What types of businesses fall under a Class 2 or 3 Food Service Sector Classification under the Food Act 1984?

This program supports businesses with Class 2 or 3 Certificates of Registration under the Food Act 1984 that have a restaurant, hotel, cafe, pub, bar, club and/or reception centre.

The premises types are reflected in the classifications set by the Department of Health under the Food Act 1984. Certificates of Registration issued by local councils are consistent with these classifications and predetermined premises types.

A food certificate can only be used once for a grant application, for one premises.

If you are unsure about your business’ classification under the Food Act 1984 please refer to your Certificate of Registration or contact your local council.

Am I still eligible to apply if I am the licensee of the liquor licence but another operator/entity is responsible for serving food on the same premises and is the holder of the Class 2 or 3 Service Sector Certificate of Registration under the Food Act 1984?

Yes, as the liquor licensee you are eligible to apply through the link on the invitation sent to you by Business Victoria.

If you do not hold a Class 2 or 3 Service Sector Certificate of Registration under the Food Act 1984, you may still be eligible to apply to the program, if:

• you can supply a Class 2 or 3 Food Service Certificate of Registration from the operator that serves food at the same premises
• the food certificate is a Class 2 or 3 Service Sector Certificate of Registration under the Food Act 1984 and an eligible premises type: restaurant, hotel, cafe, bar, pub, club, or reception centre
• the food certificate states the same address as that specified on the liquor licence
• the food certificate has not been used for another application to this program
• the food certificate is valid in 2021.

If you only hold a food certificate and do not have a liquor licence you are not eligible for support under this program.

What is the difference in grant payments for regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne businesses?

Eligible businesses will receive $3500 per premises in regional Victoria and $7000 per premises in metropolitan Melbourne.

Eligible tourism businesses that operate one licensed premises in regional Victoria, such as accommodation, attractions and tourism operators, may also be eligible for the $3500 Tourism Supplement,  bringing their total grant to $7000.

I run an accommodation business which is also a licensed hospitality premises. Am I eligible for the Tourism Supplement?

If you are an accommodation business in regional Victoria that has received a grant under the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021, you may also be eligible for the Tourism Supplement.

If you are an accommodation business in metropolitan Melbourne that is also a licensed hospitality venue and have received a grant under the program, you are not eligible for the Tourism Supplement, because your grant will already be $7000.

The Tourism Supplement is an additional payment of up to $3500 to bring the total grant to $7000 for eligible regional businesses.

How do I know if I’m eligible for the Tourism Supplement?

To be eligible for the Tourism Supplement , businesses must:

• have already applied and been approved for a Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 grant
• be listed in an eligible tourism sector (see Eligible ANZSIC Classes page), predominantly providing an experience and/or service to meet the needs of tourists
• have only one premises located in regional Victoria
• have not received $7000 or more grant funding under the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 under its ABN.

You do not need to apply again for the Tourism Supplement. If you are eligible, the Tourism Supplement will be processed automatically and paid out in July 2021.

What do I need to do to receive the Tourism Supplement?

If you have applied for the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 (LHVF21), you don’t need to do anything else. The supplement will be automatically paid to eligible LHVF21 grant recipients in July 2021.

When will I receive the Tourism Supplement payment?

Business Victoria will process Tourism Supplement payments to eligible recipients after all first instalments of the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 and Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two grants have been paid. We expect this to take place in July 2021.

I am eligible for a grant under the Victorian Events Support Package but I’ve already applied for the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021. Can I receive both grants?

You may be eligible for a grant under both the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 and one of the programs under the Victorian Events Support Package. This will depend on the program and the eligibility criteria.

If you are eligible to receive a grant from both programs, your Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 grant amount will be deducted from the grant you are eligible for under the relevant Victorian Events Support Package program.

See Victorian Events Support Package for more details about the different programs and support available.

I was overpaid from the last round of the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund and still need to pay back all or some of the amount. Will I receive a grant from this round if I’m eligible?

If you are eligible to receive a grant from this round but still have outstanding payments from the previous round, we may deduct the grant amount from your balance.

You will be notified by email if funds from the last grant round will be deducted from your balance.

Please contact the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15 to discuss further, including available payment options.

I don’t have an eLicence email address. Can you email the application form link to another email address?

No. We can only provide the link to eLicence email addresses to ensure that applications are only open to eligible liquor licensees.

Liquor licensees without an eLicence email address should set one up as soon as possible on the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation's Liquor Portal to receive their grant application link. An email will be sent within five business days after registering your eLicence email.

I only recently set up my eLicence email in my Liquor Portal account. When will I receive my application form link from Business Victoria?

