The Small Business Sustainability Grant is a subsidy system implemented by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Small and Medium Enterprise Agency) to help small businesses cope with systemic changes (e.g., reform of the working style, expansion of employee insurance coverage, wage increases, introduction of invoices, etc.) and decrease in sales due to the Covid-19. The local Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a point of contact for receiving the subsidies. A small business is defined as a business with 5-20 employees or less, depending on the type of business. Recently, there have been many companies that are using this subsidy to create web pages and promote web marketing, so we would like to introduce you to this subsidy.

Currently, there are two types of sustainability grants that are open to the public

– General type/Regular type

– Covid-19 type

However, please note that the source of the budget is different, and there are differences in the amount of subsidy, subsidy rate, and conditions of the call for applications and other details.

The fifth and final application for the Covid-19 type (deadline: Thursday, December 10, 2020 *must be received by mail) will be the final application, so there will be no sixth application.

The small business sustainability grants under the general category are scheduled to run until FY2022.

*The next deadline for the general quota is Friday, February 5, 2021.

<Overview>

– General type: The themes are the development of sales channels and improvement of business efficiency/principle: 500,000 yen/principle rate of subsidy 2/3

– Covid-19 type: The themes are addressing supply chain disruptions, changing to a non-face-to-face business model, and developing a telework environment / up to 2 million yen in subsidies / 2/3 of the total subsidy rate in principle

In order to apply for a sustainability grant, you must prepare/submit a business plan that says, “Our company will implement these new things in the future to grow/get through the corona. The business plan must include descriptions of themes such as “sales channel development” and “conversion to a non-face-to-face business model,” and the business plan must include a description of how the subsidy will be used to realize these themes.

Once an application is submitted, the application is reviewed after the deadline and the results of the review are usually announced within two to three months, and the grant is decided. Only after the decision is made will the applicant be able to place orders, deliver goods and make payments. Please make sure to confirm the order, delivery and payment when you receive the notice of adoption as the period for ordering, delivery and payment is set.

After delivery and payment, you will be required to submit a performance report and other documents. Please note that it can take up to a year from the time you first submit your application to the time the grant money actually comes in, as you will only be able to request the grant once the performance report and other documents have been submitted.

You can use this grant to make the following investments/activities

– Creating a website

– Creation of LPs/flyers/brochures

– Advertise in newspapers, magazines, TV and web media

– Introduction of web marketing tools (video conferencing system/digital sales tools, etc.)

Please check out the Small Business Sustainability Grant and take advantage of it.

*You can also go directly to the nearest Chamber of Commerce and Industry to find out if they can help you.

<Small business sustainability subsidy (general type)

https://r1.jizokukahojokin.info/index.php/%E6%8C%81%E7%B6%9A%E5%8C%96%E8%A3%9C%E5%8A%A9%E9%87%91%E3%81%A8%E3%81%AF/

<Small business sustainability subsidy for corona

https://r2corona.jizokukahojokin.info/corona/index.php/%e6%8c%81%e7%b6%9a%e5%8c%96%e8%a3%9c%e5%8a%a9%e9%87%91%e3%81%a8%e3%81%af/

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