The Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements WA will provide financial support to eligible small and medium businesses in Western Australia who were directly impacted by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie and Tropical Cyclone Ilsa. The program is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and State Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

About the grants

Introduction

Reimbursement grants of up to $50,000 for eligible small businesses and $75,000 for eligible medium businesses are available to assist with the costs of cyclone-related clean-up and reinstatement for those businesses directly impacted by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie (28 December 2022 to 7 February 2023) and Tropical Cyclone Ilsa (13 April 2023).

The Commonwealth and Western Australian Governments are jointly funding under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) the following programs:

  • Small Business Recovery Grants Program (Small Business Program)
  • Medium Business Recovery Grants Program (Medium Business Program)

The purpose of these programs is to provide financial support to eligible small and medium businesses directly impacted by Cyclone Ellie and Ilsa, to assist with the costs of cleaning up cyclone-related debris and resuming operations. A small business has fewer than 20 full-time equivalent employees, and a medium business has between 20 and 199 full-time equivalent employees.

Small and Medium Businesses located or operating in the following local government areas may be eligible for these programs:

Ex-TC Ellie

  • Shire of Broome
  • Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley
  • Shire of Halls Creek
  • Shire of Derby-West Kimberley

TC Ilsa

  • Shire of Broome
  • Town of Port Hedland
  • Shire of East Pilbara

Applications for the Small Business Program and Medium Business Program close at 5pm, Friday 30 June 2024.

Program overview

The reimbursement grants will assist small and medium businesses in the defined disaster area for Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie and Tropical Cyclone Ilsa to continue or recommence operations as soon as possible. The grants are not intended to meet costs that can be claimed under insurance, or replace income lost because of the disasters.

Grant applications up to the maximum amount can be made in one claim. In this case, applicants must provide evidence that full payment has been made.

If required, multiple applications can be made up to the maximum grant amount available under the Programs. In these circumstances the following applies:

  1. Tier 1: An initial amount of up to $15,000 is available (an initial claim). To support an initial claim; quotations, invoices and official receipts are required and can be supported by evidence such as photographs. Where an applicant is approved for funding under $15,000 (Tier 1) on the supply of a quote and does not seek further payment under Tier 2, the applicant may be required to provide evidence of payment within 12 months of receiving the Tier 1 grant.
  2. Tier 2: A Subsequent amount(s) of up to a total of $35,000 for the Small Business Program and $60,000 for the Medium Business Program is available (a subsequent claim). To support subsequent claims, full evidence of payment is required. This evidence must also be provided for any amounts claimed under the initial claim if evidence of full payment has not already been provided.

Applicants registered for GST must claim for reimbursement of costs exclusive of GST. Applicants not registered for GST may claim for reimbursement of costs inclusive of GST.

By submitting an application, and by accepting any grant, an Applicant is deemed to have agreed to comply with the terms and conditions of the programs.

Download full program guidelines and terms and conditions

Read the frequently asked questions

Purpose of grants

Grants must be used for clean-up and reinstatement including:

  • Hiring or leasing equipment and materials to undertake clean-up of property, premises or equipment.
  • Purchasing equipment and materials for clean-up (if they are not normally available for lease or hire, such as consumables and buckets).
  • Carting away debris, damaged goods and material, including cost of disposal.
  • Payment for tradespeople to conduct safety inspections.
  • Repairing a building or repairing or replacing fittings in a building, if the repair or replacement is essential for resuming operations of the business.
  • Purchase or hire/lease costs for equipment essential to the immediate resumption of operations.
  • Additional labour costs to clean a property, premises or equipment (if the costs would not ordinarily have occurred or exceeds the cost of what would have been incurred without the disaster).
  • Leasing of temporary premises to resume business operations.
  • Replacement of lost or damaged stock which is essential to the immediate resumption of operations.

Grants should not be used for:

  • Activities associated with the clean-up and reinstatement of small and medium businesses that are not directly resulting from the Ex-TC Ellie or TC Ilsa.
  • Where adequate evidence cannot be provided.
  • Own labour (including payment of existing staff salaries that would not have ordinarily been incurred and own equipment).
  • Loss of income.
  • Costs associated with preparing and acquitting DRFA applications.
  • Legal costs.
  • If the small business is home based, clean-up and reinstatement costs for other household damage not directly attributable to the business.

