Business Growth Program NT

Purpose and Program Overview

The Business Growth Program NT is a Northern Territory Government initiative designed to help Territory businesses improve their performance, sustainability and profitability. The program provides financial assistance for eligible professional advice, services and systems that support business growth, development and expansion.

Eligible businesses can receive between $2,000 and $10,000, with the program reimbursing 50% of eligible service costs. Funding can be accessed through a single application or multiple applications during a financial year, up to a total of $10,000. The program does not provide a stated overall funding pool; instead, the NT Government advises that the program can close when the available funding allocation has been exhausted.

The program focuses on professional services rather than the purchase of physical assets or ordinary operating expenses. Supported services cover areas such as strategic planning, workforce development, marketing, financial planning, business improvement, supply chain management, ESG and information and communication technology (ICT).

Key Grant Details

• Grant amount: $2,000 to $10,000 per eligible business per financial year.
• Funding rate: 50% reimbursement of eligible service costs.
• Maximum annual funding: $10,000 across one or multiple applications.
• Current closing date: 30 September 2026, according to the current business.gov.au listing.
• Program availability: Funding may close earlier if the available allocation is exhausted.
• Eligible applicants: Northern Territory small businesses, Territory enterprises, Aboriginal enterprises and eligible not-for-profit organisations.
• Employee requirement: At least 1 and no more than 50 full-time equivalent employees.
• Turnover requirement: More than $75,000 and less than $10 million annually.
• Co-contribution: Yes. The applicant effectively contributes the remaining 50% of eligible service costs.
• Location: Northern Territory.
• Service provider: Eligible services must be delivered by an approved service provider, subject to the program’s provider requirements.

Priority Sectors

The Business Growth Program NT does not identify specific priority industries or sectors. The program is available across a broad range of Northern Territory businesses that meet the eligibility requirements.

Its service categories are designed to address common business development needs across different industries, including organisation, workforce, marketing, finance, operations, ESG and ICT.

Funding Scope

The program provides a reimbursement of 50% of eligible professional service costs, with funding ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 per financial year. A business can submit a single application or multiple applications, provided the combined funding does not exceed $10,000 during the financial year.

Eligible service categories include:

• Organisation: Strategic business planning, SWOT analysis, business continuity, risk management, expansion and diversification strategies, and change management.
• Workforce: Workforce planning, staff retention and attraction strategies, succession planning, skills-gap analysis and performance planning.
• People management: Human resources policies, employee skills assessment, development planning and workforce efficiency reviews.
• Cultural awareness: Cross-cultural competency assessments, diversity and inclusion strategies, cultural adaptation and reconciliation planning.
• Marketing: Marketing strategy, market assessment, branding and repositioning, communications planning, media planning and customer segmentation.
• Digital marketing: Digital marketing analysis, website development associated with rebranding or repositioning, and SEO undertaken as part of a digital marketing strategy.
• Market research: Customer research, competitive analysis, market segmentation and strategic planning for entering new markets.
• Finance: Financial planning, forecasting, cash-flow modelling, financial performance reviews, cost optimisation and financing strategies.
• Operations: Procurement, governance, work health and safety, business improvement, innovation, supply-chain management and records management.
• ESG: ESG assessments, sustainability strategies, decarbonisation planning, ESG reporting frameworks and sustainability audits.
• ICT: ICT governance, technology risk management, systems reviews, IT strategy and data management strategies.
• Mentoring and coaching: Mentoring and coaching that helps business managers implement improvements within an eligible service category.

Funded activities must generally be completed within six months of receiving the funding offer, with the specific dates recorded in the funding agreement. Reimbursement is generally paid in one payment after the approved services have been completed and the acquittal has been accepted.

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the Business Growth Program NT, an applicant must generally:

• Be a Territory Enterprise operating in the Northern Territory.
• Hold a valid Australian Business Number (ABN).
• Have been operating in the Northern Territory for at least six months before applying.
• Have at least one full-time equivalent employee.
• Have no more than 50 full-time equivalent employees, including owners and directors.
• Have annual turnover of more than $75,000 but less than $10 million.
• Maintain a significant permanent presence in the Northern Territory.
• Employ Territorians, with the program definition also recognising certain subcontracting arrangements with NT residents.
• Use an eligible service provider for the proposed funded services.
• Not have already received the program’s $10,000 maximum allocation during the relevant financial year.

