COVID-19 VIC: Business, Non-Profits – Grants for Business Chambers and Trader Groups

This program aims to provide funding to Victorian business chambers and trader groups for initiatives that will help support their members as the state move into recovery and COVID normal. It forms part of the Victorian Government's $3 billion Business Resilience Package which aims to help businesses impacted by ongoing restrictions and prepare for COVID normal business.

The objective of this program is to support initiatives run by business chambers and trader groups that:
- Enable local business collaboration,
- Help members access support, including Victorian Government supports,
- Help members transition into recovery and restart.

Grants available are up to:
- $10,000 for smaller organisations
- $20,000 or $50,000 for larger or more significant organisations.

A total funding pool of $3 million is available.

The application is a two-stage process:
- Expression of interest for a preliminary proposal: Closed on 12 October 2020.
- Detailed project proposal for assessment: Invitation to be sent in the week commencing 19 October 2020.

Eligible applicants include business chambers or trader groups that must:
- Be based in Victoria
- Be a non-profit, business membership-based organisation (with a membership of businesses) that services a specific geographic area (e.g. a business zone, suburb or region).
- Have the core purpose of acting for its members and promoting commerce in a specific geographic area.
- Hold a current Australian Business Number (ABN) and have held that ABN at 13 September 2020.
- Be registered with the responsible federal or state regulator or with the relevant local council.

Eligible activities include:
- Boosting access and knowledge of the Victorian Government’s coronavirus (COVID-19) business recovery information, programs and services.
- Supporting and encouraging local business collaboration activities to help members adapt their businesses to the new COVID normal.
- ‘Buy local’ campaigns.
- Upgrading the group’s digital channels.
- Undertaking local activities to support local businesses' resilience and recovery.

The main assessment criteria include:
- How well the project supports the objectives of the program.
- How well the project supports the applicant’s members through the current coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions and in preparing for economic recovery.
- The capacity or capability of the applicant to successfully implement the project.
- Why the project needs government support to proceed.