Grants to support service providers to deliver low-cost, high-quality advisory services that help Australian small businesses enhance digital capability, adopt new technologies, and strengthen resilience.
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What is the Australian Small Business Advisory Services – Digital Solutions Program (ASBAS-DSP)?
The Australian Small Business Advisory Services (ASBAS) – Digital Solutions (DSP) Round 3 will assist service providers to offer low cost, high quality advisory services to help small businesses to adopt digital tools, across 5 priority capabilities:
- Introduction to Digitalising Your Small Business.
- Social Media, Digital Marketing, and Selling Online.
- Using Business Software.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emerging Technologies.
- Cybersecurity and Data Privacy.
There are 3 grants available under this grant opportunity, each corresponding with a defined geographical service area. You may apply for one or more grants, to service multiple service areas. You must submit a separate application for each service area.
- Area 1 – New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory
- Area 2 – Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia
- Area 3 – South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania.
The program will fund one service provider to exclusively service the small businesses located in each service area. The program will not fund proposals that plan to cover only part of a service area.
Services must cater for a range of skill levels (such as beginner, intermediate, advanced) and improve access for First Nations and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) small business owners.
Australian Small Business Advisory Services Digital Solutions level of support
Funding Amount
- Total Funding Pool: $25.136 million over 5 years.
- Grants Available:
- Area 1 (NSW and ACT): up to $8.819 million
- Area 2 (QLD, NT, and WA): up to $7.371 million
- Area 3 (SA, VIC, and TAS): up to $8.946 million
- Minimum Grant: Not specified (up to 100% of eligible project costs).
- Maximum Grant: As listed above per area.
- The program funds one service provider per area, responsible for both metropolitan and regional delivery.
Co-contribution
- No co-contribution is required.
- The grant will fund up to 100% of eligible project expenditure.
- Applicants must cover all ineligible or additional project costs.
- Funding from other Commonwealth, state, territory, or local government sources cannot be used for the applicant’s share of project expenditure.
- The project period must run from 1 July 2026 to 29 March 2030, with a maximum duration of 49 months.
Australian Small Business Advisory Services Digital Solutions important dates
- Applications Close: 5 December 2025, 5:00 pm (AEDT)
- Assessment Period: Approx. 6 weeks
- Announcement of Results: Early 2026
- Earliest Project Start: March 2026
- Service Delivery Period: 1 July 2026 – 29 March 2030
- Project Completion: 29 March 2030
- Register your interest with GrantHelper.
Australian Small Business Advisory Services Digital Solutions objectives and outcomes
The grant aims to:
- Help business advisory providers deliver affordable, high-quality digitalisation support to small businesses.
- Enhance the capabilities of providers to offer digital advisory services that promote adoption of technology and digital tools.
- Improve access for small businesses to relevant digital support, leading to increased digital competency, growth, and operational resilience.
Expected outcomes include:
- Increased participation of small businesses in digital advisory programs.
- Stronger national digital literacy and technology adoption rates among small business owners.
Activities and expenditure eligible for Australian Small Business Advisory Services Digital Solutions support
Eligible projects must provide advisory services on digitalisation to small businesses in the nominated service area.
Activities must be in addition to the applicant’s usual business operations.
Eligible Activities Include:
- Developing training materials, online learning resources, and communication platforms.
- Delivering workshops, webinars, mentoring, and one-on-one advisory support.
- Promoting small business participation in the program.
- Conducting surveys to measure service effectiveness.
- Referring businesses to other government digital programs.
Service Requirements
- Offer advisory support across all five priority digital capabilities.
- Deliver workshops, webinars, and self-directed tutorials for different skill levels.
- Provide 5 hours of one-on-one advisory support per small business at a one-off cost of $110 (including GST), or free for businesses experiencing financial hardship.
- Ensure access for First Nations and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) small business owners.
- Maintain phone and online booking systems and collect client satisfaction data.
Ineligible Expenditure
Ineligible costs include, but are not limited to:
- Activities already funded by other programs.
