- The Crisafulli Government has launched a new innovative community-led program to support regional small businesses to grow and thrive.
- The Regional Business Gateways program provides up to $600,000 per initiative to build capability, strengthen local industries and drive regional economic development and ends a decade of decline under Labor which ignored regional small and family businesses.
- The program forms part of the Crisafulli Government's Small and Family Business First agenda and is being launched during Queensland Small Business Month.
Regional small and family businesses will get a major boost with the Crisafulli Government delivering a new partnership program aimed at empowering local business communities to unlock regional opportunities and build long-term economic capacity.
The Regional Business Gateways program will support eligible chambers of commerce, industry, trade and networking organisations and councils to identify specific challenges or opportunities for small businesses in their regional communities.
Those groups can then partner with the Crisafulli Government to deliver practical support that helps local businesses unlock opportunities, grow and thrive.
It is another example of the Crisafulli Government working hand-in-glove with regional Queensland communities to unlock opportunities for local businesses to grow and thrive.
Labor's decade of decline failed to deliver the support regional small and family business needed to build resilience and embrace new opportunities.
Under the Regional Business Gateways, up to $4 million is available in Round 1 to support 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 key regional industries such as tourism, hospitality, retail and manufacturing.
Round 1 of the Regional Business Gateways program opens today, with eligible councils, chambers of commerce, not-for-profits and industry groups able to complete an expression of interest.
Eligible applicants can apply for funding between $250,000 to $600,000 per initiative to:
- strengthen local supply chains and business to business collaboration.
- support under-represented, early-stage, and micro-businesses.
- build resilience and operational efficiency in sectors facing long-term challenges, to sustain growth and regional development.
Minister for Small and Family Business Steve Minnikin said the new program would deliver new opportunities for small and family businesses in regional Queensland.
"I am proud to launch the innovative Regional Business Gateways program during Queensland Small Business Month," Minister Minnikin said.
"This is not just another grants program. This is a community-led program focusing on delivering "Gateways" which are flexible, high-impact access points that help small businesses connect with knowledge, tools, opportunities and networks.
"Chambers of commerce, councils, trade groups, industry organisations and community partners know their regions best, and this funding will help them deliver practical initiatives that strengthen local small and family business ecosystems and create long-term economic capacity."
Member for Mundingburra Janelle Poole said the timing of Regional Business Gateways program was ideal to support small and family businesses under pressure from the international fuel crisis.
"We want small and family businesses to thrive and we are providing the right support and the right time to meet the challenges facing small and family businesses," Ms Poole said.
Member for Thuringowa Natalie Marr said the Regional Business Gateway program recognised the unique challenges regional Queensland small and family businesses face when delivering for their local communities.
"Whether it's helping small businesses connect with major infrastructure projects and supply chain opportunities, or bringing together councils, chambers of commerce and industry groups around a shared regional growth strategy, these projects will help unlock opportunities that are unique to small and family businesses in each region," Ms Marr said.
Member for Townsville Adam Baillie said local input across regional Queensland was vital to ensuring local communities, and local small and family businesses continued to grow and thrive
"The Crisafulli Government is putting regional communities in the driver's seat to shape the small and family business support and economic opportunities that matter most to them," Mr Baillie said.
To be eligible, projects must be based in regional Queensland.
The Regional Business Gateways program is now open for expressions of interest until 17 July 2026. View eligibility, guidelines and apply via www.business.qld.gov.au/regional-business-gateway .
