Only one application will be accepted from an individual ABN or financial beneficiary. Successful applicants cannot reapply for this grant program in the future.
Your business must be in the financial position to pay for the approved products and services up front. SMEA will then contribute the matching funds in SMEA marketing dollars to the service provider (at the end of the campaign).
We take these factors into account:
Whilst most COVID Government Grants do not require you to match their funding their eligibility criteria are often more stringent. Typically COVID Grants require you to have suffered a substantial drop in revenue - up to 75% - that you need to prove through providing detailed reports. The Digital Transformation Grant does not require you to demonstrate a loss of revenue. We do not need any financials to approve your application. If you can afford the investment to match the grant then you can qualify. You do not need to be in a specific industry that has been directly impacted - we are happy to work with all types of businesses. Importantly if you do meet the Government Grant requirements it may also be possible to receive the SMEA Digital Transformation Grant. We make the process as simple and straightforward as possible. If you are prepared to invest in your business then we will be there by your side.
The campaign duration is between three to six months, depending on the value of your grant.
SMEA has identified a Australian-based agency that has been around for a long time as well as executed the last couple of grants for SMEA. We’re working together to ensure the campaign is tracked and monitored.
SMEA will nominate one of these agencies to execute your grant. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to use your preferred agency.
The selected agency can help you set up and optimise paid campaigns, and also get some quick wins from organic campaigns – during the 3 to 6 months that you work together. Some of the strategies (like SEO) might take a longer time to show results. If your business has never invested in digital marketing, this grant will help you get started across various marketing channels. The scope of work will be discussed and mutually agreed before the start of the campaign.
The results are visible within weeks for paid marketing campaigns. However, SEO is one strategy that may take longer (sometimes many months) to show any improvement – based on variables such as the competitiveness in your industry, and the current strength of your digital presence.
The grant will only cover setup and management fees for paid advertising campaigns. In terms of media spend, we recommend you set aside a minimum budget of $500 per month per marketing channel.
We’ve capped the grant amount at $10, 000 for each organisation, so we can help more businesses to thrive online (this is our second round of funding).
Click on the “apply now” or “submit your application” buttons on this page. We’ll then send you an email with a link to a detailed application form. Our Grants Committee will review your submission and send you a response within six to eight weeks.
SMEA has already reviewed and shortlisted local digital agencies to work on your campaign. We will select an agency with a strong performance record, that’s well suited to your needs.
This agency won’t receive any funding until your campaign has been successfully completed, to guarantee the best results for your business.
The best way is to send an email to grants@smea.org.au and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible with more information.
