The Regional Business Gateways Program offers funding to local business communities to design and deliver initiatives that unlock regional opportunities and build long-term economic capacity.

The program supports collaborative, community-led projects that identify a specific challenge or opportunity for regional small businesses and put in place a plan to deliver improved capability.

Examples include projects which support local small and family businesses to connect into supply chains and procurement opportunities, accelerate capability and growth for emerging businesses, or improve operational capability and coordination across sectors.

Funding can be used towards projects that align to one or more of the following streams:

• Business connectors: Projects that strengthen local supply chains and business-to-business collaboration.
• Business accelerators: Projects that support under-represented, early-stage, and micro businesses.
• Business enablers: Projects that build resilience and operational efficiency in sectors facing long-term challenges, to sustain growth and regional development.

Also, projects must:

• be new initiatives or expand existing activities
• address gaps in the current business support ecosystem in regional Queensland
• not duplicate existing services or activities.

The Regional Business Gateways Program uses a 2-stage application process.

Your organisation must be based in regional Queensland* and be a:

• local council
• chamber of commerce, industry, or trade organisation
• not-for-profit business networking or enabling organisation
• or
• a consortium led by at least one of the above.

*For the purposes of this program, regional Queensland includes all areas outside the Brisbane City Council local government area.

Your organisation must also:

• be currently operating, and have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
• have a minimum trading history of 1 year
• be registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST)
• have a registered regional Queensland location
• not be insolvent
• hold or obtain a minimum $10 million public liability insurance
• have appropriate governance and financial systems in place to manage the project
• comply with all relevant legal obligations.

• Email: regionalbusinessgateways@desbt.qld.gov.au