It will take up to five business days to receive your application form link after registering your eLicence email.

If you don’t receive your application form link after a week, please check your junk or spam email folders and ensure you correctly registered your eLicence email address on the Liquor Portal.

If the email still hasn’t arrived, please call the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15.

Only eLicence email addresses set up by Sunday 20 June 2021 will receive an application form link.

Can I forward an email invitation to an authorised business representative to complete the application on my behalf?

Yes, you can forward an email invitation to an authorised business representative to complete the application on your (the licensee’s) behalf.

For the application to be accepted, the person completing it must include the eLicence email reference in the application form.

We can only accept one application per premises.

I have received an email invitation to apply but I am no longer authorised to act on behalf of the licensee. What should I do?

If you are not authorised to act on behalf of the licensee and you have received an email invitation, do not apply.

Notify the licensee, who is responsible for ensuring the authorised person’s details and registered eLicence email are up-to-date on the Liquor Portal.

You can find instructions on how to set up or update a Liquor Portal account on the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation website.

I have received notification that my identification check has returned an invalid result or could not be validated. How do I update my proof of identity?

Update your contact details by following the steps outlined in our Proof of Identity Verification User Guide.

Download a copy of these instructions: Updating Proof of Identity Details in Grant Hub forms (PDF 633.93 KB).

Why do I need to provide a Class 2 or 3 Service Sector Certificate of Registration under the Food Act 1984?

The Certificate will demonstrate that food is being served at the same premises as that of the liquor licence. It will also confirm the type of premises and location.

A food certificate can only be used once for a grant application, for one premises.

What Commonwealth and Victorian regulators does a business need to be registered with to be eligible?

For the purposes of this program, a business is defined as an entity where a business name is registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

In the case of a social enterprise, it may be registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).

In the case of an incorporated association, it must be registered with Consumers Affairs Victoria (CAV).

Businesses must ensure their registration is current before submitting their application. If your business is not registered when you apply, it will not be eligible to receive a grant.

An adverse finding by a Commonwealth or Victorian regulator is also considered when processing grant applications.

How do I register with the relevant Commonwealth or Victorian regulator?

• Visit Registering a business if you are a business.
• Visit Applying for charity registration if you are a charity or not-for-profit organisation.
• Visit myCAV accounts if you are an incorporated association.

How long does an application take to be processed?

We will endeavour to process and notify applicants of the outcome of their application within 10 business days.

The following circumstances are considered when assessing applications:

• any adverse findings by a government agency or local council regarding a business or its operation
• a business is, or notice has been given that it will be, placed under external administration
• a petition for bankruptcy or to wind up or deregister a company or business
• the business is or becomes deregistered or unregistered (including cancellation or lapse in registration or any relevant permit).

Can I apply for more than one grant if I operate multiple premises under one ABN?

If the business operates more than one premises under its ABN, the business must apply separately for each premises. You can only receive one grant per premises, a $3500 grant for premises in regional Victoria and a $7000 grant for premises in metropolitan Melbourne.

What happens if I’ve submitted applications for both the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two and the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021?

If you submit applications to both programs and are found to be eligible under both programs, you will only receive one grant.

Submitting applications for both programs will result in delays to processing your applications.

We recommend you check your eligibility for both programs before deciding to apply.

What if I accidentally submit two applications for the same premises?

You do not need to take any action if you have accidentally submitted two applications for the same premises. We will only pay one grant for that premises, however this may result in a delay.

Will grant applications be audited?

Applicants will be subject to an audit by the Victorian Government or its representatives for four years after the grant has been approved.

If information in the application is found to be false or misleading, any grant awarded to the applicant must be repaid on demand by the Victorian Government.

I have not heard about my application. Is it still being considered?

We will endeavour to process all applications within 10 business days.

There may be delays if:

• your application does not meet all the criteria outlined in the guidelines
• you have not submitted all required supporting documentation with your application
• the submitted documentation, such as a Certificate of Registration under the Food Act 1984, is incorrect
• the application has been returned to you for amendments
• more than one application has been submitted for the same premises
• there are incorrect details on the application form, for example, an incorrect ABN
• an application has also been submitted for the Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two.

What happens if I have submitted an application and not received any email notifications?

Please check your spam and junk email for emails from covid19programs@ecodev.vic.gov.au. If you cannot find an email in your junk box, please call the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15.

We may email applicants for the following reasons:

• if you have not submitted the correct supporting documentation
• if your application is considered eligible and you have been awarded a grant
• if your application is ineligible as it does not meet the eligibility criteria of the program.