National grant opportunity designed to help Australian not-for-profits develop robust resilience

At a time when not-for-profit organisations of all shapes and sizes across the nation are considering how to become more resilient, the Community Business Bureau (CBB) has reinforced its commitment to the sector by announcing funded business model resilience consulting support as part of its successful Community Business Grants program.

The opportunity is expected to be welcome news for the nation’s not-for-profit organisations, who continue to experience significantly disrupted income streams and activities.

CBB General Manager Consulting and Business Services, Jane Arnott  said it was critical to get behind the not-for-profit sector and work with organisations so they can adapt and thrive in the months and years ahead.

“Even though the uncertainty of the past year is set to continue for some time yet, it is important that not-for-profit organisations understand that the decisions they make and resilience strategies put in place will be absolutely critical for their future success. The global pandemic, societal lockdowns and economic uncertainty have challenged organisations and their business models like never before,” Ms Arnott said.

“This grant opportunity allows organisations to work with CBB’s sector-leading business consultants to analyse the various components of their business model, such as key partners, activities, resources and revenue streams, identify potential vulnerabilities, and develop strategies which address those vulnerabilities and maximise future growth opportunities.”

The pro-bono consulting support will include workshops and business model development, as well as potential for training and capacity building.

As a not-for-profit social enterprise that provides salary packaging and business consulting services to over 600 organisations nationally, CBB’s Community Development Program assists community organisations to strengthen their social impact to ultimately deliver better community services and supports.

As one component of the Community Development Program, Community Business Grants provide organisations with opportunities to develop the strong business skills needed to ensure they are more sustainable, create a bigger social impact and ultimately do more for their communities.

Any organisation registered with the ACNC or ORIC can apply for the Community Business Grants.

In addition to reinvesting annual surplus into supporting and strengthening the NFP sector through grants and other development initiatives, CBB develops tailored solutions designed to address current and emerging trends and sector needs. The organisation also provides ATO-approved salary packaging services to employees of eligible not for profit organisations, who can see as much as 15% increase in their take-home pay.

More about the Community Business Grants can be found here with applications closing at 1pm (ACST) on Friday 5 February 2021.

This opportunity will be followed by another grant round due to open on 1 February, which has been designed to assist organisations to provide more NDIS services across Australia, particularly in regional, remote, rural, Aboriginal, and Torres Strait Islander communities. More about the NDIS Growth Community Business Grant can be found here.