Queensland-wideBusiness Queensland
Starting a business in Queensland
A practical Queensland guide to testing an idea, choosing a structure, registering and preparing to trade.
Buy Local Sunshine Coast presents
The Small Business Guide
One practical place to go straight to trusted programs, tools and guides for businesses across the Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Gympie.
- Local coverage
- 3 council regions
- Direct by design
- Each resource once
- Review rhythm
- Checked monthly
Choose your next move
Help for the job in front of you.
Every resource has one clear home. Funding is further separated into local, Queensland, Australian Government and private sources.
Direct resource directory
Find the support you need.
Browse the full list by help type, or search for “grant”, “permit”, “mentor” or “tender” and narrow by region.
Start & plan
Business setup, planning, locations and growth pathways.
Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast Council
Starting your business
A local pathway through business setup, location, approvals and the services that can help you begin.
GympieGympie Regional Council
Investing in the Gympie Region
Information and council support for businesses starting, relocating or expanding in the Gympie Region.
Grants & finance
Local, state, federal and private funding clearly separated by source.
Local council grant
A direct council grant for eligible projects with local economic benefit.
NoosaNoosa Council
Noosa Council Economic Development Grant
Funding for eligible projects that strengthen Noosa's business environment and create broader local economic benefit.
Good to know: This is not a general business-expense grant. Contact Council before applying; availability and eligibility apply.
Queensland Government
State grant programs and live Queensland Government funding searches.
Queensland-wideBusiness Queensland
Queensland small business grant schedule
The live schedule for current and upcoming Queensland small and family business grant rounds.
Good to know: Opening dates and program status can change; use this live schedule.
Queensland-wideQueensland Government
Queensland Government Grants Finder
Search Queensland Government grants and subscribe for alerts that match your interests.
Australian Government
Federal grants, rebates, subsidies and business support programs.
Queensland-wideAustralian Government — business.gov.au
Australian Government Grants and Programs Finder
Filter federal grants and support programs by location, industry, business stage and the help you need.
Public + private funding finder
Search local, state, federal, commercial and philanthropic opportunities.
Sunshine Coast + NoosaSunshine Coast Council, Noosa Council + GrantGuru
Sunshine Coast Funding Finder
A council-supported search tool covering local, Queensland, Australian Government, commercial and philanthropic funding.
Good to know: Free for local businesses and organisations; registration is required to search and save opportunities.
Private investment — not a grant
Commercial investment for eligible growth ventures; funding is exchanged for equity.
Sunshine CoastSunCoast Angels
SunCoast Angels
Private seed and growth investment for eligible, scalable ventures seeking capital and investor expertise.
Good to know: This is investment, not grant funding. Suitability, minimum capital needs and equity terms apply.
Financial help — not a grant
Free financial support for eligible businesses experiencing difficulty.
Queensland-wideBusiness Queensland
Free small business financial counselling
Free, confidential financial counselling for eligible small businesses experiencing financial difficulty.
Good to know: This is support, not a grant. Check current eligibility and service areas.
Advice & skills
Mentoring, specialist help, training and business health checks.
Queensland-wideBusiness Queensland
Business Assist
Free navigation help to connect your business with relevant Queensland Government services, programs and information.
Queensland-wideBusiness Queensland
Mentoring for Growth
Free mentoring sessions with experienced business people for a defined challenge or opportunity.
Good to know: Eligibility and session formats vary; check the current program page.
Queensland-wideBusiness Queensland
Business performance assessment tools
Self-assessment tools covering business health, finance, people, digital capability, marketing and start-up readiness.
Queensland-wideBusiness Queensland
Business short courses and micro-credentials
Find short, practical courses designed to build specific professional and business skills.
NoosaNoosa Council
Noosa Business Boost — free specialist advice
Access a limited amount of free specialist advice across planning, digital, marketing, grants, energy and mentoring.
Good to know: For businesses with a Noosa Shire registered ABN; current limits and eligibility apply.
NoosaPeregian Digital Hub
Peregian Digital Hub
Entrepreneurship, technology and digital-skills programs for the local innovation community.
Permits & licences
Local approvals, licences, planning and regulatory guidance.
Queensland-wideBusiness Queensland
Business Launchpad
Build a tailored list of licences, permits and regulatory requirements across local, state and Australian government.
Good to know: Useful before opening, relocating or changing a business.
Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast Council
Planning and development for business
Understand zoning, whether development approval may be required and how to seek early advice.
Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast Council
Sunshine Coast permits and licences
Find local approval pathways for food, personal appearance, tourism, public land and other regulated activities.
