THE DTI - BLACK BUSINESS SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (BBSDP) 

Just as you think that there is no help for you to grow your business…

The grants are based on the principle of shared investment. The applicant is an existing business that wants to grow. It has some of the funds but needs a helping hand for the balance. The following terms and conditions apply.

The BBSDP is a cost-sharing grant offered to black-owned small enterprises, to assist them in improving their competitiveness and sustainability, in order to become integrated into the main economy. It provides grants to a maximum of R800 000 for tools, machinery and equipment, and R200 000 for business development and training interventions per eligible enterprise, to improve the business’s corporate governance, management, marketing, productivity and use of modern technology.

Eligible Enterprises
To qualify for funding under the BBSDP the enterprise must:
· Be predominantly black-owned (50+1%);
· Have a predominantly black management team (50%);
· Have R 250 000 to R35 million turn-over per year;
· Be registered with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) for VAT, and be able to provide a valid tax clearance certificate and VAT registration number; and
· Be operating and trading for at least one (1) financial year. However, at the sole discretion of the DTI, an enterprise that has been operational/registered for less than a year may be considered for this incentive, subject to the enterprise able to provide sufficient evidence to service a tender/contract.

Eligible Interventions
1. Interventions that qualify are those aimed at upgrading the capability of the enterprise’s management, through generic management training programmes. Examples of such training programmes are:
· Business management (including planning, organising, finance, industrial relations, Human Resource (HR), business writing, business Information Technology (IT));
· Corporate governance (including roles/responsibilities of directors, line functions, conducting meetings, business ethics, compliance);
· Sales management (including customer service, customer support);
· Negotiating skills and techniques;
· Tendering and contracting;
· Mentorship and coaching; and
· HIV and AIDS risk mitigation (including policies, programmes, awareness, prevention, treatment).

2. Interventions that qualify are those aimed at improving the effectiveness of the management systems of an enterprise; assisting enterprises with entry into targeted or new markets; increasing competitiveness of enterprises or any other similar business development intervention, including:
· Company diagnostics;
· Business strategy;
· Marketing strategy (including information, planning, improvements, branding);
· Organisation and management improvements (e.g. structures, functions);
· Management information systems (including production, sales, accounting software);Quality assurance (e.g. International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), certification, accreditation, grading costs);
· Patenting and intellectual property rights;
· Production and productivity improvements;
· Product improvements;
· BEE rating and certification; and
· Expansion modernisation strategy and planning.

3. Interventions that qualify are those that wish to acquire tools, machinery and equipment. Enterprises may apply for support in acquiring equipment under one (1) of the following options:
· Introduce a clean production process;
· Secure a contract or tender for which the equipment is essential;
· Attain a grading (e.g. star-grading from the Tourism Board of South Africa; BEE verification certificate) to qualify the enterprise for new or larger tasks;
· Information Technology (provide security of information or back-up where this is integral to the operations of the enterprise); and
· Enhance growth or efficiency through the use of business IT.

Eligible Expenditure
1. As regards Enterprise Support Services (ESS) interventions, the BBSDP will offer a cost-sharing grant of 80% of the approved costs of qualifying interventions, and approved enterprises will contribute 20% of the necessary costs (for business development services and training). The maximum grant will be R200 000.

2. With regard to tools, machinery and equipment, the BBSDP will offer a cost-sharing grant of 50% of the approved costs of qualifying equipment, and approved enterprises will contribute 50% of the necessary costs. The maximum grant will be R800 000.

3. An eligible enterprise may apply for multiple interventions provided that the cumulative grants awarded to the enterprise do not exceed the maximum grant that can be awarded under the BBSDP. An eligible enterprise is, however, not permitted to apply for funding for the same intervention more than once.

4. All applicants should note that requested amounts for each intervention may not be greater than 30% of the enterprise’s previous year’s turnover.

Now, if you think you meet the above criteria or you are not sure, and you would like assistance in making the necessary application contact:
Mariam Sha
Awakening Excellence
Email: mariam@awakeningexcellance.co.za
Cell: 0836353831

Mariam is a registered DTI network facilitator. She is the founder of Awakening Excellence that offers business consultancy, financial brokering, accounting, training and development, coaching and mentoring services. Awakening Excellence is a one stop facility for all your business growth and development.

If you are serious about growing your business we are serious about helping you grow…
No costs for application