Small Business Funding Program: Funding Guidelines - City of Ipswich - Ipswich.qld.gov.au
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City of Ipswich Small Business Funding Program: Funding Guidelines Ipswich.qld.gov.au
Overview ELIGIBLE FUNDING RECIPIENT
The Ipswich City Council Small Business Funding Program An eligible funding recipient must satisfy all of the
has been developed as part of the broader range of following criteria:
initiatives implemented by Ipswich City Council (council) is a legal entity and holds a valid Australian Business
to support Ipswich-based small businesses through and Number (ABN) as at 1 March 2020
post the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The program
is a Ipswich-based for-profit enterprise
is a competitive funding process designed as a ‘Quick
Response’ cash payment of up to $1,000 (exclusive of is a small business which
GST) per eligible applicant. The funding priorities are to a. has an annual turnover of less than $1 Million
help get Ipswich small businesses back to doing business,
b. employs less than 20 staff in total (across the
whilst also stimulating the local economy.
business itself and any associated entities)
is open and recommenced trading at the date
Timeframe of application
Opening Date 14 July 2020 is not subject to any enforceable undertakings, legal
14 August 2020 actions or pending closure
Closing Date
11.59 pm has experienced a reduction of turnover of 20% or
Notification 28 August 2020 more due to COVID-19
Funds Dispersal 11 September 2020* applies for the funding as the owner or
authorised representative.
Funds Acquitted 11 October 2020
Ipswich Small business classification
*Subject to the return of the applicant’s signed funding
agreement, allowing for sufficient processing time. The applicant will be required to provide a letter
addressed to Ipswich City Council confirming the
Once the funding application is submitted, the applicant following points about the business/entity the application
will be issued with an acknowledgement within 24 hours. is made on behalf of:
If this is not received, please contact
business@ipswich.qld.gov.au. located in Ipswich (address to be supplied)
total number of staff
Funding Available confirmation annual turnover is less than $1 Million
(actual figure is not required).
The total funding available for the Ipswich City Council
Small Business Funding Program is $1,000 (exclusive of Turnover reduction
GST) per enterprise or company group. A total funding
pool of $200,000 has been allocated. Sufficient evidence of at least 20% (twenty percent)
decrease in turnover is required to deem an applicant
Funding can be for: eligible for the Small Business Funding Program.
Supporting documentation can be supplied by any of the
future expenses (provided these expenses are
following methods:
incurred and acquitted by the business before 30
September 2020) or Preferred method: letter dated post 1st of March
from your Accountant indicating prior quarter or
reimbursement on applicable items acquired by the
year period to current turnover levels, showing at
business from 1 March 2020.
least a 20% fall.
Recipients Alternate methods: lodgement of appropriate
financials that clearly outlines prior and current levels
This is a competitive funding program open to for-profit of turnover (supply of supporting letter if required);
small Ipswich businesses. To be eligible for consideration or presentation of other documentation from
for the Small Business Funding Program, applications recognised accountancy based software programs
need to meet all compulsory assessment items. Whether (i.e. Xero, Myob) that clearly demonstrate 20% drop
an applicant is an eligible funding recipient will be in income levels.
determined by accessing the applicant against the
following criteria: Please note that without sufficient documentation your
application may be considered ineligible for funding.
2Certification Professional Services
The application form will include a certification section Approved professional service areas include
where applicants must authorise their submission is Accountants, Financial Planners and/or Solicitors.
made by an approved representative of the business Please note that Ipswich City Council may request proof
and that the business is still trading and not subject to that your Accountant, Financial Planner or Solicitor is
any enforceable undertakings, legal actions or pending authorised to provide the professional service.
closure. Failure to complete this certification will deem
The purpose of the engagement of professional services
the application ineligible for funding.
is for post-coronavirus recovery planning for the local
INELIGIBLE FUNDING RECIPIENTS: small business. A specific justification detailing why the
service is required needs to be provided by the applicant,
Ineligible funding recipients include the following:
as this forms part of the assessment criteria.
have submitted an incomplete application
Supporting documentation for this funding area must
individuals or not-for-profit organisations include a quotation for proposed services (if you have
the business is located outside the Ipswich City not yet engaged a professional service provider), or an
Council local government area invoice with proof of payment (if an engagement has
already taken place).
