Small Business Financial Counselling

What we do

Rural Financial Counselling Services are:

Free, independent and confidential
Staffed by qualified and experienced Rural Financial Counsellors (RFCs) who understand farming and business – our RFCs are required to have a Diploma of Financial Counselling as minimum qualification, and have years of experience in assisting farming businesses
For primary producers of livestock, milk, honey, fruit, crops, wool, meat, vegetables, eggs, fish, plants, trees and logs
For small businesses who mainly support primary production such as: fencing, shearing sheep, controlling weeds or agricultural pests, managing stock, planting crops etc.
Able to assist farm or small agribusinesses experiencing or at risk of financial hardship
Able to come to your place of business or you can come and see us.

Assistance when

Rural Financial Counselling Services can assist businesses affected by:

Drought/water issues
Low commodity prices
Natural disasters
Structural adjustment
Industry downturns
Low equity/tight cash flow
Difficulties with lenders or access to finance
Unpaid creditors/debtors
Market disruptions
Changes in personal circumstances
Farm accidents or illness
Share farming/succession agreements/ contracts.

How can we help you

Rural Financial Counselling Services can help you:

Understand your financial position and the viability of your enterprise
Identify options to improve your financial position
Develop a plan to implement your chosen options, and implement that plan
Provide information, referrals, and support to access, government or industry grants and programs
Assist you to deal (whether through meetings or otherwise) with lending institutions in relation to:
- Applications and contracts with those institutions; and
- Processes relating to farm debt mediation
Assist you to identify the need for advice from professional service providers, and provide support with preparation for meetings with professional service providers.

News

NE Regional Soil Health Conference

NECMA conference

North East Regional Soil Health Conference - 14 May 2021 at Beechworth is for ALL land managers, agriculture industry groups and soil health service providers in North East Victoria.
Read more ...

Farm Finance getting prepared 2021 Webinar

Farm Finance

The team at the Young Farmer Business Network have put together a series of sessions designed to build skills in financial planning and business resilience for your farm business.
Read more ...

Details: Published: 10 August 2016; Last Updated: 28 January 2017

blog sbfcs

Financial counsellors are now available to provide support to small businesses associated with rural and regional business activities thanks to increased funding from the Victorian government.

Small rural and regional businesses are part of the overall fabric of the rural and regional community and we are delighted that free financial counselling services are now available for these businesses.

We understand that good businesses and families who rely on businesses for their income sometimes need a bit of a helping hand.

We know that good businesses can experience financial difficulties despite their best efforts and through issues outside their control.

Small Business Financial Counselling Services are:

Free, independent and confidential
For Small Businesses in rural and regional North East Victoria and the Goulburn Valley
To help small businesses that are experiencing or at imminent risk of financial hardship
Able to provide mobile services, (at your place of business or at a suitable location), or you can come and see us
Staffed by qualified people who understand small business

They offer assistance to small business affected by:

Reduced business turnover
Low profit margins
Natural disasters
Regional structural adjustment
Economic downturns
Low equity / tight cash flow
Difficulties with lenders or access to finance
Unpaid creditors / debtors
Market disruptions
Changes in personal circumstances
Family accidents or illness
Business Partnerships / succession agreements / contracts

They can help businesses with:

Understanding your financial position and the viability of your enterprise
Identifying options to improve your financial position
Developing a plan to implement your chosen options, and implement that plan
Providing information to assist you to make decisions relating to you enterprise
Assisting family businesses to deal with lending institutions in relation to
Applications and contracts with those institutions

Any eligible small business seeking support can contact the Small Business Financial Counselling Service on 1300 834 775.

Small Business Financial Counselling Service – North East Victoria is supported by the Victorian Government