Certain organisations are excluded, including government agencies and government-owned bodies, statutory corporations, local government bodies and private or public educational institutions. Applicants may also be ineligible where they have outstanding grant acquittals or obligations, are insolvent or subject to undischarged bankruptcy, have a conflict of interest with the service provider, or have otherwise reached the program’s annual funding limit.

Applicants must also comply with applicable laws and regulatory requirements and may be subject to due diligence, audit and documentation requests by the Northern Territory Government.

Eligible Activities and Expenses

The Business Growth Program is primarily intended to fund professional advice, consultancy and related services that directly support the commercial operation and development of a business.

Examples of eligible activities include:

• Strategic business planning and growth planning.
• Business continuity and risk management planning.
• Workforce planning and succession planning.
• Human resources policies and workforce development strategies.
• Marketing and communications strategies.
• Branding and business repositioning.
• Digital marketing strategy and SEO as part of an eligible digital marketing strategy.
• Market research and new-market entry planning.
• Financial forecasting, budgeting and cash-flow modelling.
• Procurement and supply-chain optimisation.
• Governance and operational policy development.
• Business process improvement and automation planning.
• Customer experience analysis.
• ESG and sustainability planning.
• ICT strategy, governance and systems reviews.
• Data management strategy.
• Eligible mentoring and coaching associated with implementation of supported services.

The program does not generally fund physical assets or ordinary operating expenditure. Excluded expenditure includes assets, stock, property, plant, software, hardware and equipment; wages and recurring workforce costs; utilities; training courses and workshops unrelated to implementation of a funded service; memberships and subscriptions; legal and taxation advice; recruitment costs; insurance; ongoing IT management and hosting; advertising costs; grant or tender writing; and services that commenced before funding approval.

Website development is also restricted: it may be eligible where it forms part of a rebranding or repositioning strategy, rather than being a standalone website development project.

Assessment Process

The Business Growth Program is not presented as a conventional competitive grants round with a published ranking score or fixed merit criteria. Applications undergo eligibility, service-provider and budget/expenditure assessments.

The assessment process generally involves:

1. Submission of the application through GrantsNT.
2. Assessment of the applicant’s eligibility.
3. Assessment of the proposed service provider.
4. Assessment of the quotation, budget and requested funding.
5. Notification of the application outcome.

The NT Government states that applicants can generally expect notification of the outcome within approximately five weeks after submission. The Department retains discretion over whether proposed services meet program requirements.

Applicants should therefore demonstrate a clear business need, explain the expected outcomes and provide a detailed quotation showing how the proposed professional services will address the identified business challenge.

Recent Program Updates

The current 2026 business.gov.au listing identifies the Business Growth Program NT as open, with a closing date of 30 September 2026.

The Northern Territory Government’s program page states that businesses can access up to $10,000 per financial year through one or multiple applications and that the program will close when the available funding allocation is exhausted. The current guidelines describe the broader program as ongoing, with the Northern Territory Government retaining the right to amend the guidelines, eligibility requirements or other program conditions.

Applicants should therefore confirm the current funding availability and program requirements before commencing a project or engaging a service provider.

Application Tips

Applicants should:

• Confirm that the business meets all eligibility requirements before preparing the application.
• Check the current approved service provider requirements before selecting a consultant or professional services firm.
• Clearly identify the business problem, proposed service and expected commercial outcomes.
• Obtain a detailed quotation that separates the eligible service components and costs.
• Prepare the required financial documentation, such as a recent profit and loss statement, four recent BAS statements or an appropriate accountant’s letter.
• Ensure the proposed service has not commenced before funding approval.
• Clearly explain how the proposed service will improve business performance, sustainability or profitability.
• Retain evidence of completed work and proof of payment for the acquittal process.
• Allow sufficient time for the application assessment process, particularly where a proposed service provider still requires approval.

The application requires information about the business, its current challenge, the intended outcomes and the proposed services. The quotation must include relevant provider and business details, service costs, timing, payment terms and any subcontracting arrangements.

Where to Get Help

Consider consulting a grant specialist like Pattens Group for a personalised eligibility assessment and expert assistance in preparing a strong, compliant and competitive application. Contact Pattens Group to get connected with Australia’s grant specialists, with more than 35 years of industry experience and a stated 100% success rate.

For official guidelines, application requirements, approved service provider information and current program updates, applicants should refer to the Business Growth Program NT and business.gov.au.