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Economic Development & Tourism News - November 2023
Stay up to date and connected with Coffs Coast business news. Our November newsletter features business events, local news and opportunities, grant funding and support.
Business events
- Thursday 16 November - Business Women's Network: Coffee and Connect
- Thursday 23 November - Content Creation Workshop
- Saturday 25 November - Coffs Coast Business Awards Night in Lights
- Tuesday 28 November - Coffs Coast Champions Breakfast
- Wednesday 29 November - Switch on Your Entrepreneurial Mindset
- Wednesday 29 November - BPW Coffs Coast Women Wisdom (and Wine) Series
Local news & opportunities
- King Tide Brewing partners with National Cartoon Gallery
- Coffs Harbour Bypass project update
- Quarterly economic insights - October 2023
- Coffs Coast Explorer App and touchscreen kiosks
- Have your say: Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk Project
Grant funding & business support
- Coffs Harbour Grant Finder
- Farmers2Founders - Harvest Program
- Drive Electric NSW EV Destination Charging Grants
- Australian Apprenticeships Hiring Incentive
- Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Ventures Program
- Prepare your business for the 2023-2024 bushfire season
What's On Coffs Coast and major event calendar
UPCOMING BUSINESS EVENTS
COFFS COAST BUSINESS AWARDS - NIGHT IN LIGHTS
The Coffs Harbour Chamber of Commerce is ready to shine a light on our business community's resilience and celebrate the year in style with their 'Night in Lights' function.
As we know, Coffs Coast businesses are the engine-room of our local economy and deserve to be recognised. The Coffs Coast Business Awards are a celebration of the business community’s contribution to the economic vitality and quality of life in the region.
Saturday 25 November, 6.00pm - 11.30pm at Pacific Bay Resort
COFFS COAST CHAMPIONS BREAKFAST
Hold the date - the next Champions Breakfast will be held Tuesday 28 November.
More details to follow!
Switch on Your Entrepreneurial Mindset!
Do you love watching Shark Tank and wonder how they came up with that business idea?
Join us for an exciting in-person event, and learn how to turn on your Entrepreneurial Mindset to make that lightbulb moment happen! Don't miss this opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and gain valuable insights from start-up business experts. This could be the first step towards creating your own successful start-up.
Wednesday 29 November, 9.30am - 11.30am, Yarrila Place, 27 Gordon Street
BWN: Coffee and Connect
Come along and join us for a coffee and connect with other women in business. This free catch up allows you to mingle with other business women, get to know each other and network informally.
Thursday 16 November, 12.00pm - 1.30pm,
Yarrila Place, 27 Gordon Street
Content Creation Workshop
Are you ready to unlock the power of your smartphone to create captivating social media content? This free workshop will break down that fear of talking on camera and creating content, using simply your smart phone!
Thursday 23 November, 9.00am - 12.00pm,
Innovation Hub, Doug Knight Drive
BPW Women Wisdom (and Wine)
Expert speaker, Thea O'Connor, will share her insights and practical tips on how to prioritize self-care, manage stress, and maintain a healthy work-life balance to ultimately achieve your Personal Sustainability
Wednesday 29 November, 6.00pm - 7.30pm, Cavanbah Centre, 191 Harbour Drive
LOCAL NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES
KING TIDE BREWING PARTNERS WITH NATIONAL CARTOON GALLERY
Off the back of a collaborative Coffs Coast Champions Breakfast earlier this year, King Tide Brewing has teamed up with the National Cartoon Gallery to celebrate the 35th Annual Rotary Cartoon Awards.
Don't miss sampling the New World Pils while catching the retrospective exhibition of the Rotary Cartoon Award winners from 1989 to 2022, currently on display at King Tide Brewing, 1 Studio Lane.
Also, you are invited to join the 35th Rotary Cartoon opening night and awards presentation. The evening features great art from Australia’s best-known cartoonists as well as newcomers, across this year's themes: political, open, sport, caricature of a well-known person, comic strip, and artificial intelligence.
Date: Friday 24 November
Time: 6pm
Location: National Cartoon Gallery. 1 John Champion Way, Coffs Harbour
BYPASS PROJECT UPDATES
- Earthworks
- Managing dust
- Bridge building
- Water management and drainage
- Traffic updates
- Upcoming construction
REGIONAL ECONOMIC TRENDS
The Coffs Harbour Quarterly Economic Insights Report provides an overview of a number of datasets that give an indication of economic activity in the LGA, including employment, unemployment, construction, business trends, housing market, visitation, and state indicators.
