BizGiver is back: Your chance to win a $5,000 small business grant

Twice a year, BizCover runs the BizGiver competition and awards a $5,000 grant to one hard-working Aussie small business owner.

The BizGiver small business competition is now back, and we have another grant to give away to one deserving winner. All you need to do is create a one-minute video that tells us about your business and how you would use $5,000 to improve it.*

The competition officially opens on 9 October 2024 and closes on 9 December 2024.

Read on to learn more about the BizGiver grant, how you can enter, and see what advice past finalists have to give about entering the competition.

Meet the previous BizGiver finalists

In April of this year, we received 72 entries from all over Australia. These videos were watched more than 5,000 times collectively and garnered 838 total votes. Here are some of the finalists.

Coedie from OneTime Productions

Also known as the Boy of Many Colours, Coedie is a proud Yidinji and Mbar Barrum man who sees himself as a filmmaker, musician and storyteller. He is the co-founder of OneTime Productions, a family-owned and operated business based in Cavanbah/Byron Bay, NSW, that offers videography services. OneTime Productions offers their services across Australia and has also had the opportunity to work with multi-talented First Nations musician Emily Wurramura.

Kate from Sir Botanical

Based in Fremantle, WA, Sir Botanical is a florist with a difference. Primarily a wedding and event florist, Sir Botanical also offers classes and workshops for those looking to learn more about the art of floristry. Now that Sir Botanical is in its sixth year as a successful, growing, local business, co-founder Kate says she “can’t imagine doing anything else”.

Melissa from Refine Health and Wellness

Melissa is a qualified naturopath, psychologist and yoga instructor based in Queensland who provides holistic healthcare services to people both in-person and through telehealth appointments. Melissa says the vision of Refine Health and Wellness is “to positively impact the trajectory of someone’s health journey to create a real, lasting, generational wellness legacy.”

Why you should enter the BizGiver grant competition

Participating in the BizGiver competition offers small businesses around Australia more than just a chance at a $5,000 grant. There are many other benefits and opportunities that come along with entering the competition. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand, the BizGiver grant could be what your business needs to reach the next level.

Expand your reach

BizGiver provides a platform for you to increase your business’s visibility, expand your reach and acquire new customers through free publicity.

Founder and owner of Refine Health and Wellness, Melissa, says she was grateful and humbled by the overwhelming support she received from her local community. As word spread about her BizGiver entry, more and more people began cheering her on.

“I think one of the reasons I made it to the finals was because of the amazing support I received from friends, family, colleagues. Even my local yoga studio,” says Melissa. “Everyone was saying, ‘Make sure you vote for Melissa!’”

Flex your creativity

While videography is Coedie’s bread and butter, submitting a video like this to the BizGiver competition was a first. This gave the Boy of Many Colours a chance to flex his creative muscles and try something new and different, compounding his business journey into one attention-grabbing, dynamic video.

“This was my first time entering the BizGiver competition. It felt like I had a lot of freedom in the way I was putting [my submission] forward; but it was hard making it into a one-minute video because I felt like there was just so much story to tell!”

Some people may be deterred from entering the competition if they feel like they’re not creatively inclined, or don’t have the skills needed to make a short video. But these days, you don’t need an array of expensive, high-tech equipment to make a short video – you can accomplish a surprising amount on just your smartphone. You might even surprise yourself with the end product once you put your mind to it.

Kate, pictured centre, with her fellow Sir Botanical co-founders.

It’s easy to enter

We understand that small business owners often have a lot on their plates, and don’t have much spare time. That’s why we’ve made it simple and easy to enter the BizGiver competition.

Kate of Sir Botanical had never entered BizGiver (or any other kind of small business grant competition) before. As a BizCover newsletter subscriber, one email helped her make up her mind to try her luck and enter the competition.

“When I saw last year’s BizGiver winner, I thought: I can make a video. I can do that. So I did,” says Kate.

“This was my first time entering BizGiver,” Kate continues. “And entering the competition itself was so easy and seamless. My advice to anyone else thinking of entering BizGiver is just to do it.”

You could win the top prize

The BizGiver competition is our way of giving back to our community of small business owners. It can offer you exposure and the chance to gain new customers, introducing you to different audiences who may not otherwise get to know your business.

However, there’s no denying that the main prize is the $5,000 small business grant, which could go a long way to helping your business achieve its goals.

Enter the competition between 9 October and 9 December 2024 and tell us what your business is all about and how you would use $5,000 to help improve your business. What are you waiting for? Upload your video today and you could become the next BizGiver winner.

*Please read the full BizGiver terms and conditions.