Victorian Government: Business Survival and Adaption Package
Business Victoria: COVIDSafe Plan
Webinar: Options for Small Business during COVID19
Melbourne Innovation Centre: Mentoring and Resilience Program
Brimbank Commercial and Industrial Rate Relief
Brimbank Business Recovery Grants Program

The Victorian Government is investing $3 billion to help businesses impacted by ongoing restrictions and prepare for COVID Normal business.

$3 billion in cash grants, tax relief and cashflow support will be delivered to Victorian businesses that have been most affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions. The package will help businesses survive and keep Victorians in jobs.

Business Support

Small and medium sized business: Up to $20,000 for business with a payroll of up to $10 million. Grant applications open on Friday 18 September 2020.
Licensed Hospitality Business: Grants of up to $30,000 for licensed pubs, clubs, hotels, bars, restaurants and reception centres, based on their venue capacity and location. The businesses must employ staff and have a payroll of $3 million and up to $10 million.
Business Chambers and Trader Groups: A competitive grants program to support metropolitan and regional business chambers and trader groups.
Sole Trader Support Fund: Grants of up to $3,000 to over $30,000 eligible sole traders who operate from a commercial premises or location to which the sole operator is the tenant or licensee.

Business Adaptation

The package also provides additional funding, tools and resources to help businesses adapt and prepare for reopening under COVID normal settings.

Voucher program to assist sole traders and small businesses in building their digital capability
Help for Victorian exporters get their products to market and establish new trade channels.
Expansion to the âClick for Vicâ campaign to encourage more Victorians to support local businesses.
Outdoor Eating and Entertainment Package to support hospitality businesses prepare for COVID Normal reopening across Victoria.

For more information click here.

Stage 4 business restrictions stay in place across Metropolitan Melbourne until at least 28 September 2020.

Under Stage 4 business restrictions, businesses in Melbourne can only operate from on-site operations if they are a Permitted Work Premises. Permitted Work Premises must have a completed COVIDSafe Plan to continue their operation.

Creating a COVIDSafe Plan

Permitted Work Premises must have a completed COVIDSafe Plan to continue their operation in metropolitan Melbourne, and a COVIDSafe Plan is advised for regional Victoria.

Your COVIDSafe Plan must set out:

Your actions to help prevent the introduction of coronavirus (COVID-19) in your workplace
The level of face-covering or personal protective equipment (PPE) required for your workforce
How you will prepare for, and respond to, a suspected or confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) in your workplace
This plan must demonstrate how you will meet all of the requirements set out by the Victorian Government. Some higher-risk industries or workplaces have additional requirements of employers and employees.

COVIDSafe Plan guidance
COVIDSafe Plan template
COVID workplace attendance register

For more detailed information click here

More information about the steps towards easing industry restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne is available on the Victorian Government roadmaps website.

This free 2-hour Business Victoria workshop is specifically designed for sole traders and small business owners in metro and regional Victoria who are finding it difficult to make ends meet during the COVID-19 restrictions.

The workshop will cover the burning issues affecting people working in home-based, retail, hospitality and other affected small businesses.The workshop includes:

The definition of hardship; applying for benefits and support; traderâs rights under financial hardship; eligibility
Managing your business loans, tenancy rights, types of providers who can help
Employee support and assistance â including wellbeing support, ways to manage them through this time, fair work; apprentice and trainee information
Superannuation and early release hardship options
Government programs and services (local, state & federal)
Opportunities to pursue during COVID â pivoting your business; mentoring, up-skilling, free online learning opportunities and other helpful resources.

Register here

The business resilience program is a free service for businesses affected by COVID-19. The program includes workshops, online resources and virtual mentoring for businesses.

To participate in this program you must:

Have an active ABN
Under 20 Staff
Be a Victorian Business

For more information on each program, click on the following links:

Business Resilience program

Business Resilience mentor program

Business Resilience workshops program

Councilâs Financial Hardship Policy has now been expanded to allow commercial and industrial property owners to apply for a 15% waiver of Council rates.

If approved, a waiver of 15% will apply to the first three instalments of the 2020/21 municipal rates.

