Welcome to the new monthly newsletter from RBHQ!
Regional Business HQ is the Wide Bay Burnett’s leading support hub for the business community. We have launched this newsletter to provide valuable information to the business community on grants and funding opportunities, upcoming events, relevant news and tips and tricks. We want this newsletter to be valuable for you, so we appreciate if you can share your feedback and suggestions to help us improve.
We hope you enjoy reading!
You are receiving this as you are either a key stakeholder or client or Regional Business HQ, Bundaberg Enterprise Centre or the Business LEAP program. We don’t want to be a pest though, so if you don’t want to receive our newsletters, please let us know and we will take you off our list!
In this newsletter:
- AgForum 2021 – Tickets now available!
- Grants and Funding Opportunities
- Our Partners
- Our Sponsors
- Upcoming Events
- The Generator has a new website
- Meet our Business LEAP team
- Vacant suites at HQ
Read now – Regional Business HQ News (office.com)
AgForum 2021
Primary producers, agribusinesses and stakeholders of the agriculture sector are invited to participate in AgForum 2021 being held in Bundaberg on Friday, 30th April 2021.
This year’s AgForum will explore export opportunities and megatrends in international markets, take a look at employment issues facing the agricultural industry and will showcase water and agtech innovations. The forum
will be headlined with a keynote address and panel sessions with Trade and Investment Queensland Trade Commissioners from Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
The 2021 AgForum will be an excellent opportunity to meet other agribusiness stakeholders working in the region, to interact with an amazing line up of speakers in facilitated panel sessions, and to learn about the latest happenings in the agriculture sector.
Join us for presentations on:
- International Market Opportunities and Challenges with Queensland Trade and Invest Commissioners from Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong.
- Workforce Attraction Initiatives
- Local Employment Issues in the Agriculture Sector
- AusIndustry Support For Business
- Water – Best Management Practice and Current Innovations
- Wide Bay Burnett Ag Strategy
- Hinkler AgTech Initiative and Hinkler Ag Hub
For full program details, visit the BFVG website
Date: Friday 30 April 2021
Time: 7:30am-12:00pm
Venue: CQ University, Bundaberg (Building 3, 6 University Drive, Branyan) (Online Attendance Also Available)
Cost: Free
Includes: Complimentary tickets to AgroTrend
Click here to register for AgForum 2021!
Grants and Funding Opportunities
Grants and funding can play a key role in helping businesses grow, start-up or target new service offerings. Each month, we bring you a snippet of some of the grants available that you might find of interest. If you are thinking of applying for a grant and don’t know where to start, contact the team at Regional Business HQ, who are happy to help.
Small business COVID-19 Adaption Grant Program
Between $2,000 and $10,000 is available for small or micro businesses to:
- Prepare for safe resumption of trading in the post COVID-19 recovery
- Introduce digital technologies to improve business operations, transition into a new way of doing business or to up-skill and re-skill business owners alongside staff to ultimately benefit the business
- Create and sustain employment to maintain potential long-term growth and continue to meet operating costs
Applicants have a maximum of 6 months from the date of approval to complete the project
For more information, visit: Small Business COVID-19 Adaption Grant Program
Community Gambling Benefit Fund
From $500 to $35,000 is available through the Gambling Community Benefit Fund, which is open to not-for-profit groups operating in Queensland.
The program allows not-for-profit communities to enhance their capacity to provide services, leisure activities and opportunities for Queensland communities
Round 109 is closing on 30 April 2021
For more information, visit: Gambling Community Benefit Fund | Business Queensland
ActiveKIT
Up to $200,000 is available for applicants under the ActiveKIT program, which is aimed at:
- Inventive solutions to increase physical activity opportunities, creating resilience and enhancing capabilities
- Programs trialing and implementing innovative products or services targeting two key challenges:
- Increase physical activity participation of Queenslanders who are insufficiently active or
- Strengthen the capability of organisations within the Active Industry including financial health and work force capability
Applications close on Monday 19 April 2021. For more information, visit: ActiveKIT
E-Commerce Grant Program
Up to $10,000 is available to small to medium sized business for
- Designed to provide Queensland exporters with up to $10,000 of grant funding to enhance international markets, driving online sales
- Small to medium sized enterprises can apply for funding to assist with the eligible project costs of successfully marketing, re-engaging or enhancing a new or existing e-commerce presence in an international market
Applications close 23 April 2021
For more information, visit: E-commerce Grant Program – TIQ
Our Partners
Sometimes you come across a hidden gem, and you just can’t stop shouting their praises…
At Regional Business HQ, we are always on the look out for products and services that really help small businesses cut through red tape and remove administrative burden to free up valuable time for people already stretched thin.
Two of the products we are happy to partner with are the Australian Employee Manual and Driversnote. The Australian Employee Manual provides you with a ready to go product that is up to date with all current legislation. Driversnote is an app that makes FBT reporting a breeze! It is simple and easy to use and is available on desktops as well as Android and Apple phones.
Australian Employee Manual believes in making managing your team easy. When you are in a small business or a not for profit, you may not have a human resources professional on your team or cant afford to hire a consultant. That’s where Australian Employee Manual can help. Since 2007 Australian Employee Manual has easy to apply employee templates, processes and forms that have been helping small business owners get back to growing their business or
delivering a service, rather than spending weeks bogged down writing policies.
