BACKING BUSINESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST
15 April, 2020
In these challenging times RDA Central West will continue to provide information and support to local business, and the people they employ. We’ll back business in the Central West, walking with you as we navigate the current challenges, and working with you to ensure positive growth on the other side.
NSW Government’s License Fee Waiver for Tradies
The NSW Government has announced that they will be waiving the fees of up to 200,000 licence holders operating across the trades and construction sectors.
“These fee waivers will deliver much-needed relief for small businesses, at a time when cash flow is crucial,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Hardship Provisions for Energy, Water & Rates
The National Cabinet has agreed to a nationally consistent approach to hardship support across the essential services for households and small businesses. Businesses eligible for the JobKeeper payment will now automatically be considered to be under ‘financial stress’ for the purposes of accessing hardship arrangements.
COVID-19 Information in Your Language
The Commonwealth Government is providing information about COVID-19 initiatives in more than sixty (60) languages which can be accessed via the following links:
Australian Government COVID-19 Health Updates
Department of Home Affairs – COVID-19 Information
Help for Farmers
The Commonwealth Government has announced temporary changes to visa arrangements to help farmers access the workforce they need to secure Australia’s food and produce supply during COVID-19.
These changes will allow those within the Pacific Labour Scheme, Seasonal Worker Program and working holiday makers to continue to work in agriculture and food processing until the coronavirus crisis has passed. Implementation is expected to be in place by April 17.
Relief for commercial tenants
The Government has announced a range of measures to help renters. This includes a temporary hold on evictions and a mandatory code of conduct for commercial tenancies to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) affected by coronavirus
Six month moratorium on residential tenancy evictions during COVID-19
The NSW Government is introducing an interim 60-day stop on landlords seeking to evict tenants due to rental arrears as a result of COVID-19, together with longer six month restrictions on rental arrears evictions for those financially disadvantaged by COVID-19.
NSW Emergency Supplies Registration
In NSW, the State Government have announced a registration scheme for businesses with capacity to provide critical supplies, raw materials or manufacturing capability to produce critical supplies during the COVID-19 crisis.
Australia Council for the Arts 2020 Resilience Fund: Survive
Survive grants are available to individuals, groups and organisations to offset or recoup money lost due to cancelled activity. These grants provide stop-gap funding until relief offered by other funding agencies, government departments and support services can be accessed. Who can apply:
Individuals, groups and organisations can apply to this category.
Individuals can apply for themselves or on behalf of a group. You must be a practising artist or arts worker, and an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident.
Australian organisations that create artistic work or provide a service to the arts sector can apply.
The Australia Council supports artists and organisations working across all areas of artistic practice, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts, Community Arts and Cultural Development, Dance, Emerging and Experimental Arts, Literature, Multi-arts, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts.
Jobs Hub
The Australian Government has launched a new Jobs Hub to support businesses and those Australians looking for work. Jobs Hub provides information on current employment opportunities, what’s happening in our labour market, and jobs that are in demand.
TAFE NSW Free Course Initiative
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, TAFE NSW, in conjunction with the NSW Government, is offering eligible applicants a number of fee-free short courses that can be completed in just days or weeks, offering practical skills and experiences across a range of industries.
To check eligibility and to find out more
Further Information on Commonwealth Government COVID – 19 Supports
Further Information on NSW Government COVID – 19 Supports
Online Program for NSW Women Starting or Operating a Small Business
Women in Business provides women living or working in New South Wales with access to a fully subsidised online program to help them establish a new small business or consolidate an existing small business.
FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants
Heywire engages rural youth in the national conversation, and selected regional youth converged on Canberra in February to meet with local Members, Senators and Federal Ministers, representatives from government departments, philanthropists, business and community leaders and youth mentors to develop practical solutions to improve the lives of young people.
FRRR and their donor partners are now offering over $100,000 in funding to assist not-for-profit community-based organisations in rural, regional and remote Australia adopt and act on one of the six innovative Heywire project ideas. Communities selected to pilot the programs will implement their projects from September 2020. Typically, projects are completed within 12 months. However, within the current context of drought, floods, bushfires and COVID-19, FRRR encourages grant seekers to discuss potential projects with the team that may be delivered over a longer time frame.
Tackling Tough Times Together – Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal
Grants to assist communities access the resources they need to support one another through the ongoing effects of the drought are currently available through the Tackling Tough Times together Program. Not-for-Profit community-based organisations are invited to apply for grants of up to $60,000. Rolling grants program, Current funding round closes May 28 and will be assessed late August 2020.
REMPLAN
RDA Central West now has access to economic and community data through REMPLAN. This data can provide an interesting snapshot of both the economic and social composition of our regions, as well as estimate how changes to employment numbers or output across an individual sector/s will impact the economic output across the region.
If you would like further information on REMPLAN, or are seeking specific data to support your grant application, please contact grants@rdacentralwest.org.au
Let’s Back Business in the Central West,
and support our local businesses and jobs.
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