government or semi-government organisations
(i.e. Hospitals and libraries) Applications which propose to or demonstrate
public education institutions engagement of Ipswich-based professional
(i.e. primary, secondary and tertiary institutions) service providers, will receive higher scoring in the
assessment process.
parents and citizens associations
political parties and political lobby groups Inventory
businesses that have an outstanding debt to council Approved Inventory funding will be provided if all of the
or unresolved compliance matters following criteria is satisfied:
Organisations that have outstanding council product/s are crucial to the applicant’s
acquittals or have not satisfactorily acquitted business continuity
council funds the product/s complies with standards for use in the
applications received outside of the applicant’s business
application timeframes the applicant holds any and all appropriate
funds paid to a ‘Related Party’ of council as defined licences required to purchase or use the product/s
by the Australian Accounting Standards Board (supporting documentation may be required to
Standard AASB 124 Related Party Disclosures. confirm licencing)
product/s are available and in stock
Funding Projects product/s can be delivered to applicant within 15
Another compulsory item of the application is for the business days
application to propose or demonstrate engagement of the product/s purchased or proposed to be
an eligible funding project area. purchased by the business do not contravene
any restrictions on operations for the business as
ELIGIBLE FUNDING PROJECTS
outlined on the Queensland Government Roadmap to
The following funding areas are approved projects: Recovery website.
professional services The application must address how the inventory will
inventory assist the business getting back to doing business. The
justification forms part of the assessment criteria.
membership
Inventory purchased from 1 March 2020 can form
Applications for funding outside of the abovementioned
part of the application, however this needs to be
funding areas will not be eligible for consideration.
accompanied by supporting documentation such as
Applicants can apply for one or a variety of the eligible
proof of invoice and proof of payment. If inventory has
funding areas. The breakdown needs to be clearly
not been purchased, a quotation of product/s needs to
communicated in the application. council may, in its
be provided.
discretion, elect to grant partial funding to a business if
total funding allocated is exhausted. Applications which propose to or have already purchased
inventory from Ipswich-based providers will receive
higher weighting in the assessment process.
3Membership COMPULSORY ASSESSMENT ITEMS
Approved membership funding and reimbursement will be Application assessment will not proceed without all below
available for the following memberships: requirements marked ‘Yes’:
memberships the applicant requires to continue 1. Complete application form received Yes / No
trading and
2. Classified as a small business Yes / No
state or national recognised associations and/or bodies
(i.e. National Retailers Association) 3. All statements, invoices or proof of
Yes / No
Greater Springfield or Ipswich Chambers of Commerce payment supplied
(Micro and small business membership costs only. No 4. Requested funding included in
other Chambers of Commerce are eligible). Yes / No
‘Eligible Funding Projects’
Other locally based networking groups and Industry 5. Demonstrated reduction in
bodies will also be considered, where the applicant can Yes / No
turnover of at least 20%.
provide justification that the membership provides crucial
assistance and guidance to the business. Once applications are confirmed to have satisfied the
Compulsory Assessment Items, applications will be
Supporting documentation required for this funding area supplied to panel members to review and allocate points
includes a tax Invoice outlining costs, services provided based on how well applications satisfy the following
for, address and name of the association for which the assessment criteria.
applicant belongs. If the application is for reimbursement
of funds already paid, proof of payment is required. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
INELIGIBLE FUNDING PROJECTS Panel members provide a score based on how well they
assess the application has addressed the assessment
Ineligible funding projects include: criteria. Scores are then totalled and all applicants
projects not detailed in the eligible funding areas ranked from highest scoring.
requests that are considered by council to be the
Score
funding responsibility of other levels of government No. Assessment areas
1-10
requests for operational expenses such as 1 How well does application articulate how
insurances and rental subsidies funds will be spent?
applications which do not include
2 Will approved funding be spent towards
required documentation
Ipswich based business or organisation?
requests that relate to products and/or services If yes apply maximum points
provided by businesses operated by councillors or
3 How well does the plan articulate how
council employees.
this funding will assist or build the
business beyond Covid19
Application Process
Total score out of 30
Applications are submitted via the Ipswich City Council
funding webpage Ipswich.qld.gov.au. Once applications are ranked, funding will be offered to
top ranking applicants until funding pool of $200,000 is
Prior to application submission, applicants must exhausted. To be granted funding, applicants must first
review the Funding Guidelines to ensure the business meets return a signed Funding Agreement.
