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Business Improvement Grant / BIG Ideas Program

Gilgandra Shire Council (GSC) invites local businesses to make an application for funding through the BIG Ideas Program, applications are now open and close Monday, 13 November 2023.

About the program

The Business Improvement Grant (BIG Ideas) Program has been established in order to assist with economic development opportunities and investment in businesses in the Gilgandra Region. Funding will be provided to property owners and authorised tenants for infrastructure or initiatives that support the improvement of local businesses.

The BIG Ideas Program has the following objectives:

Business growth To support the growth of business in the Gilgandra Region by encouraging new investment, and greater employment opportunities.
Sustainable economy To encourage business innovation and enhance the diversity of the Gilgandra Region’s retail mix.
Premise and precinct activation To support private sector initiatives that complement Council’s and the Gilgandra Region’s activation and revitalisation projects, including Gilgandra’s Activation Blueprint.
Investment promotion To promote the Gilgandra Region as an attractive place to work, live and invest.

Grants will be considered in one competitive funding round, for business improvement projects or initiatives.

The total pool of funding available for 2023/24 is $50,000.

There are two funding categories:

Stream 1: Up to $5,000 (ex GST) - Non-matched funding.

Stream 2: Up to $10,000 (ex GST) - Matched funding ($ for $).

Terms & Conditions

Please download and review the attached Terms & Conditions(PDF, 628KB) to find out more about the program.

Please note, all projects must be completed and acquitted by 30 June 2025.

Apply Now

Project Name * (required)

Business Name * (required)

Contact Name * (required)

Phone * (required)

Email * (required)

Address * (required)

ABN * (required)

Eligibility * (required)

To be eligible, all answers need to be marked Yes.

	Yes
Is your business located within the Gilgandra LGA?	Yes
Does your business have a physical shop front?	Yes
Have you owned this business premises or signed a tenancy agreement for a period of at least six months at the time of application?	Yes
If a tenant, do you have owner approval?	Yes
Does your business have a minimum trading history of six months at the time of application?	Yes
Do you have fewer than 50 employees at the time of application?	Yes
Do you have all appropriate insurances, permits and licenses or can demonstrate that all relevant paperwork for these processes will be lodged with the relevant authorities?	Yes
Have you contacted Council’s Activations & Communications Team prior to submitting an application to discuss your project?	Yes
Do you agree to the BIG Ideas Program Terms & Conditions?	Yes

Please submit a business plan*, covering a minimum of three years (*required for Stream 2 - matched funding, optional for Stream 1). .

Please give an overview of the project you wish to submit. * (required)

Please details the project’s ability to meet one or more of the BIG Ideas Program Objectives * (required)

There are FOUR BIG Ideas Program Objectives: BUSINESS GROWTH (e.g. how does your project encourage new investment and/or does the project create employment opportunities), SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY (e.g. does the project encourage business innovation and enhance the diversity of the Gilgandra Region’s retail mix), PREMISE AND PRECINCT ACTIVATION (e.g. does the project support initiatives that complement Gilgandra Region’s activation and revitalisation projects, including Gilgandra’s Activation Blueprint), INVESTMENT PROMOTION (e.g. does the project promote the Gilgandra Region as an attractive place to work, live and invest)

Please attach the BIG Ideas Project Plan + Budget for your project using the template provided * (required)

Would you be interested in business planning programs such as Biz HQs Steps to Success? Or other specific areas? * (required)

Please submit anything else you would like to support your application.