Has anyone got the Business Grant from WINZ before?
Hi there, throwaway account.
I've recently moved on from a place I've worked for 15 years. I was always longing to try to start my own business. I have left already and currently have no income. (I have maybe 10 months of savings before I am at zero) I have been working on some side projects for the last few months and I kind of want to see if I can make those side projects into legitimate business.
I was looking at WINZ and looked at the Business Training and Advice Grant
https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/business-training-and-advice-grant.html
It looked useful until I got to one section that I got really confused about.
>You may be able to get a Business Training and Advice Grant if you’re:
disadvantaged in the local labour market
Surely not right. I was hoping that because I have no income, I'll be burning through my mortgage payments. But a grant could at least cover some of my business expenses that I plan to purchase, or even provide me with a bit of survivability. I'm just a bit confused that in order to be get to get given a business grant you have to be struggling to get a job.
Am I crazy here or that doesn't make much sense to me? So the government cannot support upcoming business owners if they have job employability?
I'm hoping someone with some experience that knows about this that can help me. or anyone who has actually received the grant before, please let me know. I'd be really appreciative if you could provide any guidance.
TL;DR:
Quit my job after 15 years to start a business, currently no income (10 months savings). Confused why the WINZ grant requires being “disadvantaged in the labour market” - does that mean I won’t qualify if I’m still employable? Anyone been through this?