Victoria Small Business Grant program has been announced. The Small-Scale and Craft Program targets businesses looking to:
- Scale-up operations
- Diversify product lines
- Expand outreach.
Stream Three focuses on creating unique visitor or ongoing tourism experiences that involve and are directly linked to multiple small-scale and craft agribusinesses.
What will be funded under Victoria Small Business Grant?
Grants of $25,000 to $100,000 are available to eligible small-scale and craft agribusinesses for projects that:
- Create cohesive visitor experiences that showcase Victoria’s premium small-scale and craft products and have the potential to become an ongoing tourist attraction;
- Develop new agri-visitor experiences across Victoria;
- Ensure Victoria continues to be a leader in artisanal produce, showcasing the sector’s excellence, resilience, sustainability and local job creation;
- Create opportunities for communities and visitors to engage with the unique small-scale and craft sector;
- Increase understanding of and customer connection with Victoria’s small-scale agribusinesses.
Who is not eligible?
- Government departments or agencies, unincorporated associations, franchisees and subsidiaries of larger companies
- Local councils
- Individuals and businesses operating in the wine sector cannot be the lead applicant or main beneficiary of the project
- Applicants that have applied for another state government grant for the same project.
What is not eligible?
- Ongoing operating expenses or other ‘business as usual’ expenses (including utility costs; advertising and social media; operational wage-related costs; online costs – such as internet connectivity, website domain names and hosting; e-commerce platforms)
- Fees associated with permits for planning or annual certification
- Public liability and other insurances
- Costs associated with applying for government grants and funding programs
- Purchase of land, ongoing operating/administrative costs, business start-up costs
- Telecommunication service improvement or road upgrades
- Training or tertiary courses
- Travel, flight and accommodation costs
- Grants will not be provided for retrospective activities or equipment (activities that have occurred or equipment purchased prior to the executed Grant Agreement).
