Helping businesses identify the skills they will need in the future is essential to helping them stay competitive and relevant.
Building fundamental knowledge, capability and capacity can set businesses up for success, enabling business owners to make informed and strategic decisions, adapt to challenges and seize new opportunities.
The Small Business Fundamentals Program is designed to provide small and family enterprises with one-on-one coaching, mentoring and tailored support to build core business skills and capabilities for sustainable growth and long-term success.
Applications for delivery partners have now closed.
Funding of up to $250,000 (ex GST) over two financial years is available.
The Office for Small and Family Business is seeking applications for proposals from organisations that can deliver services to increase the skills, capability and capacity of small and family businesses and social enterprises and improve their profitability and competitiveness through, but not limited to:
- Advisory services (one-to-one)
- Mentoring and coaching programs (one-to-one or one-to-group)
- Workshops (delivered in conjunction with mentoring and coaching programs)
- Regional, cohort or sector specific approaches.
We’re offering funding of up to $250,000 (ex GST) over two financial years, with Programs commencing from 1 July 2025 and delivered until 30 June 2027, to help you deliver essential services that will enhance the skills, capabilities, and capacity of businesses to improve their profitability and competitiveness.
Applications close 5:00pm ACDT Friday, 28 February 2025.
Applicants are required to contact the Program Manager via email no less than four business days before the closing date.
In your email, please provide:
- A brief description of your organisation’s previous experience in supporting businesses owners, including the number of workshops, mentoring sessions and content delivered.
- The expected outcomes of your proposed initiative, aligned with Program objectives.
- Your email address
- Your phone number.
The Program Manager will review your email and contact you within two business days to discuss your concept and provide you with the application form if appropriate.
All applications submitted before the closing date will be assessed against the Assessment Criteria established in the guidelines by a panel of representatives from the Department of State Development.
To be eligible to apply, your organisation must have been in operation in South Australia for more than two financial years and be able to showcase the capacity to service participants over the two-year delivery period across South Australia.
You must also have demonstrated experience delivering fundamental business capability support to small businesses across the state.
Eligible organisations include:
- Industry/business associations and peak bodies
- Business Enterprise Centres (BECs)
- Regional Development Australia Boards (RDAs)
- Local governments (councils) in South Australia
- Co-operatives
- Corporations limited by guarantee (including not-for-profit organizations)
- For-profit enterprises
- Social Enterprises.
Before applying, be sure to read the Small Business Fundamentals Program Round 2 guidelines to ensure your application aligns to the program and give it the best chance of success.
The guidelines outline in detail:
- Program objectives
- Eligibility criteria
- Eligible and ineligible expenditure
- Contracting requirements
- Monitoring and reporting.