Weekly payments while your Defence reservist employee (or you, if self-employed) is away on service.
Who can apply
Businesses that employ an Australian Defence Force reservist, and self-employed reservists, for eligible periods of service.
We can write this application for you
Send us your business name and we'll check it against every criterion for Employer Support Payment Scheme (ESPS). If it's a fit, we write the application, build the budget and check the attachments. You read it, sign it and submit it yourself. Nothing to pay unless you win.
Eligibility quick-check
- Usually fineBusiness structure: the listed criteria don't require a company. You'll usually need an active ABN, and often GST registration.
- Common blockerStaff: you need employees, or to be hiring, to qualify.
- Usually fineLocation: open Australia-wide, including Victoria.
- Check thisIndustry: aimed at reservists.
A quick guide from our reading of the official criteria, not a decision. The funder's guidelines are what count.
How to apply for Employer Support Payment Scheme (ESPS)
- Check every eligibility criterion in the official guidelines, not just the summary. One missed criterion usually means rejection.
- Confirm your ABN details (legal name, entity type, GST status) match the ABN Register exactly. Mismatches are a common reason applications fail.
- Gather evidence: quotes for the project, recent financials, and proof of any co-contribution or lease, depending on what the guidelines ask for.
- Write the answers to each assessment criterion with specific numbers (costs, jobs, sales, timelines), and build the budget in the funder's format.
- Lodge it through the official portal while the round is open. Keep a copy of the submitted application and the receipt.
- If you're successful, read the funding agreement before signing, keep every receipt, and diarise the report and acquittal dates.
Employer Support Payment Scheme (ESPS): common questions
Who can apply for Employer Support Payment Scheme (ESPS)?
Businesses that employ an Australian Defence Force reservist, and self-employed reservists, for eligible periods of service.
How much is Employer Support Payment Scheme (ESPS) worth?
Weekly payments equal to average adult earnings.
When does Employer Support Payment Scheme (ESPS) close?
Closing date not stated. Check the official page for the current round.
Can sole traders apply for Employer Support Payment Scheme (ESPS)?
The listed criteria don't require a company, so sole traders may be eligible if they meet everything else (for example ABN, location, trading history and industry). Check the guidelines.
Can someone apply for Employer Support Payment Scheme (ESPS) on my behalf?
Someone else can prepare it, but your business is the applicant: you sign the declarations, and most funders expect you to submit it yourself. We prepare the whole application so it's ready for you to review, sign and submit, usually in about 10 minutes. If a funder's rules expressly allow an agent to lodge, we can do it with your written OK after you've approved the final version.
How much does it cost to get help applying?
Freelance grant writers in Australia typically charge by the hour or a fixed fee per application, whether you win or not. With Vic Grants Weekly, there's nothing to pay unless you win. If you do, the fee is 12% of the grant money you receive, capped at A$3,000 + GST, and due only once the money is in your account. Where a grant's rules don't allow percentage fees, it's a flat win-only fee from A$99.
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