If you are a micro-business that has been impacted by the recent COVID-19 restrictions, you may be eligible for the COVID-19 Micro-business grant.

Eligible small businesses, sole traders or not-for-profit organisations with aggregated annual turnover between $30,000 and $75,000 may be eligible to apply for a fortnightly payment of $1,500 to cover business expenses for the duration of the Greater Sydney lockdown.

The 2021 COVID-19 Micro-business grant provides cash flow support for micro-businesses in New South Wales who have had their work impacted by the restrictions while continuing to incur business costs.

Eligible applicants can use the grant for business costs incurred from 1 June 2021 and for which no other government support is available, including:

• salaries and wages
• utilities and rent
• financial, legal or other advice
• marketing and communications
• perishable goods
• other business costs

To be eligible for the grant, you must:

• have an active Australian Business Number (ABN) registered in, or demonstrate your business was primarily operating in, NSW as at 1 June 2021.
• have had aggregated annual turnover between $30,000 and $75,000 for the year ended 30 June 2020.
• 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 (commenced 26 June 2021 and due to end 30 July 2021), compared to the same period in 2019.
• have business costs for which no other government support is available.
• have not applied for either the 2021 COVID-19 business grant or the JobSaver payment.
• maintain your employee headcount as at 13 July 2021 while receiving payments from this grant, if you’re an employing business.
• have this business as your primary income source, if you’re a non-employing business such as a sole trader.

Applications open 26 July 2021 and will close at 11:59pm on 18 October 2021.

If your micro-business does not meet all the eligibility criteria, you may still be able to apply for the grant. See the alternative circumstances outlined in the guidelines.

To check that you meet the eligibility criteria and to apply go to the Service NSW website.