Who can submit an expression of interest for Ready for Growth?
To be considered for Ready for Growth, businesses must meet the following program requirements:
- be a legally structured business in Victoria
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
- have been in operation for at least three years
- have more than four employees and fewer than 200 employees
- have an annual revenue of less than $20 million
- meet all industrial relations obligations as an employer in accordance with the National Employment Standards.
What other factors will be considered?
The Department will also consider the following factors to prioritise the order and timing of participants into Ready for Growth.
- A demonstrated growth track record or intention to grow. For example, the business is export ready, has expansion plans with job creation and/or purchasing new plant and machinery.
- Priority industry sectors: a business’s primary business activity as reflected in the business’s ABN registration information. Businesses should check that their details on the Australian Business Register website are correct prior to submitting an expression of interest. This includes ensuring that the industry classification (ANZSIC class code) linked to their ABN registration correctly captures their primary business activity.
- Business location: a business’s primary business address as reflected in the business’s ABN registration information.
To maximise the benefits of the program, the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR) will also consider the industry sector that the business operates in as part of the selection process, which may also influence the timing of your invitation to participate.
How many businesses will be supported through Ready for Growth?
The Victorian Government’s Ready for Growth program will support 1000 high growth businesses located in Victoria over the next two years.
Does my participation in Ready for Growth cost anything?
No, there are no costs associated with participating in Ready for Growth, however you will need to invest your time. We expect participation in the program will involve 7 to 14 hours.
How to get involved in Ready for Growth?
If you are interested in participating in Ready for Growth you may submit an expression of interest. All fields in the expression of interest form must be answered to enable timely assessment.
Your expression of interest to the program will be assessed by DJSIR. If successful, the timing of your commencement of the program will be subject to demand, the type of industry your business operates in, and geographical location.
What role does BDO Australia have in Ready for Growth?
BDO Australia is the delivery partner supporting Ready for Growth. BDO is one of the world’s leading audit and accounting organisations. The Growth Facilitators within BDO have been hand-picked because of their industry experience and knowledge of how to support businesses to achieve their growth potential.
Does the business need to be located in Victoria?
Yes. The business must have a physical presence in Victoria. To demonstrate this, the main business location of the applicant’s ABN must be listed as being in Victoria on the Australian Business Register at the time of application.
I have two businesses. Can I apply for Ready for Growth for both companies?
No. You can only participate in the program with one business at a time.
How are expressions of interest being assessed?
Businesses who register an expression of interest will be assessed in order of submission (see the Participant guidelines) and according to the Requirements for Participation. The type of industry your business operates in, and geographical location may influence the timing of your invitation to participate in Ready for Growth.
What if I don’t meet the requirements to participate in Ready for Growth?
Businesses that don’t meet the requirements to participate in Ready for Growth may be eligible for other forms of support. Please visit the Ready for Growth program page for more information.
How do I know if I meet the requirements for Ready for Growth and have been invited to participate?
You or an authorised representative of your business will receive an email from Business Victoria inviting you to participate. Within the email will be a link to the Ready for Growth portal hosted on the BDO website and a unique user code to start your Ready for Growth journey.
You need to have a unique user code, provided by Business Victoria, to unlock the Ready for Growth portal. If you don’t have a valid unique user code, you will be re-directed to lodge an expression of interest on the Business Victoria website.
Can I share my unique user code with other members of my business?
Yes, the unique user code is directly linked to your business and only one unique user code will be issued per business. It identifies your business as a Ready for Growth participant.
What does Ready for Growth involve?
Ready for Growth has been modelled on successful international programs and involves a self-assessment of business strengths and weaknesses. The program will assist Victorian businesses to identify opportunities to grow and succeed. Participants will be directed to the Ready for Growth portal on BDO’s website to commence the program.
Program steps
- Submit a Growth Assessment.
- Create an account to access your results and set up your Portal.
- Based on your answers, you will be matched with a Growth Facilitator who will determine which program stream you will participate in.
- Work with your Growth Facilitator to build a robust Growth Action Plan.
- Meet with your Growth Facilitator regularly and work towards your goals.
- Graduate from the program and transition to the next phase of growth.
How does the application assessment process work?
Businesses must meet the Requirements of Participation to submit an expression of interest via the Business Victoria website. DJSIR will assess applications within 30 business days of submission, and eligible businesses will be invited to participate in the program. Businesses that are invited to join the program must respond to accept the invitation to commence within 30 days.
What support does a Growth Facilitator provide?
A Growth Facilitator will help your business to:
- develop a Growth Action Plan
- find grants and programs to support growth
- improve connections to networks and ecosystems
- connect to peers through the Alumni Network.
Can I choose my Growth Facilitator?
No. You will be matched to a Growth Facilitator that suits your business and industry sector.
How long does Ready for Growth run for?
You will have regular one-on-one virtual meetings with your Growth Facilitator at agreed intervals. We expect you to invest between 7 to 14 hours of your time throughout the duration of the program.
Can I bring my team to the meetings?
To set up a clear purpose and to make meetings more meaningful, only one program participant can attend the virtual meetings, unless otherwise negotiated with your Growth Facilitator.
Can I invite other team members to the Ready for Growth portal?
Yes. The Ready for Growth participant can request access to their business portal for additional members of their organisation via their Growth Facilitator.
How will my personal information be treated?
For an explanation of BDO Australia's practices and policies related to the collection, use and storage of our users' information, please read the Privacy Policy.
What should I do if I have technical issues accessing the Ready for Growth portal?
We understand that sometimes the unexpected does happen. Please take a screenshot of the problem/error message and email readyforgrowth@bdo.com.au.