On 9 April 2020, the South Australian (SA) State Government announced a one-off $10,000 emergency cash grants for small businesses impacted by COVID-19.

The grant is funded from the State Government’s $650m Job Rescue Package aimed at small businesses, not-for-profit entities including eligible sporting and community organisations that employ South Australians that have been highly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The cash grant will be available to help cover a business’ ongoing or outstanding operating costs working in tandem with the Federal Government’s stimulus measures.

The criteria for a small business to be eligible are as follows:

  • Employ people in South Australia
  • Have an annual turnover of more than $75,000 (GST exclusive)
  • Have an annual payroll of less than $1.5m, and not be entitled to a payroll tax waiver under COVID-19 support measures introduced by the South Australian Government
  • Have an ABN and were carrying on the operation of the business in South Australia on 1 March 2020
  • Have been subject to closure or highly impacted by COVID-19 related restrictions^
  • Apply by 1 June 2020
  • Use the funds to support activities related to the operation of the business

There will be some restrictions on these basic eligibility criteria. The amount of grant available or access 

  • Where the business has received any South Australian Government grants provided to address COVID-19 related business impacts, the value of these payment(s) will be deducted from the $10,000 grant
  • If the business is part of a group of companies that is registered for payroll tax and will receive the payroll tax waiver, the business is ineligible for this grant

^Businesses eligible for the Commonwealth JobKeeper payment will be deemed to be highly impacted by COVID-19 restrictions

Applications will open shortly and will be available until 1 June 2020.  Registrations will be available at https://www.treasury.sa.gov.au/Growing-South-Australia/COVID-19/registration