The subsidy is one of the services available through the Regional Business Partner (RBP) Network, which employs growth advisors to support business owners and managers looking to grow and innovate.

To access the subsidy for registered training, you must meet the following criteria.

You must:

• have undergone a discovery session with a Regional Business Partner growth advisor
• have fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees
• be registered for GST in New Zealand (this applies to one-to-one training only)
• have a New Zealand Business Number (NZBN)
• be operating in a commercial environment, that means you are currently trading; and
• be a privately owned business, or a Māori Trust or incorporation under Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 or similar organisation managing Māori assets under multiple ownership.

New Zealand Business Number(external link) — NZBN

The subsidy is only one of many services that the growth advisors can connect you with to help grow your business.

To meet with a growth advisor, register with the Regional Business Partner Network and a growth advisor from your region will be in touch.

Register with the Regional Business Partner Network(external link)

After you register with the Regional Business Partner Network, a local growth advisor will get in touch with you to set up a discovery session.

This is necessary to find out what opportunities for growth there are for your business, and to help identify any barriers to growth. 

The growth advisor will work with you to put together an action plan. 

During the discovery session, you and the growth advisor might identify that there is a gap in your management capability. 

To fill this gap, training from a registered service provider may be suggested by the growth advisor. 

If you are eligible they will organise for the subsidy to be provided to you to use for the training.

Training can be in the form of one-on-one, or group delivery. A growth advisor can help you identify which style of training will be best for you.

The value issued will vary and can be used to cover up to 50% of the training service cost, up to a maximum of $5,000 per year (excluding GST). 

The subsidy can only be used with services registered with the Regional Business Partner Network.

The subsidy can only be used for management training in: 

• business planning
• business systems
• business sustainability
• capital raising
• exporting
• finance
• governance
• leadership development
• lean manufacturing/business operations
• managing resources
• marketing strategies. 

The subsidy cannot be used for:

• consultancy services (‘doing’ or implementing the work for you, rather than training or coaching you to do it yourself) 
• services offered outside New Zealand 
• mentoring services (connect with  Business Mentors New Zealand for these services) compliance training, for example audits for compliance, training for Government industry body compliance services, such as workplace certification and audits
• professional development or team building such as conferences, seminars, networking events and retreats
• diagnostic and assessment services including audits such as digital systems audits, financial audits, ergonomic assessment, strengths and/or psychometric assessment, for example Clifton Strengths, Myers Briggs, Thomas DISC  
• examination fees and costs
• leadership, personal and professional development (personal and career development services) except for ‘leadership development’
• personal physical and/or mental health consultations (medical or alternative) such as private or group yoga, massage, Somatic experience therapy, talk therapy, physiotherapy, osteopathy, personal training, and life coaching
• services already subsidised through other Government funding
• catering, travel, and accommodation expenses
• services delivered by a related party, this could include personal and financial relationships
• services to help businesses access Government funding (understanding Government research and development incentive tax process) 
• subscription and membership services
• team and/or individual employee training
• technical and product training such as Microsoft Office suite, Xero and MYOB accounting software, payroll software
• vocational training courses such as first aid courses
• website design, develop and build implementation or consulting
• business development such as helping to develop and brainstorm a business idea.