A number of Melbourne businesses have banded together to help out small businesses in the area that are facing difficult times due to the ongoing pandemic.
The Community Business Alliance is composed of a diverse group of businesses from tradespeople and accountants to digital specialists who are offering their services free of charge to smaller businesses who are in need of support. These services include assistance grant applications, banking transactions, consultations, plumbing and repair services.
In a statement, the alliance said that it believes that support for small businesses from the Victorian Government is severely lacking and the strict criteria businesses must meet to be eligible for funding is out of touch with reality. The group is also calling on the Government to step up their support of SMEs, making small businesses aware of their services and to call on other businesses who are in the fortunate position to help those who are struggling.
The group fears that many more businesses will fold between now and Christmas, but if many businesses will make it to Christmas and New Year they will have the injection that might just save their business.
“If you are experiencing a 70 per cent loss in revenue your business is most likely in severe debt or simply isn’t able to operate,” Sagar Sethi, the founder of the Community Business Alliance, said. “The government grants have such strict criteria attached and, in many cases, it is too little too late.
“We are taking the initiative now to try and see as many SMEs through to Christmas so they can get that boost they need,” Sethi added. “The alliance is actively recruiting more businesses to add to what we can offer the business community and to let small businesses know we are here to help.”