Eligibility criteria

General

To be eligible for either the Small Business Program or Medium Business Program, an applicant must own a business that:

  1. Suffered direct flood damage as a result of Ex-TC Ellie or direct storm damage as a result of TC Ilsa to business premises and/or tools of trade (for example, plant and equipment) and the essential cost of repair or replacement are the applicant’s responsibility.
  2. Was conducting (at least sometime on a regular basis) business in the disaster area prior to and at the time of the event.
  3. Is intending to recommence trading or re-establish the business enterprise in the defined disaster area for the eligible disaster.
  4. Has an active Australian Business Number (ABN), and that ABN was active in the disaster area immediately prior to and during the disaster.
  5. For a sole trader: have derived more than 50 per cent of income from the business at the date of the declared disaster.
  6. Is not a:
    • non-profit organisation that relies on grant funding or donations for the majority of income
    • part of a national chain (except for franchises)
    • superannuation fund
    • personal investment vehicle; or
    • farm enterprise or primary producer (except for retail outlets).

Small Business Program

In addition to meeting the ‘Eligibility Criteria - General’ listed above, small businesses intending to apply for the Small Business Program must meet the eligibility criteria listed below:

  • Employed fewer than 20 full-time-equivalent employees at the time of the disaster.

Medium Business Program

In addition to meeting the ‘Eligibility Criteria - General’ listed above, medium businesses intending to apply for the Medium Business Program should meet the eligibility criteria listed below:

  • Employed between 20 and 199 full-time-equivalent employees at the time of the disaster.

Ineligible applicants

Applicants will not be eligible for a grant, or part of a grant, under either the Small Business Program or Medium Business Program if:

  1. the applicant has received, or has been approved to receive, financial assistance for the same costs, from another government or other assistance scheme. Note, if an applicant has submitted an application to another scheme (alternative application), the assessment of their application for a Small or Medium Business Recovery Grant may be deferred until the outcome of the alternative application has been decided or withdrawn by the applicant; or
  2. the applicant is entitled to receive a payment under an insurance policy for costs (however, the applicant may be eligible for a grant for the portion of costs that are not covered by their insurance, or for amounts in excess of the value insured).

Separate businesses

For recovery grants, the general rule is one recovery grant per Australian business number (ABN). However, there are exceptions where separate business entities are registered under a single ABN but can demonstrate the commercial viability and autonomy of each business.

In some cases, the owner of the premises is not the owner of the business and both may wish to claim assistance. For example, the building owner may be responsible for the restoration of building and shop fittings, while the business owner may be responsible for stock and equipment. In this case, each party should make their own claim.

Please contact grants@smallbusiness.wa.gov.au if you wish to make applications for separate businesses for further eligibility details.

How to apply

Preparing for your Application

Prepare for your application by gathering the following information and documents. Documents can be provided in PDF, JPG or PNG formats, but not as printed copies* . Electronic copies of documents will not be accepted if they are redacted or in any way designed to mislead.

Australian Business Number (ABN)

You can find this number on any letter the government has sent to your business Alternatively you can use the ABN Lookup tool to search your business. You do not need to provide supporting evidence, simply quote this number.

Confirmation that you are the owner-occupier of your business premises

A copy of your rates assessment.

Evidence that your business was actively operating at the time of the cyclones

Electronic copies* of one of the following can be submitted:

  • Business tax return statement for FY22-23.
  • Business Activity Statement (BAS) for either January – March 2023 or April – June 2023 quarters.
  • Profit and loss statement for January and February 2023 (Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie) or April and May 2023 (Tropical Cyclone Ilsa), produced by an accountant or your accounting software, such as MYOB or Xero.
  • Bank statement (from a period between 1 January 2023 and 30 April 2023), showing business transactions.

A list of links to your business social media accounts can also help support your application. Excel spreadsheets and handwritten ledgers are not accepted.

If you are a sole trader, confirmation that at least 50 per cent of your income comes from your business

Details of your insurer

The name of your insurance company, your policy number and itemised statements of payments made for damage.

Details of previous government grants that you have applied for related to Tropical Cyclones Ellie and Ilsa

You will be asked if you have previously applied for one of these grants (no evidence is required).

*Should you have difficulty providing electronic copies of documents, please contact the Grants Team by email at grants@smallbusiness.wa.gov.au.

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