- Capital works, construction, or renovation.
- Office furniture, motor vehicles, or routine operating costs (rent, utilities, insurance).
- Ongoing software subscriptions, IT maintenance, or unrelated training.
- Travel exceeding 10% of total costs or any overseas travel.
- Costs incurred before the project start date.
- Grant application preparation and financing costs.
- Any in-kind contributions or depreciation beyond the project’s life.
Other Australian Small Business Advisory Services Digital Solutions important details that you will need to know
Organisations eligible for Australian Small Business Advisory Services Digital Solutions support
Applicants must:
- Hold an ABN or Indigenous Corporation Number (ICN).
- Be registered for GST.
- Be a trading corporation, where trading activities are a significant proportion of overall operations.
- Be one of the following entities:
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- An Australian incorporated entity (including not-for-profits, charities, and companies limited by guarantee).
- An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the CATSI Act 2006 (Cth).
- An incorporated trustee applying on behalf of a trust.
Joint applications are permitted, provided there is a single eligible lead organisation.
Not Eligible:
- Individuals or partnerships.
- Unincorporated associations.
- Trusts without incorporated trustees.
- All levels of government or non-corporate Commonwealth entities.
- Organisations listed on the National Redress Scheme as non-participating.
- Employers with 100+ staff that have not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012).
Australian Small Business Advisory Services Digital Solutions assessment criteria
Applications must address all three criteria and achieve at least 50% in each to be considered.
Criterion 1 – Improving Small Business Digital Capability (40%)
Applicants should demonstrate:
- How the service mix (topics, formats, channels) will improve digital skills and adoption among small businesses.
- Strategies to engage CALD and First Nations business owners.
- Plans to achieve delivery across metropolitan and regional areas.
- Marketing and promotional approaches to attract participation.
- A strong client journey from awareness to participation.
- A commitment to achieving 80% or higher client satisfaction (7/10 or above).
- How service delivery targets will be met, including advisory hours, workshops, and webinars.
Criterion 2 – Capacity, Capability and Resources (40%)
Applicants should demonstrate:
- Proven track record delivering similar programs and capacity to scale.
- Access to qualified personnel and technology infrastructure.
- Strong management systems for data privacy, cybersecurity, and reporting.
- Effective project and risk management plans.
- The ability to commence operations by 1 July 2026.
- Use of modern digital technologies for service delivery and administration.
Criterion 3 – Financial Capability and Governance (20%)
Applicants must demonstrate:
- A detailed multi-year project budget with appropriate allocation for delivery, promotion, and auditing.
- The ability to cover operational costs not funded by the grant.
- Sound governance, ideally aligned with ISO27001 or equivalent information security standards.
Information to prepare for the Australian Small Business Advisory Services Digital Solutions application
Applicants must submit the following with their application:
- A Project Plan (including risk management framework).
- A detailed multi-year project budget.
- A Marketing Strategy specific to the nominated service area.
- A Letter of Reference verifying delivery experience (with contact details).
- A Trust Deed, if applying as an incorporated trustee.
Attachments must not exceed 20MB in total (max 2MB per file).
How do I get the Australian Small Business Advisory Services Digital Solutions?
To be successful, applicants should demonstrate that they can:
- Deliver services aligned with the five digital capability areas.
- Meet the service delivery targets for advisory hours, workshops, and webinars.
- Provide equitable access for regional, CALD, and First Nations small businesses.
- Maintain systems for client data collection, reporting, and evaluation.
- Establish a professional team of qualified digital advisors.
- Demonstrate value for money and national impact.
- Have a proven record of delivering scalable business support programs.
Applications will be assessed for merit, value for money, and risk management. The Minister for Small Business will make the final funding decisions.
Applying for the Australian Small Business Advisory Services Digital Solutions
Applications must be submitted through the Business Grants Hub portal via: www.business.gov.au/ASBASDS-RD3.
Register your interest with GrantHelper to explore your alignment with this grant and how we can assist you to increase your chances of success.
Australian Small Business Advisory Services Digital Solutions resources
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