The process
How the subsidy works
The Management Capability Development Fund covers up to 50% of approved training costs — capped at $5,000+GST per business per financial year.
01
Register with the RBP Network
Visit business.govt.nz and register your business. A local growth advisor will contact you to confirm eligibility.
02
Meet your growth advisor
Your local growth advisor identifies your management capability gaps and shortlists suitable providers from the registered network. Tell them you are interested in NOW Group — they confirm which programmes fit your funding allocation and situation.
Growth advisors are based in every region across NZ. Canterbury businesses contact ChristchurchNZ. Auckland businesses contact Auckland Business Chamber. All other regions are covered by the national RBP network.
03
Start training — pay 50%
Once your growth advisor confirms funding, you engage NOW Group directly. The government covers up to 50% of the programme cost. You pay the remainder. Training starts immediately — you do not have to wait for paperwork to clear before beginning.
The annual cap is $5,000+GST per business. Multiple programmes can be funded within that cap — your growth advisor helps you plan the sequence to get maximum value from your allocation.
Up to $5,000+GST subsidy per business per year. Multiple programmes can be funded within the cap.
MCDF-eligible programmes
Four programmes. Government-subsidised.
Each registered with the RBP Network under an approved MCDF category. Your growth advisor confirms which match your funding allocation.
A focused 90-minute diagnostic session using the Business Maturity Scorecard. Builds your North Star, ICP, and positioning clarity — so every referral conversation pulls in the same direction.
- Define a 12-month North Star with measurable milestones
- Rebuild your ICP for verbal referral generation
- Articulate your value in language partners can repeat
- Leave with a written clarity brief — not just a conversation
A seven-module referral networking course that builds complete partner activation capability — from ICP development through to structured introductions, reciprocal tracking, and partner ecosystem management.
- Build a referral ICP with trigger events partners can act on
- Master the I-MELD structured introduction framework
- Activate and track your top five referral partnerships
- Includes NOW Group membership — live weekly assemblies
A three-month programme that builds the operating infrastructure most business owners carry in their head but not in their systems. Process documentation, VA training, and an AI thread trained on your own voice and frameworks.
- Document core processes so anyone can follow them
- Train a VA on systems rather than individual tasks
- Build an AI thread in your voice — content runs without you
- Track performance against specific weekly KPIs
A half-day facilitated workshop that turns a list of contacts into a ranked partner activation plan. Built around the Referral Resonance Score, I-MELD framework, and reciprocal referral agreement templates.
- Score potential partners across five alignment dimensions
- Build a prioritised 90-day partner outreach sequence
- Draft an I-MELD introduction for your top three partners
- Leave with a reciprocal referral agreement ready to present
Client outcomes
What business owners built
Capability outcomes — what clients can now do that they could not before. That is the measure that matters.
"Working with Chris over the past four months has been a game changer. He introduced me to a partner-focused funnel and nurture approach that was completely new to me — and helped me see how it fits into a bigger, more effective strategy. Practical, invested, and genuinely results-focused."
"Whether you're new to networking or a seasoned business connector, NOW will reshape the way you experience networking and take your business to a whole new level. Unparalleled in the networking space when it comes to innovation and future-proofing your business relationships."
"NOW Group has provided our team with structured frameworks that have genuinely changed how we approach partner relationships. The I-MELD system alone produced three new referral conversations in the first month that we would not have had otherwise."
Questions answered
What business owners ask before they begin
Plain answers. No pitch.
Book a discovery call
What is the Management Capability Development Fund?
The MCDF is a government-funded subsidy available through the Regional Business Partner Network. It covers up to 50% of approved management training — capped at $5,000+GST per business per financial year. A growth advisor identifies your capability gaps and shortlists registered providers including NOW Group.
Does my business qualify?
Your business must be privately owned, GST-registered in NZ, have fewer than 50 FTE employees, hold an NZBN, and be currently trading. Register at business.govt.nz and a growth advisor will confirm eligibility in your first session.
Can I access more than one programme?
Yes — the $5,000+GST annual cap applies to your business, not a single programme. You could complete the Strategic Clarity Intensive ($750), the Partner Growth Workshop ($750), and part of the Native Networker Programme ($1,497) within a single year's cap — with the government covering 50% of each.
Is NOW Group delivery online only?
Yes. All four programmes are delivered entirely online — accessible to NZ business owners in any region. Sessions run via Zoom. Self-paced content is available through the NOW Group platform at any time.
Do I have to wait for funding approval to start?
No. Training can begin immediately once your growth advisor confirms your funding allocation. You do not have to wait for paperwork to fully process before starting. Book your discovery call with Chris in parallel with the RBP registration — both steps take less than 15 minutes.
How do I get started today?
Two parallel steps. Register with the RBP Network at business.govt.nz. Then book a discovery call with Chris at nowgroup.co.nz/contact so we can confirm which programme fits your situation before your growth advisor session. Both take less than 15 minutes.
Ready to access government-funded training?
Register with the RBP Network and book a discovery call with Chris. Both steps take less than 15 minutes. The subsidy process runs alongside your onboarding.
NOW Group (NZBN: 9429049646283) is a registered RBP service provider. Subsidy eligibility is determined by your local growth advisor.