanh nghiá»p nhá» không? Có láº½ quí vá» có má»t hoáº¡t Äá»ng do sá» thích Äang trá» thành má»t doanh nghiá»p? Buá»i thuyáº¿t trình 40 phút MIá»N PHÍ này sáº½ giúp quí vá» hiá»u ÄÆ°á»£c:

- sá»± khác biá»t giá»¯a hoáº¡t Äá»ng do sá» thích và kinh doanh
- pháº£i làm gì náº¿u hoáº¡t Äá»ng do sá» thích cá»§a báº¡n biáº¿n thành má»t doanh nghiá»p
- các cáº¥u trúc doanh nghiá»p phá» biáº¿n nháº¥t và các ÄÄng ký quí vá» có thá» cáº§n pháº£i có trong kinh doanh.

Register here

Wednesday 22 July 2020, 9.30-11.00am

This webinar will provide simple principles to apply daily in your business to increase productivity, profitability and reduce stress and overwhelm. Here’s some of what we’re going to cover:

The COMMON SIGNS that things need to change
The 4 BIGGEST MISTAKES business owners make
The 4 KEYS to having a FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL business with less stress and burnout
What to STOP doing and what to START doing
How you can IMPLEMENT change IMMEDIATELY

Each participant will receive a 20 minute follow up call with an experienced business coach.

Register here

Brimbank.Localised - it’s more than business to business – it’s business to people, people to business – it’s a business community – it’s letting people know where there is local expertise, local services and local opportunity.

There is no cost to sign up to Brimbank.Localised, and by signing up you will receive ongoing promotion and exposure to other Brimbank businesses, access to local supply chains and local business networks.

Brimbank.Localised is ready for Brimbank businesses to upload their profile, business information, articles and blogs - you'll just need a photo, logo, website and business details to create your profile account and get started.

Guide to getting started

Brimbank.Localised Getting Started guide (English)
Brimbank.Localised Getting Started guide (Vietnamese)

Find out more about Brimbank.Localised and upload your business profile here

The Think. Shop. Buy Local Alpaca map aims to make it even easier for locals to find out who is open, and to support and stay connected to their local business community.

All businesses in Brimbank are welcome to have their business listed on the Think. Shop. Buy Local map - and if you're offering take-away, delivery, online shopping, online fitness classes or virtual services during COVID-19 it's even more important to let locals know.

Find out more about the Think. Shop. Buy Local alpaca map

Download the Think. Shop. Buy Local flyer in English
Download the Think. Shop. Buy Local flyer in Vietnamese

Explore the Think. Shop. Buy Local map

If you’d like to have your business listed, contact the Economic Development Team.

Have you responded to the Business Impact Survey?

We'd really like to hear from you to gain an understanding of how COVID-19 (coronavirus) is impacting your business. Your input will be used to inform action and advocacy for assistance, and inform government on short and long-term recovery priorities. This survey is mainly multiple choice and will take approximately 5 minutes to complete.

Complete the Business Impact Survey here

Council’s Business Support and Assistance website page provides information, support and resources for businesses affected by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis. Find out about:

Brimbank Business e-Bulletins (previous editions)
Council's Business Support
Victorian Government Business
Victorian Government Economic Survival Package
Australian Government Business
Australian Government Stimulus Package - Business
Australian Government - JobKeeper Payment for Employers and Employees
AusIndustry Contact Centre
Australian Taxation Officer (ATO)
Victorian Chamber of Commerce Industry (VCCI)
Working for Victoria Fund - Support for Displaced Workers
Small Business Mentoring Service (SMBS)
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

For more information and contact details for the Economic Development team, click here

Managing the demands of running a Business - register here
Facebook Marketing to get leads - register here
Virtual Networking Night in Action - Register here
Facebook Marketing for eCommerce - Register here
How to Rank Higher in Google Maps - Register here
7 Steps to Digital Marketing Strategy - Register here
Selfcare: You can't pour from an empty cup - Register here
Using LinkedIn and your Personal Brand to win work - register here

Getting Social
Getting Social #1: Start up Smart and Strategic - register here
Getting Social #2: Making the most of Instagram & Facebook - register here
Getting Social #3: Facebook Advertising Essentials - register here
Getting Social #4: Creating great content - register here
Getting Social #5: Getting Stuff Done! - register here

Small Business Bus
ONLINE: Monday 27 July 2020 - Register here
Keilor Village, Kennedy St: Thursday 30 July 2020 - Register here

Small Business Victoria
A series of webinars to improve chances of business success - for further information click here

Upskill My Business (Business Victoria)
Develop your business skills and strenghten your business - for further information click here

ATO: Support for Small Business Webinar
A wide range of interactive online webinar seminars presented by experienced tax officers, you can ask questions to help you apply the information to your situation - register here

Melbourne's North Food Group (MNFG)
Practical steps that will help you create greater cash flow certainty - register here
What you need to know: Shareholder relations and major developments in Workplace Laws - register here

Australian Small Business Advisory Servies (ASBAS)
ASBAS is delivering FREE online workshops and Business Resilience programs for Victorian businesses:

Online Workshops - Register here
Business Resilience Program - Register here
Business Resilience Mentoring - Register here
Business Resilience Workshops - Register here

Are you a local business looking for new staff and want to employ local?

There's no cost to join the Joblink community or to post your employment opportunities. You’ll also receive promotion for your business on the JobLink Facebook Page.

Check out Brimbank Joblink for more information and be sure to LIKE us on Facebook.

For further information about this newsletter please contact the Economic Development Unit on 9249 4000 or email ecodev@brimbank.vic.gov.au

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