all eligibility criteria. Applications must be submitted by
11.59 pm on Friday 14 August 2020 with all required
supporting documentation. Failure to submit a completed
Successful Applications
application by the deadline will deem the applicant ineligible. TERMS AND CONDITIONS THAT APPLY TO
SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS
Assessment Process All successful applicants will receive the approved
All applications will be accessed by a panel of council funding from council subject to the following terms
officers, with final decisions and funding approvals and conditions:
made by council as a delegate of the CEO of Ipswich The applicant will be required to become a signatory
City Council. to a standard funding agreement which details
Applications will firstly be screened to ensure all all funding conditions and agreed performance
Compulsory Assessment Items are received. If any outcomes/measures. This must be signed before
of these items are not provided, the application will funds can be issued.
be deemed ineligible and applicant funding will not
be provided.
4 The applicant acknowledges Ipswich City Council in All repayments must reflect any associated GST
any promotional material or publicity features. component relating to the original payments.
Council may make funding conditional on other INSURANCE AND WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
specific conditions being met.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain and
If council’s funds are not spent, all remaining funds maintain adequate insurance (including public
must be returned to council. liability) with a reputable insurer, in relation to
VARIATIONS activities carried out by the applicant for the project,
to guard against any claims for loss or damage to
Funding must be used in accordance with the Standard property and injury or death to persons.
Funding Agreement for an Eligible Funding Project. Any
The applicant is also responsible for ensuring a safe
changes to the funded activities undertaken or the
work environment in accordance with Workplace
project duration must be approved by council.
Health & Safety (WH&S) Act 2011 and its associated
Please send an email or letter to the Community Grants Regulation and Codes of Practice.
Team with your request outlining the changes you are
Where applicable, the applicant is to obtain and maintain
seeking to the funding agreement before the project end
workers compensation insurance in accordance with
date, for example: changes to the nature/purpose of the
applicable legislation and where relevant, ensure
project, the way in which the project is to be carried out
appropriate council approvals can be obtained to
and completed, the budget, and/or any extension to the
complete your project.
funding period.
TAXATION
Approval must be sought and approved in writing before
you undertake any changes. Variations cannot be sought Applicants must advise whether they are registered for
after the Standard Funding Agreement end date. GST. GST can affect your funding in the following ways:
EVALUATION AND ACQUITTAL total amount paid for goods and services purchased
using the funding
To ensure appropriate accountability by funding recipients
total funding approved
with regard to the use of the funding, all funding provided
by council will require an evaluation report and financial Council will exercise their discretion to grant funding
acquittal, outlining the use of the funds (including proof of to applicants which includes an allowance for any GST
expenditure) and the achieved outcomes of the activity. payable by the applicant for the project.
This includes providing adequate receipts of items
purchased or evidence of approved expenses that at least For advice on GST, contact your tax advisor, or the
equal the amount of the funding. Australian Taxation Office on 13 24 78 or Ato.gov.au.
Specific evaluation requirements will be outlined in each Ipswich City Council recommends that businesses who
individual funding agreement and will depend on the wish to apply for funding under this program seek
nature and size of the funding. advice from a tax agent or accountant on any taxation
consequences that may arise for the business as a result
Organisations that have not satisfactorily acquitted of being granted funding under this program. Applicants
council funds within an appropriate timeframe agreed acknowledge and agree that Ipswich City Council will not
by council, will be required to repay funding and will be be liable for any taxation consequences.
deemed ineligible for council funding or in-kind assistance
for 12 months from the acquittal due date.
Unsuccessful Applications
Applicants will need to complete the online Acquittal
Feedback will be available at the end of the assessment
form through Smarty Grants, and can contact the
period and will be supplied to applicants who request it
Grants team for assistance.
within 10 business days of request being lodged via email
REPAYMENT OF FUNDING to business@ipswich.qld.gov.au.
You must repay to us:
Enquiries
a) within 30 days of our request or as otherwise
agreed, any part of the funding spent on purposes For further information, please contact a council on
not approved by the Standard Funding Agreement (07) 3810 6666 or email business@ipswich.qld.gov.au.
b) any and all unexpended funding unless otherwise
agreed, within 30 days or the earlier of
i. the end date
ii. termination of the Standard Funding Agreement
c) any difference between the actual project costs
and the budget cost.
5Ipswich City Council
PO Box 191, Ipswich QLD 4305, Australia
Phone (07) 3810 6666
council@ipswich.qld.gov.au
Ipswich.qld.gov.au
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