Driversnote‘s logbook app is always at hand to record your trips and calculate your reimbursement. Save addresses you
visit frequently, add notes and set each trips purpose for a complete mileage log. Driversnote will keep your car logbook ready for download as a PDF or spreadsheet in line with ATO requirements. The best bit is that it is free for 20 trips per month! If, like us, after trying out the free version you think that the app is worth it to save the headache of manually counting logbook trips, head over to our affiliate page and purchase your subscription.
Our Sponsors
NBN Classification – Commercial
Bundaberg, Maryborough and Gympie are three of the 85 regional Business fibre Zones designed to level the playing field by improving the availability of fibre builds and flattening traditional pricing structures that typically favoured capital cities.
The Business Fibre initiative is all about helping unlock potential growth and productivity associated with technology investment and adoption, including job creation. As a key part of the initiative, we’re offering Enterprise Ethernet to
service providers with no up front build costs for an estimated 90% of business locations within the nbn network footprint.
This is part of nbn’s ongoing commitment to helping local businesses access the solutions they need for resilience and growth through access to fast and reliable connectivity at a time when online presence, digital collaboration platforms and cloud-based tools are becoming more significant for businesses.
Enterprise Ethernet is nbn’s premium wholesale business product, built upon a robust fibre network that designed to help businesses of any size, now and into the future.
For more information visit www.nbnco.com.au or contact Deborah Mead m: 0439 398 334
Bundaberg Fibre Zone Map | Maryborough Fibre Zone Map | Gympie Fibre Zone Map
Upcoming Events
Techstars Startup Weekend – Bundaberg
Join us for a weekend full event of Startup experience, designed for anyone passionate about business. Beginning with Friday night pitches and continuing through brainstorming, business plan development and basic prototype creation, Techstars Startup Weekends culminate in Sunday night demos and presentations.
This event will be facilitated by award- winning innovation professional Baden U’Ren, Supported by the Generator and Community Lifestyle Support.
Whether you are looking for feedback on an idea, a co-founder specific skills sets, or a team to help you execute, Techstars Startup Weekends is the perfect environment in which to test your idea and take the first steps towards launching your own startup
Date: 16 -18 April 2021
Time: 6:00pm – 10:00pm
Location: The Generator – Level 1, 155A Bourbong Street, Bundaberg, 4670
Taking Care of Business Webinar: Breakeven point for your business
In the ‘Break even point for your business’ webinar, you’ll learn valuable insights such as what break even point means (hint: its one of the single most important things a selling a service or product), costs verses sell prices and understanding what is eating away at the bottom line profits.
You’ll receive your own workbook, plus a one-on-one session with Entrepreneurship Facilitator Vicki after each workshop. By participating in this future Taking Care of Business workshops and webinars, you’ll join other locals on a similar learning journey and have access and support from peers and mentor Vicki.
Webinar details
Date: 16 April 2021
Time: 5:30pm – 7:00pm AEST
For more information and for RSVP details, visit: Taking Care of Business Webinar: Breakeven point for your business
Join Business LEAP and presenter Ben Ludlow from Ben Ludlow Accounting in this short webinar designed to teach you the tools to organise and make sure you have everything ready for tax time – and to make the most of your deductions!
Date: 21 April 2021
Time: 9:30am – 10:30am AEST
For more information and RSVP details, visit: Business LEAP – Entrepreneurship Facilitator Services – Tax Time Webinar
Taking Care of Business Workshop: Preparing your business for sale
In this final workshop in the series, ‘Preparing your business for sale’ you’ll valuable insights such as what you need to present your business for sale, what to look for in an sales agent and some of the costs that can be incurred when selling your business.
You’ll receive your own workbook, plus a one on one session with Vicki after each workshop. By participating in this and future Taking Care of Business workshops and webinars, you’ll join other locals on a similar learning journey and have access and support from peers and mentor Vicki.
Date: 8 June 2021
Time: 5:30pm – 7:00pm
Location: 26 Lyons St, Mundubbera, 4626
For more information and for registration details, visit: Taking Care of Business Workshop: Preparing your business for sale
The Generator has a new website
The Generator has launched a new website! The new website lists all of The Generators upcoming events and open coworking days, and provides you with opportunity to purchase day passes and tickets to upcoming events directly online.
The Generator has day passes and also monthly access passes. We offer people the option to either have 24/7 access to coworking space or choose the VIP experience where you purchase the right to a dedicated desk with a lockable filing cabinet.
For more information on coworking and room hires, contact The Generator or check out www.thegenerator.org.au
Meet our Business LEAP facilitators
Business LEAP provides practical assistance and support to help you develop business plans and gather information about what is required to start or grow a small business. Business LEAP can help understand aspects of business operation, including legal requirements, licenses, permits and registrations, marketing, financial management, taxation requirements and more. They can also provide referrals to services to help you start and run your own business, and provide tailored mentoring.
Introducing our Entrepreneurship Facilitators
If you are looking to book a session with an Entrepreneurship Facilitator or looking for more information on Business LEAP’s Entrepreneurship Services, check out www.businessleap.org.au
Vacancies at Regional Business HQ
Regional Business HQ has office suites available for people who want to launch or grow their business. As a business incubator, we offer a home for people who are looking to expand out of the home-based business, looking to start-up a new business or are growing and need an office Suite. We offer tenants favourable lease arrangements, including a 4 week notice period.
