Program overview

Grants from $5,000 to $25,000 are available to support eligible licensed hospitality businesses to install or upgrade security and fire safety systems and equipment.

The Hospitality Security Fund aims to:

  • support businesses to install safety and security equipment that helps to protect their staff and the community
  • protect businesses, prevent crime and contribute to safer public business precincts.

The grants are delivered as a rebate. This means a grant will only be paid to an eligible business once their approved project is successfully completed, assessed and acquitted.

There are two grant options. See the information below to find out how your business can benefit from one of these grants.

Applications will close at 4pm on 28 August 2026, or earlier if all funds are allocated.

Security Uplift Grant

A grant of $5,000 for eligible licensed hospitality businesses to improve a venue’s security or fire prevention systems, with a matched contribution by the business. Businesses must co-contribute at least $5,000 to access this grant. The business does not need to have been directly impacted by fire-related crime.

Direct Impact Grant

A grant of $5,000 to $25,000 for eligible licensed hospitality businesses to improve a venue’s security or fire prevention systems. The venue must have had direct fire-related criminal damage investigated by Operation Eclipse since 1 March 2026. A co-contribution is not required for this grant.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for either grant, a business must meet all the following criteria:

  • employ fewer than 50 employees (by headcount)
  • be registered with WorkSafe Victoria
  • hold an active ABN on and continuously from 27 April 2026
  • be GST registered on and continuously from 27 April 2026
  • hold an eligible liquor licence on and continuously from 27 April 2026
  • be registered and operate in an eligible ANZSIC industry class on and continuously from 27 April 2026
  • operate an eligible venue with regular public night-time trading hours past 6pm; and
  • not be insolvent or have owners/directors that are undischarged bankrupt.

The venue must be within one of four local government areas:

  • City of Melbourne
  • City of Port Phillip
  • City of Stonnington; or
  • City of Yarra.

In addition, for a Direct Impact Grant the business must demonstrate their venue has been directly impacted by fire-related crime investigated by Operation Eclipse through a Victoria Police report (Notice to the Victim) and a statutory declaration.

Activities and expenses eligible for funding

Grant funds can be used for items and activities described in the Program Guidelines.

Examples include:

  • security and/or fire suppression audit
  • CCTV cameras
  • motion detectors
  • alarm systems
  • emergency lighting
  • fire suppression upgrades, such as sprinkler systems
  • emergency security and response training.

Grant amount

Applicants can apply for funding of:

  • $5,000 under a Security Uplift Grant
  • up to $25,000 under a Direct Impact Grant.

An eligible business can only receive one grant per eligible venue. If a business operates multiple venues under one ABN, it must submit a separate application for each venue.

How to apply

Applications will close at 4pm on 28 August 2026, or earlier if all funds are allocated.

Please read all the information on this page, including the program guidelines and the frequently asked questions (FAQs) before applying.

Make sure you complete all the questions in the application form and submit it on the Business Victoria application portal via the link at the bottom of this page.

What you need for the grant application form

Applicants must provide:

  • liquor licence number
  • liquor licence certificate
  • venue details
  • Australian Business Number
  • authorised representative details
  • WorkCover Insurance Certificate of Currency
  • attestations and written submissions addressing eligibility criteria
  • details of the proposed project, photographs of the current state, and evidence of estimated cost.

Applicants for a Direct Impact Grant must also provide a Victoria Police Report (Notice to the Victim) and a statutory declaration.

Audit

Your applications and grant expenditure may be audited by the Department, the Victorian Government, its representatives or agents, or the relevant Auditor-General for up to four years from the program open date.

Audits may take place before or after funding is provided, to check:

  • your eligibility
  • the accuracy of information provided in your application
  • if you spent the grant according to the program guidelines

Record keeping

Keep all records of your eligibility for the grant and, if a grant is received, how the funds were spent, for the entire audit period and provide it on request to the department.

If asked by the Department, you may need to repay any unspent funds or funds not used according to the guidelines.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

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