To qualify for consideration the following criteria must be met:

Applications must be made in writing
Applications must include evidence to support all claims
Property must be classified in the Commercial/Residential Differential Rate category
The business operating within the occupancy must have an annual business turnover of less than $10m for the 2019/2020 financial year

The business operating within the occupancy must either:

Be eligible for the JobKeeper Program; or
Demonstrate a decrease in turnover of 30% or more.

For more information click here

COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak is causing economic disruption in many sectors including retail, tourism, hospitality, education, property, manufacturing and supply chains.

Council has established a $300,000 Brimbank Business Recovery Grants Program (Business Grants Program) to support local start-up and small businesses in adapting and responding to COVID-19 and strengthening their business as part of the Brimbank City Councilâs COVID-19 Response and Recovery Strategy â Economic Development Response.

Grants Categories:

Two streams of funding are now available to support local Small Businesses:

Small Business Support (up to $10,000)
Small business Booster Grant (up to $10,000)

Business Grants Program Flyer - English

Business Grants Program Flyer - Vietnamese

Register for the Business Grants Information Session:
Thursday 17 September, 10am-12.30pm
Monday 21 September, 5-6.30pm

For more information about what can be funded under each stream click here

Friday 2 October 2020
9.30-10.30am

The Localised Brimbank Meetup! Itâs a great way to learn about the Localised initiative and hear from a vast range of businesses and organisations within Brimbank.

Tania White is the Principal Lawyer of Cross the T, a boutique commercial legal practice and business consultancy delivering specialised and flexible solutions to protect and grow business.

Tania will present on âProtecting your brand â business name, trade mark, domain namesâ¦. A how to guide to getting it right.â

The Localised Business Meetup events are easy and effective. Itâs a great way to introduce yourself, your business and your expertise by getting up and promoting your business to the crowd in the form of a lightning pitch (only 20 seconds!). 95% of attendees say they discovered a local business they hadnât heard of before and 72% say they will be following up immediately with someone they met in the meetup.

Register here

The Brimbank COVID-19 Response and Recovery Strategy includes the development of a business website under the Economic Development Response (Business Support and Assistance).

Stage 1 of the website is now live and provides business information and links about COVID-19, as well as information about Councilâs Business Support and Assistance; Events and Programs; and Investment and Resources.

Go to www.brimbankbusinesslink.com.au to view the website.

Like us on the Brimbank Business Link facebook page for regular updates.

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

Brimbank Business Grants Information Session - Register here
7 Steps to Digital Marketing Strategy - Register here
Winning Government Business - Register here
Selfcare: You can't pour from an empty cup - Register here
Social Media Masterclass - Register here
Using LinkedIn and your Personal Brand to win work - Register here
Storeytelling for Influence - Register here
Pitch Perfect! - Register here
Strategies for Getting Customers Back - Register here
Legal Essentials for Start-ups and Small Business - Register here
Making COVID-19 Count - What have we learnt - Register here

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

Melbourne's North Food Group
Webinar - Economic Recovery: The challenges and opportunities for businesses - register here

Upskill My Business (Business Victoria)
Develop your business skills and strenghthen 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, where you can ask questions to help you apply the information to your situation - 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

Business Mentoring

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

SBMS mentoring sessions are designed to provide operational support and identify resources for businesses in these extreme times. There are different mentoring options available, and they can be provided in languages other than English.

ION Group provides a strategic âwhole of businessâ approach to their mentoring sessions. These sessions include an opportunity to review your situation, undertake planning and business strategy, and prepare 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

Brimbank.Localised - itâs more than business to business â itâs business to people, people to business â itâs a business community â itâs 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 Vietnamese

Explore the Think. Shop. Buy Local map

If youâd like to have your business listed, contact the Economic Development Team.

A special edition of LINK has been produced which focuses on COVID-19 business support and assistance from Council and Government. There is also information about Brimbank.Localised, the Brimbank Think. Shop. Buy Local alpaca map and the 2020 Business Development Program.

Download a copy of LINK here
or go to www.brimbank.vic.gov.au/business-and-tourism

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. Youâll 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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