NoosaNoosa Council
Noosa licensing, permits and forms
Find Noosa regulations, licences, permit applications and related council forms.
GympieGympie Regional Council
Gympie approvals, licences and permits
Find Gympie Regional Council approvals, licences and permits that may apply to your business activity.
GympieGympie Regional Council
Gympie development
Access local planning, building, plumbing and development application information.
Sell to government
Council procurement, tender alerts and supplier opportunities.
Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast Council
Sunshine Coast Council supplier guide
Learn how Council buys goods and services, what suppliers need and where procurement opportunities are advertised.
Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast Council
Sunshine Coast Council current tenders
Access tender alerts, VendorPanel guidance and current Sunshine Coast Council opportunities.
NoosaNoosa Council
Noosa Council tenders and procurement
Learn how Noosa Council procures goods and services and access current tender information.
GympieGympie Regional Council
Gympie Regional Council tenders
Find Gympie Regional Council tender opportunities and supplier process information.
GympieGympie Regional Council
Gympie Region Business Capability Directory
List your capability so local buyers and major projects can discover Gympie Region products and services.
Resilience & wellbeing
Disaster planning, financial pressure, wellbeing and disputes.
Queensland-wideBusiness Queensland
Small business disaster hub
Prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters, IT threats and workplace emergencies.
Queensland-wideBusiness Queensland
Health and wellbeing for business owners
Personalised wellbeing support and practical mental-health resources for business owners and their teams.
Queensland-wideQueensland Small Business Commissioner
Commercial leasing dispute help and mediation
Information, informal assistance and mediation pathways for retail shop and commercial leasing disputes.
Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast Council
Preparing your business
Local continuity planning, emergency preparation and recovery resources for unexpected disruptions.
Networks & updates
Events, newsletters, local networks and business news.
Queensland-wideBusiness Queensland
Business events calendar
Search workshops, webinars and business events by topic, location, date and delivery format.
Queensland-wideBusiness Queensland
Business Queensland Connect newsletter
Monthly Queensland business updates covering grants, events, obligations and practical support.
Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast Council
Sunshine Coast business news and events
Council business news, events and a pathway to the fortnightly business eNews.
NoosaNoosa Council
Noosa associations and agencies
An official directory of local business associations, industry groups and support agencies.
NoosaNoosa Council
Noosa Business Connects eNewsletter
Stay informed about Noosa business programs, events, opportunities and council updates.
GympieGympie Regional Council
Gympie Economic Development Newsletter
Receive local industry insights and funding opportunities from Council, Queensland and Australian governments.
Your local starting point
Show support for your council area.
Choose your area to see local resources together with Queensland-wide support that also applies there.
Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast
See direct Sunshine Coast Council resources plus relevant Queensland-wide support.
Noosa
Noosa
See direct Noosa Council resources plus relevant Queensland-wide support.
Gympie
Gympie
See direct Gympie Regional Council resources plus relevant Queensland-wide support.
Make the support work for you
Three useful habits before you apply or enquire.
Official programs can save time and money, but the right preparation makes it easier to get a useful answer.
- 01
Write down the decision
Be specific about what you are trying to start, fix, fund or confirm.
- 02
Check eligibility first
Read the current provider page before investing time in an application.
- 03
Ask early
For permits, planning and grants, early advice can prevent avoidable rework.
Good to know
About this guide.
This is a curated starting point, not a replacement for advice from the organisation responsible for a program or requirement.
How are resources chosen?
We link directly to a useful program, service, tool, guide, schedule or specialist directory. Broad pages that mainly repeat this directory are left out.
How are grants and funding labelled?
Every funding card states whether it is a local council grant, Queensland Government support, Australian Government support, a public and private funding finder, private investment, or financial help that is not a grant.
Are grants and tenders always open?
No. Availability changes. We link to live schedules, finders and provider pages instead of copying statuses that may quickly become outdated.
What if a link or program changes?
The directory is checked monthly. The named provider remains the source of truth for eligibility, dates, costs and application requirements.
Is this legal, financial or grant advice?
No. The guide helps you find trusted information and clearly labelled tools. Contact the responsible council, agency, provider or a suitably qualified adviser for advice about your circumstances.
Source of truth
Direct links, with no general-list detours.
Council and government hubs are used to research the guide, but the directory links to the specific resource wherever one exists. We review every destination monthly and flag changes for human review.
- Sunshine Coast Council and Level Up
- Noosa Council business resources
- Gympie Regional Council business resources
- Business Queensland and Queensland Government
- Australian Government business support
- Specialist providers clearly named on each card