Assistance Provided to Small Businesses by NZ Government at Local Regional & Central levels.

Assistance available to SME’s [small to medium enterprises] in NZ is currently considerable. I think it can be said that most flower growing businesses in NZ would fit the SME category.

The number of SME’s with less than two employees is 500,000 employing 600,000 people.

Funding programmes are at three levels of Government, central, regional and local.  Funding varies from region to region and there are six regions in all. E.g. the Auckland region has funding available from $500 to $25,000,000; the average is $849,069 available as either grants or loans.

The Business.govt.nz site provides extensive lists of recipients by region, company and amount. There are loans/grants & subsidies/tax breaks/business advantages and they are granted for the following –

Exploration & evaluation; renovation maintenance and upgrade; business start-ups; marketing; productivity & operating capital; product development & improvement; training certification & wage support; relocation.

Visit the site, look at the FAQ page and take the ‘do you qualify test’ which they claim only takes 45 seconds for you to learn how you may be eligible for a grant or loan. Have a go, you never know!!

The link is below to assist interested growers to learn more on the possibilities

Chris Smellie

NZFGA

http://www.nzfundinggrants.org/