COFFS COAST EXPLORER APP AND TOUCHSCREEN KIOSKS
Destination Coffs Coast will soon be launching two exciting new offerings to expand our visitor experience: Seven digital visitor information kiosks and a Mobile App.
The kiosks will be in key locations across the Coffs Coast and will be available 24/7 for visitors to find Places to Stay, Things to Do, Food and Drink options and much more.
The mobile app allows visitors and locals to have a wealth of destination information at their fingertips. It can be used for research before a visit, an inspiration tool to encourage visitation, and features an itinerary planner so visitors can explore more of the Coffs Coast.
Are you a tourism-based business and want to be featured on these platforms? If so, you'll need to create a free ATDW profile. The app and kiosks automatically sync information straight from ATDW, so if you're not on, you'll miss out!
HAVE YOUR SAY: DORRIGO ESCARPMENT GREAT WALK PROJECT
Public consultation on the draft master plans provides an important opportunity for the community to have a say on the new visitor centre and multi-day walk proposals for Dorrigo and Bindarri national parks, on Gumbaynggirr Country.
The Dorrigo National Park, Bindarri National Park and Bindarri State Conservation Area draft plan of management is being exhibited at the same time to seek input into the draft plan's proposed strategic management directions for these parks.
The draft plan of management and master plans are on public exhibition until 15 January 2024.
GRANT FUNDING & BUSINESS SUPPORT
COFFS HARBOUR GRANT FINDER
The City of Coffs Harbour provides a free service for locals to find grants and grant writing tips. Register to be notified of specific grants for your business or organisation.
FARMERS2FOUNDERS - HARVEST PROGRAM
This program aims to equip entrepreneurs and stakeholders across the agrifood value chain with the capabilities, resources, network and connections necessary for success.
Apply by: February 2024
NSW EV CHARGING GRANTS
This program aims to provide co-funding towards the purchase and installation of EV chargers at eligible destinations in regional NSW (including Coffs Harbour).
Apply by: 3 May 2024
APPRENTICESHIPS HIRING INCENTIVE
Eligible employers that hire a new worker Australian Apprentice can claim a hiring incentive payment to help offset the cost of taking on an Australian apprentice.
Apply by: 30 June 2024
MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT (MVP) VENTURES PROGRAM
The MVP Ventures Program supports startups and innovative SMEs in the product lifecycle between early-stage research and mature investment opportunities, through grants to drive the commercialisation of highly innovative and new products or processes. Applications will be considered on a non-competitive basis against the eligibility and assessment criteria and will be assessed in the order in which they are received.
Round 1 Applications Open: 4 December 2023
Round 1 Applications Close: 30 April 2024
PREPARE YOUR BUSINESS FOR THE 2023-2024 BUSHFIRE SEASON
Disasters come in many shapes and forms, not just the obvious bushfires or floods. Even if your business has plans to manage the direct impacts to property or assets, there are other ways your business could be impacted, such as extended electrical outages threatening perishable stock or road closures limiting access for customers or key staff.
With the demands of running a business, disaster planning may not always be the top priority. However, the damage from just one event can put you out of business permanently, especially if you are not prepared. Readying your business to survive such a catastrophe, knowing what to do when it happens and how to handle the aftermath are vital tasks for every business owner and operator.
The Small Business Commissioner's Get Ready for Disasters guides include:
- Get Ready Business: Prepare your business for disasters in five simply steps
- Prepare for the unexpected: Build a Business Continuity Plan
- Insurance claims for small business
- Get back to business: A guide to recovering from disaster
WHAT'S ON @ COFFS COAST
Coffs Coast Craft Beer and Music Festival
18 November
Made with Love Markets
19 November
Jetty Theatre 2024 Season Program Launch
8 December
Coffs Coast Carols
16 December
6 degrees is a business support initiative of City of Coffs Harbour
Please reach out to our team if you have any questions. While we may not have all the answers, we will do our best to help you find them. Check out our 6 degrees business support website for business events and resources.
For tourism industry and visitor economy business support and information, go to our Coffs Coast industry hub.
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