The Small Business Digital Adaptation Program will allow eligible businesses to trial and then receive access to digital products, tools and training they can use to build digital capability in their day-to-day operations.
Businesses can start using a new product, like point-of-sale payment, or restore access to a lapsed product under this program. Upgrades to existing digital tools, like adding a shop to a current website, are also included.
Businesses will be able to register, and trial selected digital products from suppliers who have partnered with the Victorian Government, then choose one of these products to purchase.
Once businesses have purchased a product, they can apply for a rebate of $1,200 to access the product for 12 months.
What support is available?
The Small Business Digital Adaptation Program will help businesses to embed the use of practical digital tools that support their trading model and performance.
Through the program, businesses can register to trial selected digital business management tools to adapt websites, transition to e-commerce and manage finances, from suppliers who have partnered with the Victorian Government.
After the trial period, registered businesses can purchase a product they have trialled and apply for a rebate of $1,200 to access that product for 12 months. Businesses will need to pay the ongoing costs of access to their digital product after the first 12 months covered by the rebate.
Registered businesses must purchase or subscribe to a digital product available under this program before applying for the rebate. Proof of purchase will be required.
The program also offers free digital adaptation training and workshops to help registered businesses adopt and implement digital tools in their business.
What are the eligibility requirements for this program?
The Small Business Digital Adaptation Program is for small businesses, sole trader, and micro businesses. To be eligible for the program an applicant must:
- operate a business located in Victoria
- hold an Australian Business Number (ABN)
- have held that ABN on 13 September 2019
- be registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 13 September 2020.
Not-for-profit entities that are not registered for GST and are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission are eligible to apply.
Businesses that are not required by relevant taxation legislation to be registered for GST are eligible to apply.
To qualify for a purchase rebate the business must purchase a digital product available under the program e.g. Xero Subscription.
An eligible business, as defined by its ABN, can only receive one purchase rebate of $1,200 to cover 12 months’ access to a digital product available under this program.
How does the program work?
To progress through the program, businesses need to follow three steps:
- Complete the online registration form to confirm eligibility and participate in product trials and workshops.
- Sign up for and purchase their preferred digital product through one of the partner product suppliers available under this program.
- Apply for the purchase rebate of $1,200 to cover 12 months’ access to the product of choice.
How do I register for trials and workshops?
The partner products that have been named so far are Mr Yum, Square, Shopify, Squarespace, MYOB and Xero.
You will need to complete the online registration form by answering a series of short questions. You may be contacted after you register to verify the information provided and ensure your eligibility for the program.
How do I progress through the program?
You must register to be eligible for the program. You can access unlimited free training and workshops and multiple free product trials after you register.
You will be invited by email to apply for a purchase rebate one month after registering. This is a purchase rebate program. You must sign up for and purchase an available digital product before you apply.
You will be contacted by email six weeks after you apply for a rebate to confirm you have begun to adapt your business to a digital operating environment. Your rebate will be paid after you confirm continued product use.
You will be contacted to participate in an evaluation survey after six and 12 months to help us understand the program impact.
You will need to pay the ongoing costs following the first 12 months covered by the program.
What does the program cover?
Products chosen by eligible businesses must be:
- a new product not currently used by the business, or
- an upgrade of an existing product with additional product features providing specific digital adaptation capability (for example, upgrading an existing website to an e-commerce site), or
- a product available under the program that has been used by the business before (more than one year ago) that it would like to resume using.
The Small Business Digital Adaptation Program will not cover the cost of:
- renewals of existing product or software licences, or
- minor updates to existing products (for example, a software version update), or
- products that are not available under the program.
Registered businesses can participate in training and workshops shown in the training calendar available on the dedicated program page after registering.
Key program dates
The program will be open from 15 November 2020 to 31 March 2021. Registrations for digital product trials and workshops will remain open from 15 November 2020 until 28 February 2021.
To participate in the program, businesses must register before the trial period closes on 28 February 2021.
Applications for purchase rebates to cover 12 months’ product access will be open from 1 December 2020 to 11.59pm on 31 March 2021, or until funds are exhausted.
