The Whitsunday Small Business Start-Up Program is a council-administered business grant fund targeting startup business opportunities in the Whitsunday region. It is a competitive and merit-based grant program that aims to attract and enable entrepreneurs in undertaking start-up business activities in the Whitsundays which align with our identified regional economic opportunities and do not compete with existing business.

The program provides monetary funding to successful applicants to undertake business-related activities that will enable them to start-up new businesses. Funding provided is:

• Up to $10,000
• To be matched by the applicant 50:50

The aim of the program is to deliver key growth benefits to the Whitsunday Regional economy, including:

• Increasing employment
• New investment attraction
• Increasing local supply and/or manufacturing supply chains (i.e. local import replacement, local procurement)
• Establishing new trade opportunities (local, inter-regional and/or overseas)
• Value adding to the existing Whitsunday region
• Circular economy benefits

This program forms part of a wider strategy for economic prosperity in the Whitsunday region. Council have developed this initiative as a direct response to Action Item 5.2 of the Whitsunday Region Economic Development Strategy 2017-2022.

To find out if your start-up is eligible download the Program Guidelines. For more information on starting your business, click here to download the Starting Your Business Checklist.

Important Dates

Applications Open: 1 February 2019
Applications Close: 15 March 2019
Notice of Application Outcome: by June 2019

Key Information

Click here to be directed to the application portal
Program Guidelines
FAQ's
Starting Your Business Checklist 
Flyer