COVID-19 VIC: Business, Non-Profits, Councils – Business Resilience Package

This program aims to help businesses impacted by ongoing restrictions and prepare for COVID normal business. It seeks to provide cash grants, tax relief and cashflow support to Victorian businesses that have been most affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions. The package will help businesses survive and keep Victorians in jobs.

The package includes:
1. Business Support
- Small and medium sized business ($822 million): The third round of the Business Support Fund will provide up to $20,000 for business with a payroll of up to $10 million. Grant applications opened on 18 September and closed 23 November 2020.
- Licensed Hospitality Business ($251 million): Grants of up to $30,000 for licensed pubs, clubs, hotels, bars, restaurants and reception centres, based on their venue capacity and location. Applications opened 1 October and closed 23 November 2020.
- Sole Trader Support Fund ($100 million): Grants of up to $3,000 to over 30,000 eligible sole traders who operate from a commercial premises or location to which the sole operator is the tenant or licensee. Applications opened 24 September and close 30 December 2020.
- Alpine businesses ($4.3 million): Grants of up to $20,000 to help alpine businesses pay a service charge to Alpine Resort Management Boards.
- Business Chambers and Trader Groups ($3 million): A competitive grants program to support metropolitan and regional business chambers and trader groups. Applications closed on 12 October 2020.

2. Business Adaptation
- $100 million Melbourne City Recovery Fund, a partnership between the Victorian Government and the City of Melbourne to support Melbourne’s CBD on the roadmap for reopening to COVID Normal in the lead up to Christmas and during summer. The fund includes:
a) $30 million worth of grants for small and medium businesses to pay for equipment, convert spaces like rooftops and courtyards into hospitality zones and remodel internal layouts to allow for the better flow of patrons.
b) $30 million to support COVIDSafe events and cultural activities to attract visitors back to the CBD when it is safe to do so.
c) $40 million towards providing physical improvements to the CBD streetscape, which could include wider footpaths, bollards and street planter boxes.
- $87.5 million Outdoor Eating and Entertainment Package to support hospitality businesses prepare for COVID Normal reopening across Victoria. This includes:
a) $58 million for grants of $5,000 for hospitality businesses with an annual payroll of less than $3 million to help them adapt to outdoor dining
b) $29.5 million for grants of up to $500,000 per metro and regional city Council, and $250,000 per rural Council, to deliver reduced or waived permit fees, or invest in new infrastructure and equipment to support outdoor dining.
- $20 million Small Business Digital Adaptation Program to assist sole traders and small businesses in building their digital capability through off-the-shelf digital programs such as Shopify or Square online and workshops designed to help adapt to online operations.
- $15.7 million package to help Victorian exporters get their products to market by addressing logistics and supply chain issues caused by the pandemic, and establishing new trade channels through virtual trade missions and assistance adapting their export strategies in a rapidly changing global market.
- $8.5 million to market and expand the ‘Click for Vic’ campaign to promote small Victorian producer and encourage more Victorians to support local businesses.

3. Waivers and deferrals
- The Government is also providing $1.8 billion in tax and cashflow support,including:
a) $1.7 billion in payroll tax deferrals for the full 2020-21 financial year.
b) $41 million to bring forward the 50% stamp duty discount for commercial and industrial property for all of Regional Victoria.
c) $33 million to defer the planned increase in the landfill levy for six months.
d) $30 million to waive 25% of the Congestion Levy this year, with the outstanding balance deferred.
e) $27 million in liquor license fee waivers for 2021.
f) $6 million to waive Vacant Residential Land Tax for vacancies in 2020.

A total funding pool of $3 billion is available.

Please visit the website for more information.

Please refer to the individual programs for the applicant eligibility requirements.

Please refer to the individual programs for the list of eligible activities.