Business Support and Loans
To be eligible for the Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) Business Development and Assistance Program you must be over 18 years of age and at least 50 percent of the ownership of your business must be by a person(s) of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent.
If you are considering applying for business support please phone our staff on FreeCALL 1800 107 107 to talk through your business idea and eligibility. If we are satisfied your business meets the criteria of the Program, you will be invited to undertake a two-step application process.
Step One – Lodging a Business Support Application Form
Along with a well considered business proposal, your application to IBA for business support will need to include the following:
- A Business Support Application Form – which will ask you to outline your business support needs, personal and business details. IBA will supply this form and assistance if required.
- An Aboriginality or Torres Strait Islander Descent Form (PDF 328KB, new window) – which will ask you or your partner or spouse to provide evidence of your Aboriginality or Torres Strait Islander descent.
- A current VEDA Credit Reference Report – which is a personal credit history that can be obtained by visiting Veda Advantage (external website, new window).
IBA will advise you of the outcome of your request for business support within ten (10) working days of receiving the completed application.
Step Two – Choosing a business consultant
Once your application is approved you will be invited to select a suitably qualified business consultant from IBA’s Register of Business Consultants.
Making considered and informed decisions is a major part of being a successful business operator. We encourage you to talk to each of the recommended consultants before you decide on which one is right for your business.
‘Whether your business will succeed or fail depends on your abilities, initiative and capacity to work and most importantly, knowing the basics and doing them well.’ - IBA Business Consultant.
Read more about Choosing a Business Consultant and finding the right consultant for your business.
As soon as you advise us of your selection, we will inform the successful business consultant and you can begin to work together to discuss what assistance you need. Initial planning advice and ongoing assistance from your business consultant may be all the help you require to take your idea or business to the next level. Alternatively you may need to apply for a business loan.
Business loans
IBA will only offer business loans to business support recipients who can demonstrate the viability of their business proposal and their capacity to operate the business successfully.
Our business loans are intended to assist Indigenous entrepreneurs who are unable to meet bank lending criteria to establish small to medium businesses.
Find out more about business loan interest rates, loan fees and other Frequently Asked Questions.