The NSW Government has opened the applications for the 2021 COVID-19 Micro-Business Grant and has released the full eligibility criteria. Applications will close at 11:59pm on 18 October 2021.

Businesses that meet the following criteria are eligible for this grant:

1. Have an ABN and were operating in NSW as at 1 June 2021;
2. Had an aggregated annual turnover between $30,000 and $75,000 (inclusive) for the year ended 30 June 2020;
3. Have business costs for which there is no other government support available;
4. Have experienced a decline in turnover of 30% or more due to the Public Health Orders over a minimum 2-week period within the Greater Sydney lockdown (began 26 June 2021 and due to end 30 September 2021), compared to the same period in either 2019, 2020, or the 2-week period immediately before lockdown began (12 June to 25 June 2021);
5. Maintain their employee headcount as at 13 July 2021 for the period for which the business is receiving payments under this Grant, if the business is an employing business;
6. Have the business as the business owner’s primary source of income if the business is a sole trader or partnership.

The Grant amount available is $1,500 per fortnight for the duration of the Greater Sydney lockdown.

Business’s in highly impacted industries will not need to provide evidence of their decline in turnover at the time of application, but this may be requested later on by Service NSW as part of their compliance checking process. Businesses that are not in highly impacted industries will need to upload a letter from an independent accountant, tax agent, or BAS agent confirming the decline in turnover.

If you would like to lodge an application for this grant, please click here to apply.

To view the full guidelines on this grant from Service NSW, please click here.

Catalyst Financial is able to assist with lodging the grant applications on behalf of our clients and/or preparing the independent accountant letter, where required. If you require any assistance with claiming this grant, please don’t hesitate to contact us.