The Business Assistance Directory

Welcome to this directory of business assistance services available to the owners of small to medium businesses in Northland. The region needs successful small to medium businesses to secure its future growth and prosperity.

It is designed to help you find out where you can go for professional advice - provided free or at minimal cost - on how to start, develop or expand your business.

One or more of the following criteria were used for including an organisation:

• The lead agency for the Northland region
• Local or central government service, some of which are contracted to private sector organisations
• Free or minimal charging structure

BizNorth Business Mentors New Zealand Inland Revenue Department Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand Inventors Trust Maori Business Facilitation Service - Te Puni Kokiri .New Zealand Customs Service New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Northland Chamber of Commerce Small Business Support Team - NorthTec Technology New Zealand Tertiary Education Commission Work and Income

BIZ North
Northland's Enterprise Training Provider, contracted by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise to manage the delivery of the Enterprise Training Programme which provides opportunities for small and medium sized business to achieve growth by building their management capabilities.

Services offered include: Business assessments, training for business start-ups, business planning, compliance, marketing, strategies, e-commerce, finance, business systems, managing resources, business and operational excellence, exporting, Investment Ready training, Maori Trustee training, on-line and distance learning programmes and follow up coaching support.

BIZNorth is also contracted to design and deliver sector programmes at an owner, operator and management levels.

Business Mentors New Zealand
BMNZ is a mentoring service for small businesses.

Volunteer mentors are matched to your business needs and provide one on one mentoring for businesses that have been trading for twelve months or more.

Inland Revenue Department
Information and advice for new businessess.

Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand - Ministry of Economic Development
The agency responsible for granting New Zealand patents, trademarks and registered designs, and acts as a Receiving Officer for Patent Cooperation Treaty applications on behalf of the World Intellectual Property Organisation

Inventors Trust
Regular "Help Sessions" at monthly meetings where attendees can request assistance on any aspect of their current project and also hear advice from professional speakers and business mentors to assist in key areas of marketing, licensing and protection.

Access to free advice from senior members, a free initial Self-Evaluation Checklist for your invention and if requested, a formal confidential evaluation provided on a minimal fee/cost recover basis.

Maori Business Facilitation Service - Te Puni Kokiri
A free business development service for Maori interested in starting up a business or wanting to improve an existing business.

The service is for commercial opportunities only and is aimed at small to medium sized businesses.

It does not provide funding to individual small to medium business owners.

New Zealand Customs Service
A service available to assist business owners with importing and exporting.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
As the first point of contact for all enquiries, the Business Services team provides immediate assistance and advice on business capability and exporting matters along with access to organisation support.

The team has particular expertise in working with new-to-export business. This service is supported by a wide range of specially developed foundation material including checklists and "how to" guides.

Northland Chamber of Commerce
The BIZCentre for Northland which provides information, referrals and assistance to business owners and start-up businesses for both Government and private sector services, including funding.

Biz Centre can help identify organisations, people, training programmes and resources to help grow businesses or simply make them better.

Small Business Support Team - NorthTec
Tutors provide support to members of the community with questions regarding business. Tutors will provide up to one hour of support without charge.

Areas of expertise include; Employment Relations ACt, Business Information Systems, Business Plans, Information Systems, Hardware, Small Business Marketing, Marketing, E-Commerce, Systems and Processes, Internet Development, Planning, Accounting Packages, Project Management.

Technology New Zealand
TechNZ is the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology's business investment programme which provides up to NZ$50 million each year to businesses to undertake research and development.

TechNZ provides project funding to help businesses discover and develop new technologies and provides capability funding to build people's skills and knowledge to carry out leading edge research and development.

If you haven't worked with TechNZ before, or are considering undertaking research and development for the first time, please contact Enterprise North Shore – your nearest TechNZ partner .

TechNZ partners are a network of trusted advisors. They typically work with businesses undertaking early stage or small research and development projects, or first-time research and development companies. They can also provide a wide range of assistance beyond the application and investment process by connecting businesses to experts, research partners and companies with complementary skills and providing advice on commercialisation and protecting intellectual property.

Tertiary Education Commission
The Tertiary Education Commission administers a range of tertiary education activities including initiatives that support businesses to harness the skills and knowledge to prosper. TEC funds tertiary education organisations to provide Northland employers with access to a range of skills development initiatives which include Industry Training, Modern Apprenticeships, youth training, skill enhancement and Nga Kaiarataki Pathfinders.

Work and Income
Enterprise Allowance helps clients become self-sufficient by way of financial payments that allow them to prepare for, or enter into self employment.

The Enterprise Allowance is both a subsidy and a grant to help clients overcome financial barriers associated with moving into self employment. It is expected, that the client will in time, be able to fully support themselves financially from their business.

There is no formal application form. However clients are required to prepare a business plan and have it independently assessed.

You may get the Enterprise Allowance if:

• you or your spouse are currently in receipt of a main benefit
• you are not currently bankrupt
• you are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
• your business is new to you

This information is a guide only. Please contact us to talk about your individual circumstances.

Enterprise Allowance Subsidy
A temporary subsidy available to clients entering self employment while the business is being established. The weekly rate of subsidy is determined on the client's individual circumstances. This subsidy can be given on its own or in conjunction with the Enterprise Allowance grant.

Enterprise Allowance Grant
The Enterprise Allowance grant is a lump sum payment available for the purchase of capital items essential for start-up (where a client does not have access to any other commercial finance).

Be Your Own Boss Course
A programme that teaches you how to establish and run a small business including preparation of an approved Business Plan. It is expected that clients must completed either a Be Your Own Boss course or another recognised small business programme when applying for Enterprise Allowance.