Tauranga businesses are set to benefit from the government's decision to renew its regional business partner programme for another five years.

The Tauranga Chamber has again been selected as a regional business partner for the scheme, working with Rotorua and Eastern Bay Chambers of Commerce to deliver the programme, together Export NZ BOP and the Poutama Trust.

Tauranga Chamber of Commerce CEO Stan Gregec. Photo: File.

'The selection of Tauranga Chamber of Commerce to once again lead the delivery of the programme in the Bay of Plenty signifies confidence in our organisation's reach of SMEs in our region,” says Tauranga Chamber CEO, Stan Gregec

'It also allows us to add significant value to those relationships.”

The Regional Business Partnership supports businesses to improve their productivity and understand how innovation and investment in can grow their business.

The new contract, starting next month, has four main elements:

Business advisors within each region assess businesses' needs and provide direct advice, connections and support.

Vouchers worth up to $5000 are allocated to clients through the scheme to fund up to 50 per cent of the cost of specialist business support and training.

Since 2011, almost 10,000 small to medium-sized businesses across the country benefited from the programme, says Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce.

The network of regional business partners is very effective in reaching a large number of SMEs, says Small Business Minister Craig Foss.

'Of particular value is the work by business advisors who use their local knowledge and links to the business community to work with each business, identifying their development needs and increasing their ability to carry out key activities,” says Craig.

'We are working in partnership across 15 regional areas of New Zealand to offer an integrated one-stop-shop approach to business support.

'We have also partnered with Business Mentors New Zealand to make their full suite of services available through the Regional Business Partner programme.”

The Regional Business Partner Network is jointly funded by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and Callaghan Innovation.

An evaluation completed in April 2015 finds that the programme has had a positive impact on the ability of SMEs to manage their businesses.