EXPERT ASSISTANCE GRANT SCHEME

What is the Expert Assistance Grant Scheme?

The Expert Assistance Grant Scheme (EAGS) is one part of the Government’s Business Development Programme.

New Zealand business increasingly competes in a global market. The EAGS assists small to medium sized businesses seeking to improve competitiveness, and take advantage of the greater opportunities this presents. The scheme provides grants to encourage businesses to engage consultants in key management areas where better performance will lead to sustainable improvements in efficiency and competitiveness.

The Scheme is run by a New Zealand wide network of 21 Business Development Boards.

What Does The Scheme Offer?

EAGS offers 50% of the cost of a qualifying consultancy project to a maximum of $8,000. A reduced percentage applies where only part of a project is of a type covered by the scheme.

One grant per applicant per year is available. The exception is the general business appraisal which is available in the same year as a project in another target area.

A maximum of $20,000 per applicant in any July-June year applies for the combined total of grants approved under the EAGS and Enterprise Growth Development Scheme (EGDS).

You must apply before work starts. Grants are paid after an approved project has been completed and the consultant’s fees have been paid.

Who Can Apply?

Any business resident in New Zealand and registered for either income tax or goods and services tax purposes (ie based in New Zealand for tax purposes) meeting the following four criteria is eligible to apply:

1 Produces goods or provides services that already compete, or show potential to compete, in both domestic and international markets. This encompasses businesses that are selling or intending to sell in overseas markets and those that are selling in competition with imports; and

2 Employs no less than 5, and no more than 100 full-time or full-time equivalent staff. A staff member working for a minimum of 30 hours a week represents one full time equivalent. Part-timers should be included on the basis of full-time equivalence. eg 3 part-time staff working 10 hours a week each, represent 1 full-time equivalent (working partners or directors, and employees directly employed by the business, should be included).

3 Has been trading for not less than 18 months, (a business which has been in existence for this length of time - or more - but has not traded during this time would not be eligible).

4 Has not previously been approved a grant towards a project in the same target area of the scheme except for a business appraisal which is available every year.

What Type Of Projects Qualify?

The Scheme aims to assist management to develop and implement strategies which lead to a sustainable improvement in business performance and competitiveness. The principal focus of the project must be on improving management performance and must incorporate a planning element. Only projects which fulfil these objectives qualify for a grant.

Applications must be in one of the following nine target areas.

1 General Business Appraisal

This provides a general overview of the applicant’s business in relation to the scheme’s other target areas. It involves a comprehensive evaluation of the applicant’s performance in key management areas, and recommends where most value would be obtained from engaging further specialist assistance.

An appraisal carried out as an initial stage of further consulting work in another area (eg marketing) does not qualify in this category. However, this may form part of a qualifying project in the other area.

2 Business Planning

Assistance is available to help applicants apply appropriate techniques to their business planning processes. It may help them to:

• understand their strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats

• evaluate what business they should be in, how they should be positioned in that business, and what research and development, production and marketing is required to attain that position

• develop strategies to achieve more immediate goals, and secure a sound basis for future growth.

This area provides assistance for the World Competitive Manufacturing (WCM) and World Competitive Services (WCS) approach to business planning. These focus on identifying and achieving a company wide commitment to Sustainable Competitive Advantage. They involve the development through a structured planning process of manufacturing, marketing, financial, human resource and innovation strategies.

Assistance is not available for a plan: