NDIS Business Plans: Top Tips for Writing Business Plans for NDIS Providers
NDIS business plans are an essential part of achieving growth and effective management, but very often it is also a mandatory requirement for audits.
With ever-increasing compliances for registration, writing a business plan that makes a real impact can often be a daunting process. Knowing how to create projections, market research, personnel, risks and strategy take some time and expertise.
At The Business Plan Company, we have written many hundreds of business plans for NDIS Providers, so here are our top tips for preparing your NDIS business plan.
Top Tips for Writing NDIS Business Plans
- Know what the auditor wants by talking to Provider Institute, so the content of the plan meets these requirements.
- Don’t dodge the detail. Auditors are picky and will go through your plan with a fine tooth comb. Broad unsubstantiated or unreferenced details work against you.
- Governance is a big deal, so make sure your team has people that can demonstrate skills in financial management, compliances, regulation, risk management, safety and also clinical experience. That can be difficult for small NDIS Providers, who won’t’ have capacity to employ all of these roles, and they may not be covered by Key Personnel. In that case, you can demonstrate this through advisors and mentors.
- Prove your worthiness to be the owner. The NDIS want to be reassured that all business owners have demonstrated skills and abilities to effectively manage a disability support business. In the sections that describe the Key Personnel, be thorough – you can easily have skills that are overlooked that can show your capabilities.
- Be realistic. You may have big plans for your business, but this can look unrealistic if you go too ambitious, lowering the credibility in your plan.
- Consistency is key. All parts of your plan need to match up, so keep an eye on small details that are also reflected in other parts of your business plan. For example, the wages in projections need to match the stated team members in the organisational chart.
- Research the market. There are lots of reports on NDIS performance, many of them free, so take your time to put together information on the market in your area.
- Cover your compliances, drawing attention to applicable regulations and the policies and procedures that you have already developed. You don’t need to include these in the plan, just reference them.
- Get help. For many NDIS Provider business owners, the process getting through registration is daunting enough. If you are finding it all too much, reach out to professionals that do it every day.
